Leonardo Gonzalez joins Sounders FC

TUKWILA — Leonardo Gonzalez has been to Seattle before.

The defender from Costa Rica was invited by Sounders FC in March to meet the team and its executives and get a look at the city. The visit went well, and Gonzalez thought Seattle was beautiful.

It helped that Gonzalez was invited the same week Sounders FC played its inaugural game.

Gonzalez, a veteran of the Costa Rican national team, signed a contract with Sounders FC in early July, arrived in town Thursday night and officially joined his new club today at Starfire Sports Complex.

"The team, the people, very supportive and they've made me feel good," Gonzalez said in Spanish. "And I'm glad to be here."

Gonzalez, 28, called himself a natural left back, a position that four different Sounders FC players — Tyson Wahl, Zach Scott, Nathan Sturgis and Patrick Ianni — have played in regular-season games. Gonzalez is an attacking defender, coach Sigi Schmid has said, who likes to get forward.

Gonzalez agreed with that description. He brings the experience of 60 caps — most recently the CONCACAF Gold Cup, and three starts in the 2006 World Cup — to Sounders FC at a critical juncture in the team's season, with eight of the team's final 12 matches on the road.

Gonzalez might not be ready to play this weekend when Sounders FC travels to San Jose. He must improve his fitness and get adjusted to his new team's style of play.

"You don't want to throw him in there before he's really gotten a little bit of knowledge of the team and a little bit of integration within the team," Schmid said. "He's obviously someone we're looking at at the left-back position, and he can also play wide left at midfield, could play as a center back as well."

Not that Gonzalez, often called "Leo" by Costa Rican fans, is a stranger to Major League Soccer. He has watched games shown in Costa Rica and has had former teammates in the league.

His agent informed Gonzalez of the opportunity to play in MLS several months ago, for Seattle, and Gonzalez said he was very pleased to hear about it.

"It's a league that has grown a lot and it's going to grow more. I didn't have to think too much about the decision to come here," Gonzalez said.

When Gonzalez is ready to play, he figures to move into the starting lineup at left back, where Wahl has started the past eight games.

"Competition is part of the game at the professional level," Schmid said. "Every day we can improve our team, we're going to try and improve our team, whether it's through depth or through acquiring people that eventually become starters."

José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com