PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2014 (Crew): Has made 17 appearances -- all starts -- at centerback and has scored one goal... made his Columbus Crew debut in the 2014 Season Opener against D.C. United (March 8), starting and playing 90 minutes in the 3-0 victory ... started the next 10 matches of the season ... was named to the Costa Rica Men’s National Team’s 30-man preliminary roster ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup ... departed after the match at Portland (May 17) for international duty and missed the match against Chicago (May 24) ... was officially named to Costa Rica’s final 23-man roster ... earned a cap in during a start in Costa Rica’s friendly tune-up against Japan (June 2) ... started and played all 270 minutes of Costa Rica’s three Group Stage matches ... played all 120 minutes of Costa Rica’s victory over Greece in the Round of 16, including converting a penalty in the match-deciding shootout ... went the full 120 minutes in the Quarterfinal against the Netherlands, again converting a penalty in the resulting shootout ... returned to the Crew lineup after the FIFA World Cup against Sporting Kansas City (July 16), starting and playing the full match at centerback ... started in the club’s next five League matches, scoring his first goal of the season and his MLS career vs. the LA Galaxy (August 16) ... Gonzalez did not make an appearance in the 2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup while on 2014 FIFA World Cup duty for Costa Rica.
2013 (Vålerenga): In 2013, Gonzalez made 25 appearances – including 20 starts – and scored three goals in his second season in Norway. He scored his team’s only goal in the 2-1 loss against current Crew goalkeeper Steve Clark of Honefoss BK (May 8); scored the game-winning goal in the 1-0 win against Lillestrøm (June 30); and added an insurance goal in the 2-0 victory against Sandnes Ulf (November 10). In Norweigan Football Cup tournament play, he made two appearances.
2012 (Vålerenga): Gonzalez joined Norwegian First Division side Vålerenga for the 2012 season and made 12 appearances – all starts – from August to November after making 15 previous appearances in Costa Rica from January-April 2012. He made his League debut in the 3-1 win over Odd (August 10).
2011-2012 (Alajuelense): In his final year in Costa Rica’s Primera Division, Gonzalez made 29 appearances and matched a career-high goal total of three. He helped the squad to a 4-2 win over Belén Siglo XXI (January 20, 2012) with his goal before recording his first career brace -- accounting for all of the match’s scoring – just over a week later in the 2-0 win over Orión (January 29, 2012). He made a pair of playoff appearances as well during the schedule. During 2011-2012 CONCACAF Champions League play – Gonzalez’s second experience in the tournament – he made six appearances, including an August 25, 2011 Group A match in Carson, California against the LA Galaxy (2-0 Galaxy) and starting defender—and now Crew boss – Gregg Berhalter.
2010-2011 (Alajuelense): Gonzalez made a career-high 34 appearances during the 2010-2011 schedule and also set a career high in minutes (2,776). He made a total of 10 playoff appearances split between winter and summer sessions as well.
2009-2010 (Alajuelense): During the 2009-2010 schedule, Gonzalez made 28 appearances and scored three goals. He found the back of the net in wins over Puntarenas (August 8, 2009 and April 26, 2010) and against Ramonense PO (August 19, 2009). He made four playoff appearances during the 2009-2010 schedule.
2008-2009 (Alajuelense): Gonzalez joined the team during the 2008-2009 CONCACAF Champions League run and made two starts in tournament play – the first pair of eight total Champions League matches he’d make while in Costa Rica.
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE (COSTA RICA)
As of July 10, 2014
Gonzalez has earned 38 total caps for Costa Rica dating back to his debut against Peru in a friendly on October 9, 2010. In total, Gonzalez has scored two goals for his country, including a tally in the May 25, 2012 friendly against Guatemela and the game-winning goal to secure Costa Rica’s Copa Centroamericana 1-0 win over Honduras alongside Crew forward and fellow countryman Jairo Arrieta on January 27, 2013. He also converted his spot kick in penalty kicks to help his team advance in the Round of 16 in the 2014 FIFA World Cup against Greece on June 29, 2014, and then repeated the feat in the Ticos' shootout loss to the Netherlands in the Quarterfinals on July 5, 2014. Across his 38 caps, Gonzalez has seen time in 12 friendlies, three CONCACAF Gold Cup matches, four Copa Centroamerica tilts, 14 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers and five matches in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, including three Group Stage matches, a Round of 16 victory and a Quarterfinal loss. He started in both 2013 FIFA World Cup Qualifier matches against the United States in 2013 (March 27 and September 7). Gonzalez also represented his country on two occasions at the Under-20 level. Gonzalez was named to Costa Rica's final 23-man roster ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and started in the international friendly tune-up against Japan (June 2) and started all of Costa Rica's matches in the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
ACQUIRED
Gonzalez was signed as a Discovery Signing on February 21, 2014
PERSONAL
Name: Giancarlo Gonzalez
Pronunciation: JEE-anne-carlo Gonzalez
Position: Defender
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 185
Born: February 8, 1988 in San Jose, Costa Rica
Hometown: San Jose, Costa Rica
Citizenship: Costa Rica
Acquired: Signed as a Discovery Signing on February 21, 2014
Previous Experience: Vålerenga (2012-2013), Alajuelense (2008-2012)