1. Overview
Gabriel Pawel "Gaga" Slonina is an American professional soccer player who primarily plays as a goalkeeper for Premier League club Chelsea and the United States national team. Born on May 15, 2004, he stands at 76 in (193 cm) and weighs 194 lb (88 kg). Slonina quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the youngest professional signing for Chicago Fire and the second youngest in Major League Soccer (MLS) history. He also holds the record as the youngest starting goalkeeper and the youngest to record a clean sheet in MLS history. His early career achievements quickly positioned him as one of football's top young talents, with Goal including him as the only goalkeeper on their 2023 NXGN list of the 50 best young players.
2. Early life and background
Gabriel Pawel Slonina was born on May 15, 2004, in Addison, Illinois, United States. He is of Polish descent; his parents originate from Tarnów, Poland. This heritage has made him eligible to represent either the United States or Poland in international soccer competitions.
2.1. Youth career
Slonina began his formative years in soccer at a young age. In 2013, at the age of 12, he joined the youth academy of the Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire FC. During his time in the academy, he developed his skills as a goalkeeper and progressed through various youth levels before signing his first professional contract.
3. Club career
Slonina's professional club journey began with his hometown club, Chicago Fire, where he achieved several significant milestones before securing a high-profile transfer to English giants Chelsea and subsequently gaining further experience through loan spells.
3.1. Chicago Fire
On March 8, 2019, at just 14 years old, Gabriel Slonina signed a professional homegrown player contract with Chicago Fire FC. This made him the youngest signing in the club's history and the second youngest professional contract signing in the history of Major League Soccer, following Freddy Adu.
He made his professional debut for the Chicago Fire on August 4, 2021, against New York City FC. At 17 years and 81 days old, Slonina became the youngest starting goalkeeper in Major League Soccer history. In the same match, which ended in a 0-0 draw, he made four saves, becoming the youngest goalkeeper to record a clean sheet in league history. Following these record-breaking achievements, Slonina established himself as a regular starter for the Fire. His impressive performances garnered significant attention from top European clubs, with both Real Madrid and Chelsea reportedly expressing strong interest in acquiring him by June 2022.
3.2. Chelsea
On August 2, 2022, Slonina signed with Premier League club Chelsea. The transfer fee was reported at 10.00 M USD, with potential add-ons that could increase the sum to 11.00 M USD, or up to 15.00 M USD according to some reports. As part of the agreement, he remained with Chicago Fire FC on loan to complete the remainder of the 2022 MLS season before officially joining Chelsea on January 1, 2023. Slonina made his debut in a Chelsea shirt for the club's under-21 team on January 13, 2023, in a Professional Development League match against Wolverhampton Wanderers Development Squad.
3.2.1. Loan spells
To continue his development and gain more senior team experience, Gabriel Slonina has undertaken several loan spells from Chelsea.
On August 10, 2023, Slonina agreed to join Belgian side K.A.S. Eupen on a season-long loan for the 2023-24 season. On October 28, 2023, he recorded his first clean sheet for Eupen in a 2-0 victory over Sporting Charleroi.
Subsequently, on August 9, 2024, Slonina joined League One club Barnsley on another season-long loan deal for the 2024-25 season. However, this loan spell was prematurely terminated on January 1, 2025, due to an injury Slonina sustained.
4. International career
Gabriel Slonina has represented the United States at various youth levels and has also made his senior international debut, having chosen to represent the United States despite his dual eligibility.
4.1. Youth national teams
Slonina has been a consistent presence in the United States youth national team setup, representing his country at the under-15, under-16, under-17, and under-20 levels. He notably featured in an Under-17 friendly match against Spain. He served as the starting goalkeeper for the United States at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup. During the tournament, he kept four consecutive clean sheets as the American team advanced to the quarterfinals. The only two goals Slonina conceded in the competition came in a 2-0 quarterfinal loss to eventual champions Uruguay, with one of those goals being a deflection off a teammate.
4.2. Senior national team
Given his birth in the United States and his parents' Polish heritage from Tarnów, Poland, Gabriel Slonina was eligible to represent either the United States or Poland internationally. He was first called into the United States senior team training camp in December 2021 but did not feature in a match. He received another call-up on January 21, 2022, for a World Cup Qualifying camp, but again, he did not make an appearance.
On May 17, 2022, Slonina was called up to the Polish senior team by coach Czesław Michniewicz for their upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures against Wales, Belgium, and the Netherlands. However, three days later, on May 20, Slonina publicly rejected the call-up, declaring his definitive wish to represent the United States at the international level. He made his senior debut for the United States on January 25, 2023, in a friendly match against Serbia. This appearance made him the youngest-ever goalkeeper to play for the United States senior team. In the 2-1 loss, Slonina made several key saves.
5. Personal life
Gabriel Slonina was born in the United States, but holds a strong connection to his Polish heritage through his parents, who are originally from Tarnów, Poland. This dual ancestry granted him eligibility to represent either the United States or Poland in international soccer. He is commonly known by his nickname, "Gaga".
6. Career statistics
6.1. Club
Updated as of December 1, 2024.
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Chicago Fire | 2021 | MLS | 11 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 11 | 0 | ||||
| 2022 | MLS | 23 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 23 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 34 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 34 | 0 | ||||||
| Chelsea | 2022-23 | Premier League | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
| 2023-24 | Premier League | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| 2024-25 | Premier League | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Chicago Fire (loan) | 2022 | Major League Soccer | 9 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 9 | 0 | ||||
| Eupen (loan) | 2023-24 | Belgian Pro League | 33 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 34 | 0 | |||
| Barnsley (loan) | 2024-25 | League One | 11 | 0 | - | 3 | 0 | - | - | 14 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 87 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 91 | 0 | ||
6.2. International
Updated as of January 25, 2023.
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2023 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 1 | 0 | |