The Chicago Fire's Chris Mueller announced his retirement as a professional soccer player today. The announcement sees the Schaumburg, Ill. native retiring wearing the colors of his hometown club after more than four years with the team in a pro career started in Orlando and included a stint at Hibernian FC in Scotland's top flight.
Mueller's professional career comes to an end with 66 league appearances for the Men In Red, including 47 MLS starts. In total, he played 178 games in the league (121 starts), scoring 27 goals and adding 34 assists in the process.
He also appeared in 15 games across all competitions for Hibs and earned two caps with the U.S. Men's National team while Fire Head Coach Gregg Berhalter was in charge of the squad, scoring a brace in a friendly against El Salvador in 2020.
His first season with the Fire in 2022 was his most productive. That year, he had scored four times and added five assists for nine goal contributions, behind only Xherdan Shaqiri and Jhon Durán amongst Fire players.
Throughout the 2025 season, Mueller was kept away from the pitch due to a pericarditis, a cardiac diagnosis. Mueller agreed to be put on the Season Ending Injury list last July to enable the team to make moves to improve the squad in the summer window – despite the fact that, with an uncertain recovery timeline, it's possible he could have been fit to play later in the year.
The Fire reciprocated the gesture to the player for his selfless act, granting him a new contract for the next season that gave him a clear path to return to the field without having to face relocating his family or living apart from them.
In 2026, he made five appearances for the Fire, returning to play in the Fire's season opener in Houston, and started two weeks later against Columbus. His last appearance in May ahead of the World Cup break, coming on late in the Fire's game against Toronto at Soldier Field.
Ultimately, however, the pericarditis recurred.
In a letter to fans made available on the club's website, Mueller said "For now, I wave goodbye and I want to take a second to say thank you – not only to the life lessons I extracted from the game itself, but to the people who walked the path with me, and who contributed heavily to my career as a youth, collegiate and professional athlete."
Mueller also thanked the team for their support, saying "Thank you to the Chicago Fire, firstly, for bringing me home and allowing me to play for my childhood club. And secondly, but more importantly, for their support throughout me battling through this diagnosis. Truly, it was unbelievable and I never felt alone in it. I’m beyond excited to see where the Club continues to head and for the victories that are yet to come. Thank you, Chicago. A supporter, I will always be."
"We have a tremendous appreciation for Chris, his perseverance and the commitment he showed throughout his entire career," Chicago Fire FC Director of Football and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter said in a statement released to media. "The past two years have been quite a journey for him, and we have watched up close as he has worked tirelessly to overcome adversity and return to the field, all while achieving the goals he set for himself along the way. Throughout his diagnosis and return to play, he showed tremendous strength and resilience."
“When he ultimately decided to step away from the game," Berhalter continued, "we respected his decision and supported him in taking that next step. We wish him nothing but success and happiness in the the next chapter of his life."
Mueller's retirement paves the way for next career stage for the 30-year-old, who graduated from the University of Wisconsin last December, where he started his education while playing with the Badgers, proudly posting photos and a characteristic message of encouragement to others on social media.
For the Fire, they lose a dedicated veteran in the locker room, but in the short term, open up a supplemental roster slot, giving the team additional flexibility for the squad to move players off of the short term injury list.
The team has announced that they will be holding a ceremony commemorating Mueller at the end of his career during Wednesday's game against Inter Miami.
