New England Revolution midfielder Carles Gil has yet to make his 2020 debut, but with just one season under his belt, he's already captured the attention of MLS. Here are five fast facts about the 27-year-old Spaniard in his eight professional seasons.
1. Nacho Average Brother
Gil is not the only member of his family who has soccer skills. His younger brother Ignacio Gil, who goes by the nickname “Nacho,” is also a professional footballer. Nacho plays for SD Ponferradina, a Spanish side based in Ponferrada that is part of the Segunda División. Like his older brother, Nacho plays primarily as an attacking midfielder.
Bonus Fact: The Gil brothers and Revolution midfielder Wilfried Zahibo were all teammates in Valencia's system in 2014-15.
2. A Lasting First Impression
Although Carles Gil has only played one full season with the Revs, he made quite an impression on the organization. He quickly became the club’s captain, taking on a leadership role as soon as he stepped into Foxborough.
On the field, he racked up many accolades with the Revs by the end of his inaugural season. After leading New England into the Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs, Gil was voted the Revolution JetBlue Team MVP, Players’ Player of the Year, and Midnight Riders Man of the Year.
3. Memorable Minutes
Gil put in both time and work to earn these prestigious awards. The Designated Player started all 34 regular-season games in the 2019 season. In fact, he led the team in minutes played with 3,052 total, meaning that he missed just eight minutes throughout the entire season.
4. MLS Newcomer of the Year
Are there any other categories for Gil to impress in? Yes, yes there are.
The captain claimed the Revolution Golden Boot award after leading the team with 10 goals and 14 assists. The true cherry to top off the season, though, is that Gil was voted MLS Newcomer of Year. This prestigious award is extremely competitive within the league, and Gil is the first Revolution player in history to earn the title.
5. Learning the Language
Gil grew up in Valencia, Spain and Spanish is his first language. However, the creative playmaker spent two years with Aston Villa in the English Premier League, where he got a better grasp on the English language. Since moving to New England, Gil has made an even bigger effort to sharpen his English to help bridge the language barrier with his teammates.
Gil has been known to put his English to the test in pregame speeches, as he acts as a leader in the locker room by setting good examples both on and off the field.
Re-live some of the Revs’ 2019 ‘Outside the Box’ features to see Gil’s English in action in pregame huddles. Not to mention, it’s simply fun to go back and watch these emotional and inspirational match recaps. It will almost feel like you are back at Gillette Stadium.
