At the start of the 2005 season, the Los Angeles Galaxy traded Carlos Ruiz to FC Dallas to make room for the return of Landon Donovan to Major League Soccer. After spending three years in Dallas, the Galaxy have made room for both players, as LA brokered a deal with FC Dallas to bring Ruiz back to the club in a trade announced Tuesday morning.
"I think Carlos is coming back, we feel, as a stronger player, a more experienced player, and a more mature player," said Galaxy general manager Alexi Lalas. "He's been the captain of FC Dallas, he's been the captain of Guatemala, but the responsibility doesn't change. He's here to score goals."
Los Angeles sent a 2009 second-round draft pick and allocation money to Dallas in exchange for Ruiz, the eighth leading scorer in MLS history with 81 career goals in league play. Ruiz has also found the back of the net 35 times for Guatemala, tying him for the all-time lead for his country.
Ruiz has also scored an MLS record 16 postseason goals in 17 games in the MLS Cup Playoffs. The 28-year-old striker scored a league-best 24 goals in 26 games on the way to being named the Honda MLS MVP in 2002, his first season in the U.S. top flight. Ruiz led the Galaxy in scoring each of the next two seasons, scoring 15 goals, tied for the most in MLS, in 2003 and tallying 11 times in 2004.
The Galaxy had been pursuing Ruiz for some time. He was linked in a trade rumor last season, and up until last week, was supposed to be part of a three-team deal between Los Angeles, Dallas and D.C. United that also involved Joe Cannon. The third time was apparently the charm, as the Galaxy have secured a proven goal-scorer, something they sorely lacked last season.
"He's a typical goal-scorer that we need. He's good in the air and he also goes past players," said new Galaxy head coach Rudd Gullit. "With the right players around him, especially with (Landon) Donovan and David Beckham giving him crosses, I think he is the exact player we need up front to win games."
Despite his height of just 5-9, Ruiz is particularly adept in the air, and has scored some spectacular bicycle kicks over the years. With a player like Beckham serving balls into the area, Ruiz will be that much more dangerous.
The Galaxy finished towards the bottom of the league last year in offensive production, netting 38 goals in 30 matches. Ruiz should be able to help that total, not just in his own production, but also with his ability to free up his teammates.
"It helps me a lot," said Donovan. "It takes pressure off. You have to worry about him and where he is all the time. You can't put a lot of focus on other guys, because you have to worry about where he is. It's just going to make us better."
For Ruiz, the trade marks a reunion with the club that he began his MLS career with and won a championship with in 2005. They hope his old, new surroundings will also provide a return to form where he scored 50 goals in three seasons with the Galaxy, before hitting for 31 in three seasons in Dallas, including a career-low seven last year, the first time in six seasons in MLS he did not reach double figures.
Greg Daurio is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
