El Paso Locomotive FC Appoint Junior Gonzalez as New Head Coach
EL PASO, Texas (December 29, 2025) – El Paso Locomotive FC announced today that Junior Gonzalez has been appointed as the club’s new Head Coach for the 2026 season. With the appointment, Gonzalez becomes the fifth Head Coach in Locomotive history.
“We’re very excited to welcome Junior and his family to El Paso,” MountainStar Sports Group President Alan Ledford said. “He brings the experience, competitiveness and leadership we believe are required to succeed in USL Championship. He has a strong track record of success and a clear vision for building a winning culture. We’re confident he will establish a genuine connection to the El Paso community.”
Bilingual in English and Spanish, Gonzalez, 48, arrives in El Paso with an impressive 25-year coaching career domestically that includes stints in Major League Soccer, USL Championship and MLS Next Pro. His most recent coaching experience came as the head coach for Los Angeles FC II since 2024. In his time with LA Galaxy II and LAFC II, Gonzalez had 19 total players promoted to first team contracts in MLS.
“It is a privilege to be trusted by ownership and leadership to lead this talented team towards continued success,” Gonzalez said. “It is my vision to foster an environment that challenges, inspires and prepares our team to demonstrate an attractive, organized and attacking style of play that our fans and community will be proud to support.”
Gonzalez’s coaching career began in the college ranks with UC Riverside Highlanders in 2001 before taking over as the head coach in 2004. Over his decade at the helm, he saw 30 players get named to the All-Big West Conference teams and two get named Conference Player of the Year. Six of his players would go on to have professional careers including Aaron Long, current captain of Los Angeles FC. Gonzalez was also named the 2011 Big West Coach of the Year.
His first professional coaching position came as an assistant coach with Chivas USA in MLS in 2013. After two years in Carson, he served as an assistant for the United States U-15 national team before a stint in the Pacific Northwest with Seattle Sounders FC II in 2016. Gonzalez’s first professional head coaching position came with Rio Grande Valley Toros FC in 2017, at the time the secondary team for Houston Dynamo FC.
This led to him accepting an assistant coach position back in MLS with the Los Angeles Galaxy under Sigi Schmid where he worked with players such as Zlatan Ibrahimović, Jonathan dos Santos, Giovani dos Santos and Ashley Cole. Gonzalez stayed within the Galaxy organization as an interim coach for LA Galaxy II the following season before taking over in a permanent capacity in 2019. He led the team to the USL Championship postseason in 2019 and 2020.
Gonzalez returned to MLS as an assistant coach with the Chicago Fire in 2022 where he would cross paths with Xherdan Shaqiri among others. He then returned to Los Angeles in 2024, this time to coach Los Angeles FC II where he has been for the last two seasons in MLS Next Pro.
“I am thrilled to have Junior join Locomotive,” incoming President and General Manager Mike DiGiulio said. “Junior embodies all the traits we look for in both a head coach and leader. His commitment to community and desire to immerse himself in the culture of our club and city is apparent and important. Junior’s drive for success has been on display in every stop in his soccer journey and his experience at the highest levels of US Soccer is exceptional. The opportunity to work with Junior is a very special one, and I have no doubt he will elevate our club on and off the pitch.”
As a player, Gonzalez won an NCAA championship with UCLA in 1997 defeating Indiana 1-0 in sudden death overtime. UCLA was a tournament regular in Gonzalez’s time with the team as he would go on to play professionally with the San Diego Flash in the USL A-League before finishing out his career with the Utah Blitzz in USL Pro. Prior to his collegiate experience, Gonzalez also participated with the United States U-18 Youth National Team.
“We’re delighted to be bringing Junior to El Paso,” Technical Director Ray Saari said. “Once our interview process concluded, it was clear to us that Junior’s experience, football brain and competitive mentality would allow him to be an ideal fit as the future leader of our club.”
ADDITIONAL INFO
El Paso Locomotive FC return to Southwest University Park on Saturday, March 7, 2026, hosting Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. To be one of the first to know about single game ticket sales, join the waiting list here.
For the best prices and priority seating for every Locomotive home match in 2026, become a Season Ticket Member today. Season Ticket Memberships for the 2026 Season are available now and can be secured online at eplocomotivefc.com/seasontickets or calling (915) 235-GOAL.
