During the mid-2010s, Luis Gil was on an encouraging trajectory in American soccer. As an integral part of Real Salt Lake, the midfielder placed No. 2 on the 2013 edition of the MLS 24 Under 24 list and made his US men’s national team debut in February 2014 during a friendly against South Korea.
If you’re wondering where Gil ended up all these years later, Brian Sciaretta recently connected with him for a story at American Soccer Now. Gil, 26, is playing for FK Viktoria Zizkov, a club chasing promotion from the Czech Republic second division, though, like many soccer leagues around the world, are on pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It wasn't like the first place I wanted to go to,” Gil told American Soccer Now. “I had options in MLS but I kind of wanted to get away from that. The whole idea was just kind of get away from where I was comfortable. I feel like I was just so used to a certain way and a certain style.
“ … It was kind of a quick decision in a way. It was just something where I can get back to where I wanted to be – the player that I wanted to be, where coaches didn't know me. I wanted something different.”
Gil has three goals in 20 games since joining Viktoria Zizkov last summer in what amounts to his second prolonged stint outside of MLS. Gil moved to Mexican side Queretaro in 2016, but never quite latched on and loans to Orlando City, Colorado Rapids and the Houston Dynamo followed suit.
For more on the former US youth national team star and RSL prospect, check out Sciaretta’s full story here.
