At the MLS All-Star break, the Chicago Fire sit near the top of the table after two difficult seasons in the cellar. Roster moves by the club to bring in the likes of Dax McCarty, Nemanja Nikolic, and Bastian Schweinsteiger have helped contribute to their success and seeming turnaround, but what players over the Fire's 20-year history have had similar impact? Let's take a look at the top 10 players in Chicago Fire history.
10. Lubos Kubik
Top 10 lists are never easy, and this time is no different. Don't let Lubos Kubik's place in the top 10 fool you, though. The Czech defender who made 56 appearances for his national team side was part of the 1998 double-winning Fire, and added a third trophy by way of the 2000 US Open Cup. Despite listing as a defender, Kubik scored 25 goals across all competitions in his three seasons with the Fire, before being traded in 2001 to Dallas Burn, for whom he made 11 appearances in an injury-laden season prior to retiring later that year.
9. Jesse Marsch
Current New York Red Bulls head coach Marsch spent eight seasons in Chicago, making 200 appearances for the club, good enough for sixth on the all-time appearance list for the Fire. He was instrumental in helping the Fire bring home five trophies in his time in Chicago, including an MLS Cup, three US Open Cups, and a Supporters' Shield.
8. Carlos Bocanegra
From an American soccer perspective, there may be no name more recognized on this list than Carlos Bocanegra. Captain of the US national team for six years, Bocanegra appeared for the Fire 122 times after being drafted fourth overall in the 2000 MLS SuperDraft. He anchored the Fire backline in his four seasons there, earning himself MLS Rookie of the Year, two consecutive MLS Defender of the Year nods in 2002 and 2003, and eventually a move to the English Premier League with Fulham in 2004.
7. Zach Thornton
Thornton was selected in the 1997 MLS Expansion Draft from NY/NJ MetroStars, and eventually traded to Colorado in 2007, but not before spending eight seasons in Chicago, good enough to earn him a top five spot for club appearances. Like Marsch, Thornton helped Chicago to five trophies during his tenure, as well as garnering MLS Goalkeeper of the Year honors in the Fire's 1998 double-winning season.
6. Hristo Stoichkov
Hristo Stoichkov is to the Fire what David Beckham was to the rest of the league in 2007. A former Barcelona player, Stoichkov's arrival in MLS before the era of Designated Players was among the first times it was proven that a big-name international player would come to play in MLS under the right circumstances. Stoichkov's energy and enthusiasm on the pitch was only matched in Fire history by list-mates Peter Nowak and Cuauhtemoc Blanco, and his legend in Fire history stands to this day.
5. Cuauhtemoc Blanco
When Cuauhtemoc Blanco came to Chicago in 2007, it was before a crowd of 5,000 supporters at Toyota Park, in a short-notice announcement that immediately caught buzz in the city and changed the landscape of soccer in Chicago during his tenure. The Mexican national team legend instantly brought fans to the stadium in Bridgeview, and Blanco singlehandedly created a buzz in the city that hasn't been matched until Schweinsteiger's arrival this season. Blanco never led the Fire to a trophy before his departure after the 2009 season, but his impact on and off the field was electric, and helped vitalize the community around Chicago soccer.
4. Chris Armas
Chris Armas is one of two players on this list who have been involved in every trophy the Fire have earned, and with good reason. Armas was a member of the Fire from their inaugural 1998 season until 2007, logging an incredible 273 appearances for the club, all but four of which were starts. While he only scored 12 goals across all competitions in his career, he was named an MLS Best XI player for four consecutive years (1998-2001), was an 11-time MLS All Star, and is still a fan favorite around the club today.
3. C.J. Brown
"He pulls a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That's the Chicago Way." - Jim Malone, The Untouchables
No player encapsulates "The Chicago Way" better than C.J. Brown. A crushing defender during his time in Chicago, Brown leads the club with 372 appearances across all competitions that spanned 13 seasons. Along with Chris Armas, Brown also helped the Fire to each of the six trophies in their history, and has cemented his place in the Windy City with a name that is still synonymous with Chicago Fire soccer.
2. Ante Razov
Ante Razov retired from professional soccer with the distinction of being the all-time leading scorer for two clubs; the now-defunct Chivas USA, and the Fire. In 196 appearances, he found the back of the net 95 times, a mark that still stands in Chicago. In Razov's two stints with the club (1998-2000, 2001-2004), he also earned an MLS Best XI honor and had a hand in five of the the Fire's six trophies, including an MLS Cup, Supporters' Shield, and three US Open Cups.
1. Peter Nowak
The Chicago Fire was the last stop in a storied career for Peter Nowak (holding trophy, left). While today some might refer to that as a retirement move, Nowak did anything but rest on his laurels during his time with the Fire.
Serving as the first captain for the club in its inaugural season, Nowak led the Fire to the league's first double via MLS Cup and US Open Cup wins. He solidified his place in club history by earning the honor of being inducted as the first member of Chicago's "Ring of Fire" hall of fame. He also earned league honors during his five seasons in Chicago, taking home the league MVP in 1998, as well as MLS All-Star and MLS Best XI honors three seasons each.
Honorable Mention: Frank Klopas, Gonzalo Segares, Chris Rolfe, Josh Wolff, DaMarcus Beasley, Diego Gutierrez
