Before the Fire signed Cuauhtémoc Blanco, Bastian Schweinsteiger or Xherdan Shaqiri, there was Hristo Stoichkov.
Even though the Bulgarian forward starred for his country in the 1994 World Cup, won that year’s Ballon d’Or as the best player in the world and was a standout for Spanish megaclub Barcelona, the Fire have a special meaning to Stoichkov. He still has a house in Lake Forest and has kept his bonds with the city and club, where he spent just three late years (2000-02) of his illustrious career.
Patting his heart as he spoke, Stoichkov made that clear.
“The Chicago Fire [are] more than a team,” he said.
The Fire celebrated a major landmark this weekend, capped off with a 1-1 tie with the New England Revolution on Sunday in front of 14,357 that ended their 25th season. Saturday was the 25th anniversary of the team’s Oct. 8, 1997 birth, marked by a party at the Museum of Science and Industry; and on Sunday, the Fire wore jerseys with special red numbers and silver anniversary logos.
Stoichkov served as the ceremonial “Fire starter” before the match, and members of the 1998 MLS Cup-US Open Cup double winners were recognized at halftime.
Though the current team finished 10-15-9 (39 points) and 12th in the Eastern Conference, the former players were glad to toast the franchise, which wasn’t an original MLS club but helped the league establish itself in Chicago.
“It gives you a sense of pride to see how much we have evolved, being part of the league right now and being part of the Chicago Fire history, it’s a great thing to see,” said Diego Gutierrez, a midfielder on the 1998 team. “I have high hopes for this club as well.”
The Fire’s first nine years were successful, bringing six trophies. Things obviously haven’t gone as well since the end of the 2009 season, and the Fire are out of the playoffs for the fifth straight year as they try to find their way back into relevance in Chicago.
Before their 50th anniversary, the Fire have a lot to do to make that milestone the mark of a triumphant club and not one just looking back longingly at the first decade of their existence. Gutierrez hopes for more championships, more World Cup players and a soccer-specific stadium downtown over the next 25 years.
“The words ‘Tradition, Honor, Passion’ are not in vain. They carry weight,” Gutierrez said, referencing the club’s credo. “I think that pretty much every single player that has ever worn this uniform has to embody that. When you get together with [fellow alumni] 25 years later, that’s the case. These guys are special.”
One player who represents that is DaMarcus Beasley. While he was with the Fire he became a regular for the US men’s national team, and eventually appeared in four World Cups and went onto a successful career in Europe and Mexico. When he came to Chicago in 2000, Beasley saw the family environment and winning culture the team enjoyed, and said he couldn’t have asked for a better club to join.
To return to that level, Beasley wants the Fire to keep their belief and give coach Ezra Hendrickson time. Longer term, more trophies and the current Fire players understanding what came before them would lead to better days.
Beasley has hope that can happen. He believes in owner Joe Mansueto, and asked Fire fans to understand how long the project could take.
But as the Fire marked their 25th anniversary, Beasley sees a lot that doesn’t need to be altered.
“The traditions and culture of the Fire,” Beasley said, “will never change.”
