Chris Armas, Class of 2025 National Soccer Hall of Fame

FRISCO, Texas – Chris Armas is a Hall of Famer. Tuesday afternoon, the National Soccer Hall of Fame and Colorado Rapids announced that Rapids manager Chris Armas will be a member of the 2025 Hall of Fame class. Armas achieved this as a veteran finalist after 12 years as a player in MLS and several years of being on the HOF ballot.

The first-year Rapids head coach is one of the most decorated players in league history or at least MLS 1.0. MLS Cup Champion as a Chicago Fire original in 1998. Four time U.S. Open Cup winner. Two time Supporters’ Shield winner, one as a player and one as a coach. Five time MLS Best XI. Six time MLS All-Star. 2003 MLS Comeback Player of the Year. 2000 U.S. Soccer Mens Player of the Year. Two Gold Cups and 66 caps with the USMNT. That after spending to the early 90s with the Puerto Rican National Team.

Armas is also a member of the Adelphi University and Long Island Soccer Halls of Fame.

Just like with their two 2024 All-Stars, Colorado Rapids sprung a surprise on Armas with the news. Surrounded by Hall of Famer Marcelo Balboa and family members, “they got me good,” as Armas told Burgundy Wave. “I don’t like surprises. They really pulled off a big one,” he added.

Armas built good will in Colorado from day one as manager through his humanity and enthusiasm. Even though this award was due to his playing career (he never played for Colorado), that’s ben reciprocated.

“In this business, you don’t always see clubs and upper management like by taking care of people, living by that. I’m in the business of that. To be on the receiving end of that means a lot to me.”

Armas’ resume is stacked from an MLS standpoint. Like many of his Chicago Fire OGs, than 1998 season stands out for him as a player and for his development as someone who’s gone on to do more in soccer since retiring as a player. Winning the double, specifically MLS Cup in ’98 remains his most proud achievement.

“Winning MLS Cup in 1998 for sure. We won Open Cup that year as well. But MLS Cup was the defining moment. Playing a good role on that team. In so many ways that led to me getting my first national team cap a month later.”

Armas has shown on more than one occasion that he doesn’t hold grudges. He went on to say that playing for the USMNT in games in which they qualified for the 2002 and 2006 World Cups were also highlights for him. This in spite of the fact he never played in a World Cup. This coming after he played for his mother’s native Puerto Rico in 1993 when there was no obvious path to breaking into the U.S. team.

That ’98 Fire team was stacked with guys who’ve influenced the game in other ways. General Manager Peter Wilt. Head coach Bob Bradley who went on to coach the national team. Players Jesse Marsch, Josh Wolff, Manny Lagos, and Ante Razov to name a few. That team is its own coaching tree today.

“They got so much right about the character, the competitors, the winners. When you see what so many of that group have gone on to do, it’s incredible. We were shown the blue print. Bob Bradley created such a real culture,” Armas told Burgundy Wave.

Growing up watching soccer in New York, Armas idolized Pelé and Shep Messing, going back to the latter’s days with the indoor team the New York Arrows as Nassau Coliseum. Armas went on to be influenced by his future coaching boss Jess Marsch who we worked with at New York Red Bulls and Leeds United. As a future coach himself, his coaches were the biggest influence to him as a player.

“The biggest influencers for me were my coachers. Manny Schellscheidt, Bob Bradley, Bob Montgomery, my college coach. He was my coach when I was 14-years-old. Alfonso Mondelo. Later on, it became Bruce Arena. I revered my coaches. I modeled how they work their soccers, and their cleats.”

Keeping with the humility and hard working approach, he wasn’t expecting to get the Hall of Fame. Simply being in consideration was a big deal.

“I’ve been on it for a bunch of years in a row. ‘Do I have a chance at this?’ Anyone of those people can win. I got close once with Joe Max Moore. We were tied on votes, they did a revote, and he got it. I was pleasantly surprised and honored.

“It’s nice enough being mentioned with such greats. What matters most of all to me that you earn respect from the people you work with. (Getting into the Hall of Fame) is a reflection of the type of player I was.”

Spoken like a true defensive midfielder who just wants to work hard, win, and doesn’t care about getting credit.

Armas has gone on to coach college soccer, MLS, and in England going on 15 years now. He joined Colorado Rapids in November 2023. In his first season, he led the Pids to a third place finish in Leagues Cup and a birth in the MLS Cup Playoffs. He finished third in Coach of the Year voting.

Photo Credit: Mark Shaiken

Thank you for reading Burgundy Wave. Support us via our Patreon starting at $5/month. We’re always looking for new talent. Let us know if you’re interested in covering Colorado Soccer.