Chris Mueller 'Fully Back' from Injury, Excited to Play with College Teammate Tom Barlow

“That's always difficult for any player. I obviously never faced anything like that in my career before, so to be out for so long was not ideal. I don't think anybody enjoys those times.

“But I definitely feel like I grew as a person, and I'm hoping to come back stronger, right, like everybody who goes through these types of injuries wishes, right? So I know I put in the work, and I'm prepared for this season. And yeah, I feel really good, no pain like I had before.”

2024 brings a handful of changes for the Fire in the personnel department and none are more welcome for Mueller than Chicago’s acquisition of Tom Barlow. The two starred at the University of Wisconsin from 2014-2017, highlighted by Mueller being named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year after their final season in Madison.

Mueller is thrilled at the reunion with his former teammate and fellow 2018 MLS SuperDraft pick.

“It's funny, man, we are roommates [at preseason camp],” said Mueller. “So we were in the room a couple nights ago, and I was like, I feel like I am back in college. We had “Friends" on the TV and it was literally like déjà vu. Brings me seven years back. Maybe I'll be seven years younger on the pitch, too. We'll see.

“But I have a good connection with Tom. We obviously played four years together. I know him really well. He's someone who always at least – what you know is that he's going to give a hundred percent for the team. He works tremendously hard. He has a lot of physical abilities where he's strong, he's really fast and he can get in behind, and that was one of the things I loved about what I was playing with him. I was playing a little bit underneath, but any time you got the ball, you knew he was going to make a good run and you could kind of slip him in.

“And obviously in front of goal he's a good finisher as well. That's what you want in a No. 9. I think he'll score some big goals for us this year. I have no doubt about that. And yeah, it's been fun so far and I'm definitely looking forward to continuing to build that relationship with him as well.”

The last time Mueller and Barlow were teammates, they each contributed at least 15 goals for the 2017 Wisconsin Badgers. The Fire are hoping the two can re-establish their goal-scoring prowess from college in 2024.