After nearly a decade of false starts, a palpable sense of anticipation has returned to the Chicago Fire. Meaningful runs in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs were once an annual tradition for the club, and the rebuilding project led by head coach and director of football Gregg Berhalter is finally showing promise in its first year.
“We’ve seen the excitement around the city,” Berhalter said at a press conference. “I’ve mentioned this before, of Chicago Fire being a sleeping giant, and I really believe that. People on the street are asking us about the game; there’s a lot more attention, tickets are selling a lot quicker than before. And that needs to be the standard.”
A sellout crowd is expected as the team fights for its postseason survival. In the opener of their Best-of-3 Series, the Fire pushed the Supporters’ Shield-winning Philadelphia Union to the limit, with a gripping 2-2 draw ultimately decided by a penalty shootout. The performance defied the No. 1 vs. No. 8 seeding and showcased tactical flexibility that neutralized Philadelphia’s aggressive style.
The team carries momentum from an emphatic 3-1 Wild Card win over Orlando City, a victory that evoked memories of the club’s successful past. With just two losses since mid-July, belief is surging in the locker room, even as the availability of breakout star and MLS Best XI contender Philip Zinckernagel remains in doubt due to an oblique injury.
“The way we bounced back after going down 2-0 is what’s given us the most confidence,” homegrown goalkeeper Chris Brady said. “Sending it to PKs and keeping it that close for that long really just instilled that belief in us that we can hang with whoever in this league. I’m super excited, hoping that our fans show out, and I know all the boys are buzzing. We really want to stick it to them and get back what we feel we deserve.”
This resurgence has been a long time coming. The Fire’s last playoff appearance was eight years ago and ended in a 4-0 knockout round loss to the New York Red Bulls, marking the second-longest postseason drought in league history. To find the club’s last playoff victory, one must go back to 2009.
Brady, then a 13-year-old in the Fire’s academy, was in the stands for that deflating 2017 loss, never imagining he would be in goal for the team’s next playoff game.
“I wasn’t a fan of the final score, obviously. But I do remember that game,” he recalled. “Being here in the darker times, where we haven’t met our goals, making playoffs is obviously a big one. To do that this year and see how this group has progressed under Gregg has been amazing. It’s exceeded everything I could have hoped for.”
Berhalter’s “sleeping giant” label is often used to describe the Fire, a club that has historically underachieved relative to its market and history.
“But it actually is,” noted left-back and Chicago native Andrew Gutman. “If you think about how big of a soccer city Chicago actually is, it’s been kind of disappointing that the Fire haven’t matched what soccer is to Chicago. Now we’re better, we’re growing, and we’re developing.”
The revival is fueled by more than just a return to the postseason. Owner Joe Mansueto has invested steadily on and off the field, fostering an attractive, attack-minded style of play. Homegrown talents like Brady, Brian Gutiérrez, and Sergio Oregel are making significant strides, highlighting the potential of the region’s massive talent pool. Further optimism comes from the imminent construction of a new stadium, slated to open in 2028 as part of a 62-acre riverside redevelopment project.
“People around the city are starting to take notice,” Brady said. “The better you perform on the field, it catches the eyes of not just Fire supporters or soccer supporters, but just anybody in general. That’s ultimately what we’re here to do, is represent the people of Chicago.”
While some might view this season as a moral victory regardless of the outcome, the team’s ambitions are much higher. Gutman explained that Berhalter’s primary goal has been to shift the collective mentality.
“His main goal was trying to flip the mindset of the team,” he said. “We’re not here just to play soccer. We’re here to compete, to win things for Chicago. Hopefully, success comes before the stadium, and then when the stadium hits, it just takes it into a whole other level.”
Berhalter sees the formidable Philadelphia team not just as an opponent, but as a model for sustained success.
“When you see Philadelphia as an example, it’s a club that has a recent history of success,” he explained. “When you’re in the stadium for a playoff game, you can see that everyone understands the rituals. We don’t have that yet. We want to build that, and we believe we’re on a good pathway, but we have a lot of work to still do.”
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