A Step Ahead of the Rest

Gomez's finishing technique is superb, said Bruce Arena, the former U.S. national team coach now guiding the Red Bulls, but what also sets him apart is that "his movement off the ball is special. He puts himself in the right place. When you have Gomez and Moreno together, you've got the best combination in the league."

Gomez attributes his skill development to playing, of all things, indoor soccer -- not the American version with retaining walls but six-on-six on a small field with normal boundaries. From age 6 to 13, growing up just outside Buenos Aires, he would play indoors on Saturdays and outdoors on Sundays.

"You are playing in reduced space, the ball is smaller and it allows you to dribble a lot and work on your skills," he said of the indoor game. "It's a lot of first touch and it helps you develop. It makes you play faster and think faster."

Those skills allowed him to build a 13-year career in the fabled Argentine league, most notably with his boyhood club Nuevo Chicago and the esteemed Independiente, where he played alongside 2006 World Cup members Gabriel Milito and Esteban Cambiasso.

His adventure then took him to MLS, where Latin stars such as Etcheverry, Carlos Valderrama, Mauricio Cienfuegos and Amado Guevara have gracefully engineered teams' attacks.

Gomez's signing did not generate the same fanfare and, even after two-plus seasons here, his following does not rival his predecessors, but "he's equally the player they were in many ways," Arena said.

Just as it took time for Gomez to acclimate to a new league, he and his family -- wife Claudia and 9-year-old twins Gabriel and Augustina -- needed time to adjust to a new environment.

The transition has gone smoothly.

They purchased a townhouse in Ashburn and get around in a silver PT Cruiser (adorned with a Diego Maradona sticker on the back window). The twins, in fourth grade, are fluent in English, while their father still struggles with it. Gabriel plays on the same youth team, the Venom, as Moreno's son, James.

Christian typically carpools to practice with Moreno, a native of Bolivia, and the club's two other Argentine players, defender Facundo Erpen and midfielder Matias Donnet.

"When I first arrived, it was a new culture, a new country, a new language, a total new way of life," he said. "The club made it easier for us. My family has grown accustomed and is doing well, and that makes me happy as well."

Gomez has one year left on a contract that guarantees him $182,500 this season -- third highest on the team behind Freddy Adu and Moreno, but considerably less than several unproductive MLS stars, including Kansas City's Eddie Johnson ($875,000; two goals in 19 games). His representatives are planning to discuss a new deal after this season.

"I'm lucky things are working out here," he said. "I came to a club that gave me a lot of liberties on the field, which has helped me individually."

If only someone could help him dance.

Said teammate Alecko Eskandarian: "I'll tell you what, you put the right music on, he can dance a little bit. He's got some moves now."