Tom Barlow had a career game to lead Chicago Fire FC to a massive road win and earn MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Michelob Ultra honors for Matchday 18.
Making his first start of the season in place of the injured Hugo Cuypers, Barlow scored his first-ever MLS hat trick as Chicago crushed D.C. United, 7-1, at Audi Field.
Saturday’s seven-goal outburst matched a club-best mark, set on July 4, 2001, during a 7-0 rout of Kansas City. In the process, Barlow became the first Fire player to score a hat trick since Oct. 15, 2017, when Nemanja Nikolić struck three times against the Philadelphia Union.
Chicago, whose 35 goals in 2025 are second only to reigning Supporters’ Shield winners Inter Miami CF's 36, are the third team to net seven goals in a game this season, joining Nashville SC (7-2 vs. Chicago on Matchday 10) and the New York Red Bulls (7-0 vs. LA Galaxy on Matchday 12).
This is the first Player of the Matchday award for Barlow in his seven-year MLS career. He’s the first Fire player to take home the honors since Cuypers won it on Matchday 24 last season.
Winners of their last two games, Chicago return home Saturday to host Nashville at Soldier Field (8:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass).
The MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Michelob Ultra is selected each matchday of the regular season through both media and fan voting in a process conducted by MLS Communications. A panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) comprises 75 percent of the vote, while an Instagram fan vote represents the remaining 25 percent of voting. NASR consists of members of print, television, radio, and online media.
