As the influential player and coach is selected to into the National Soccer Hall of Fame Class of 2025, let’s take a look back at Chris Armas' career on the pitch through some truly impressive numbers:
12 Years in Major League Soccer
In over a decade of experience in the nation’s highest professional league, Armas led two different MLS teams to regular season, postseason and tournament success as a steadfast presence in the midfield.
He began with LA Galaxy in the league's inaugural 1996 season. There, Armas held down the center of the pitch to guide the Galaxy to the top of the Western Conference and the club’s first appearance in MLS Cup, where they finished as runners-up to D.C. United. Armas spent two seasons with the West Coast giant, recording four goals and six assists in that time.
In 1998 Armas made the transition to the Eastern Conference, becoming a member of the Chicago Fire, where he would spend the rest of his MLS career. The defensive midfielder enjoyed season after season of success, earning five nominations to the MLS Best XI, six appointments to the MLS All-Star roster and bringing home four U.S. Open Cup championships for the Fire.
Despite falling to D.C. in the 1996 iteration of MLS Cup when he was with the Galaxy, Armas found retribution with the Fire two years later when he held down the midfield for all 90 minutes of Chicago’s 2-0 victory to hoist the Cup.
He would go on to finish the 2003 season as a Supporters’ Shield winner with Chicago, the same season he earned the league’s Comeback Player of the Year award after tearing his ACL in 2002.
He finished his 10 seasons with the Fire with eight goals and 42 assists to his name.
66 U.S. Men's National Team Caps
His success in MLS was noticed by the national team—prompting Armas’ first call-up to the Stars & Stripes in 1998. After his debut in November he went on to record 66 total appearances for his country.
Just two years after making his debut Armas was awarded the federation's most impactful and prestigious honor, Soccer Athlete of the Year.
The New York City native also helped secure two Concacaf Gold Cups in 2002 and 2005.
Although two separate ACL tears in 2002 and 2006 kept Armas from the pitch in those years' World Cups, his 66 caps are the most of any player without featuring on FIFA’s largest stage in the federation's history.