FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Since he became the youngest goalkeeper in the history of Major League Soccer, Gabriel Slonina has been making his statements on the pitch.
That was again the case in Chicago Fire FC’s 2022 regular season opener on Monday, when Slonina made four saves to help preserve a scoreless tie for the club against Inter Miami CF. But after the game, he had another one that he wanted to make, and it’s one of much greater importance.
After the match, Chicago Fire FC’s social media accounts posted a picture of Slonina lifting up his yellow game kit to reveal a shirt that read “No War in Ukraine.” It was a show of support for that country as they continue to be under an invasion by Russia, a move that has been condemned by many in the world of sports.
Slonina also sported the shirt during his postgame news conference with reporters following the match.
“The game is important but there’s other things that happen outside life that are above the game,” said Slonina about wearing the shirt in support of Ukraine. “So I think it’s about putting the most awareness that we can to making sure that families and victims that are going through this hard time right now stay safe and we can support them as much as possible.”
He wasn’t the first and hasn’t been the last in soccer or in sports in general in speaking out against the actions by Russia in Ukraine over the past week. Slonina said that the situation has been a talking point in the Fire locker room leading up to their opening match of the season.
“A lot of teams have a lot of culture on their team so a lot of people are affected by it even if they don’t seem like they are,” said Slonina. “It’s about putting awareness out there and making sure that you’re with them and knowing that you’re supporting them even if it’s just a shirt with a message and just telling them you know that the stuff going on is not okay. Everyone is aware of it and everyone knows what’s going on right now.
“I think there are bigger things outside of soccer and families that need be kept safe. So it’s about putting as much awareness and support as we can into this matter right now.”
Slonina has a personal connection to the conflict since he has family members in Poland, which shares a border with Ukraine.
“I want to make sure that they are safe as well and the quicker that there could be no war, and love and peace in the world, they can stay safe and there’s less stress and worry about their safety and everything,” said Slonina. “Every war shouldn’t be on this earth. I think I believe in that and I’m going to continue to put as positive of a message as I can out there even if it’s just wearing it on my shirt after a game.”
This moment was the subject of the “Random Hawlight” from Larry Hawley on WGN News Now on Monday, and you can watch that in the vide oabove.