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The Chicago Fire’s Gabriel Slonina isn’t buying his own hype: “I still have a lot to prove.”

The Chicago Fire are, historically, extremely guarded when it comes to letting their youngest players talk to the media. The club is careful not to put an immature player into a situation where they might say something stupid and embarrass themselves. They don’t want to “Freddy Adu” anyone—smothering a young player with too much media exposure too soon.

But, with 17-year-old Gabriel “Gaga” Slonina, the Fire don’t really have a choice. The last year has seen him go from an unproven homegrown to the Fire’s No. 1 starter and member of the full United States Men’s National Team.