On Tuesday afternoon, the San Jose Earthquakes announced the acquisition of midfielder Carlos Gruezo as a Designated Player. Here are five things to know about the club’s newest player:
1. Gruezo is a native of Santo Domingo, Ecuador and represents his nation of berth internationally. He has made 47 appearances for Ecuador and competed in many prestigious competitions, including the recent FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where he made one start vs. Senegal.
2. Gruezo comes to San Jose after three and a half seasons with FC Augsburg in the German Bundesliga, rated by Global Football Rankings as the second-best league in the world. He made 75 total appearances for FC Augsburg, including 15 this season.
3. Gruezo spent three and a half seasons (2016-19) with FC Dallas before making the moveto FC Augsburg. During that time, he was named to MLS’ 24 under 24 twice, and helped FC Dallas win the Supporters’ Shield and U.S. Open Cup double in 2016.
4. The Ecuadorian has a U.S. Green Card which he acquired during his previous stint in MLS. He will count as a domestic player on San Jose’s roster and will not require an international slot.
5. He spent his final six months with FC Dallas playing under then head coach Luchi Gonzalez, who now holds the same title in San Jose.
