Mónica González officially joined ESPN in September 2011 as a soccer commentator, following her successful debut as a studio analyst during the network’s unprecedented coverage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011. González serves as a sideline reporter for select events, including the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams on ESPN, studio and match analyst for the Longhorn Network, and a contributor to espn W, ESPN’s digital platform for female athletes and fans.

González was a founding member in 1998 of the Mexican Women’s National team and helped lead the team in the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup. She captained the team from 2003 – 2007, including the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece – the nation’s first appearance in Olympic soccer competition. González has also played in several Gold Cups and FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifiers for Mexico.

A former All-America and Academic All-America player at Notre Dame University who helped lead the Fighting Irish to three NCAA final four appearances, González was the 11th overall pick in the 2002 WUSA draft by the Boston Breakers. She played two seasons of professional soccer with the Breakers, earning 2003 WUSA All-Star honors.

A native of Richardson, Texas, González is the founder of Gonzo Soccer, a not-for-profit soccer and leadership academy for girls in ages 8-16 from Chicago’s underserved inner-city communities. She is also an active supporter of the Women’s Sports Foundation and remains dedicated to promoting women’s soccer in Mexico.