Raúl Ruidíaz

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2022 (Seattle): Ruidíaz became the first player in club history to win five Sounders FC Golden Boot titles after leading the club with nine regular-season goals in 2022 (no other player has earned more than three). He also added three goals in Seattle’s Concacaf Champions League tournament run, including two in the second leg of the final, giving him 12 strikes across all competitions in 2022. The Peruvian now ranks first in club history with 59 career MLS regular-season goals and second with 73 across all competitions (Fredy Montero, 76). Ruidíaz’s play this year earned him a selection in the 2022 MLS All-Star game, where he scored the game-winning goal against the Liga MX All-Stars.

2021 (Seattle): Leading the Rave Green in goals for the fourth consecutive season, Ruidíaz’s 17 regular-season goals tied Obafemi Martins’ club record set in 2014 and finished tied for third in MLS. He also led MLS with seven game-winning goals and was tied for the league lead with four multi-goal games. Sounders FC went unbeaten in the 13 games (10-0-3) that he recorded a goal. Ruidíaz also added two goals in 2021 League’s Cup action – including a second-half stoppage time winner against Santos Laguna in the Semifinals (September 14) – giving him 19 across all competitions in 2021, which also tied Martins’ club record set in 2014. He was one of six Sounders FC players to start in the 2021 MLS All-Star Game and was voted to his second consecutive MLS Best XI.

2020 (Seattle): Ruidíaz earned MLS Best XI honors after finishing second league-wide with a career-high 12 goals in just 17 appearances, while also recording a career-high four assists. Ruidíaz’s four game-winning goals were also tied for second in MLS, while his 0.76 goals per 90 minutes was the highest rate in MLS among players with at least 10 goals. The Peruvian scored a brace in a 3-0 win over Portland (August 23) and in a 7-1 win over San Jose (September 10). He tallied two goals and two assists in Seattle’s postseason run as 2020 MLS Cup runner-up. 

2019 (Seattle): Ruidíaz led Sounders FC with 11 goals in the regular season, marking the second consecutive season that he has led the club in scoring. He became the fourth Sounders FC player to repeat as the club's Golden Boot winner, following Fredy Montero (2009-2011), Eddie Johnson (2012-2013) and Obafemi Martins (2014-2015). Ruidíaz's tallied his 11 goals in just 22 appearances, ranking him tied for eighth in MLS with 0.50 goals per game. Ruidíaz also tallied an impressive four goals and four assists in four 2019 postseason games as the Rave Green captured the 2019 MLS Cup title. The Peruvian joins Montero, Clint Dempsey and Martins as the only players in club history to record double-digit goals in consecutive seasons. Including the tail end of the 2018 season, Ruidíaz also established a club record by scoring in eight consecutive appearances (including postseason) from September 29, 2018 - March 16, 2019.

2018 (Seattle): Ruidíaz won Sounders FC's 2018 Golden Boot despite spending just over four months with the club, as the Peruvian led the team with 10 goals in just 14 regular-season appearances. He tallied his first goal in his first start for the Rave Green on July 25 at San Jose, a 1-0 Seattle victory, then recorded his first of three regular-season braces in a 2-1 win at Vancouver on September 15 to secure the 2018 Cascadia Cup. Ruidíaz also scored twice in a 4-0 home win over Colorado on September 29 and in a 2-1 Decision Day win over San Jose to clinch a bye in the Knockout Round. Ruidíaz scored his 10 goals on just 17 shots on goal, while his 0.71 goals per game ranked third in MLS, behind only Josef Martinez and Zlatan Ibrahimović. His strong run of form coincided with the club's late-season turnaround, as Sounders FC went 12-2-0 in regular-season matches that Ruidíaz appeared. Additionally, Ruidíaz scored three goals in two postseason matches, including a brace in the second leg vs. Portland to force extra time and penalties.

2017-18 (Morelia): Ruidíaz continued his success in Liga MX in the 2017-2018 campaign with Morelia, recording another 20 goals in 38 appearances (11 in Apertura play, nine in the Clausura). Morelia finished fourth in the 2017 Apertura and advanced past Toluca in the Quarterfinals of Liguilla Torneo, before falling to top-seeded Monterrey in the Semifinals. After an eighth-place finish and Liguilla spot in the Clausura, Morelia played top-seeded Toluca to an even 4-4 aggregate score over both legs of the Quarterfinal Round, only to see Toluca advance due to the higher-seeding tiebreaker. Ruidíaz scored a goal in six-straight matches from August 17-September 26, 2017 and recorded a hat trick in a 3-2 win over León (April 7, 2018). He also scored the match-winner as a substitute in a 2-1 win over Querétaro in Copa MX play (February 27, 2018).

2016-17 (Morelia): Ruidíaz scored 20 goals to lead Liga MX in his first season with Morelia, including 11 in the Apertura and nine in the Clausura. He recorded hat tricks in a 4-0 over UNAM (April 29, 2017) and a 4-2 win over Santos Laguna (July 31, 2016). In the Clausura, he helped Morelia clinch the eighth and final spot in Liguilla, where they fell 2-1 on aggregate to top-seeded Tijuana.

2016 (Universitario): In his final season with his hometown club, Ruidíaz scored 10 goals in nine appearances before moving on to Morelia of Liga MX.

2015 (Universitario / Melgar): He began the season on loan with Peruvian club Melgar, where he scored two goals in 14 league appearances, in addition to three goals in six appearances in the 2015 Copa del Inca, including a second-half brace in a 3-1 win over Ciencano. He returned to Universitario and proceeded to score 12 goals in 13 league appearances, as well as one goal in two 2015 Copa Sudamericana matches.

2014 (Universitario): Ruidíaz followed-up his stellar 2013 season with 14 goals in in 25 appearances as Universitario finished sixth in the aggregate table with 46 points (13-11-6). He also added four goals in 10 appearances in the Copa del Inca, Peru’s domestic cup tournament, and one goal in six appearances in the 2014 Copa Libertadores.

2013 (Universitario): After moving back to Universitario, Ruidíaz exploded for his best professional season yet, scoring 21 goals in 39 appearances and leading his club to the league title. After finishing second in the standings of the First Stage, Universitario won Liguilla B to advance to the playoff. Ruidíaz scored in the first leg of a 6-2 aggregate win over Real Garcilaso, then converted his penalty attempt in the third leg to help secure the victory for Universitario. Overall, Universitario finished the season with 76 points (21-10-13).

2012 (Coritiba / Universidad de Chile): Ruidíaz began the season with Brazilian club Coritiba, where he made eight appearances before being transferred to Universidad de Chile, where he scored eight goals in 15 appearances in his lone season in the Chilean First Division. He also made nine appearances in the 2012 Copa Libertadores, with Universidad de Chile advancing to the Semifinals Round of South America’s top club football tournament.

2011 (Universitario): In the final season of his first stint with Universitario, Ruidíaz scored three goals in 22 appearances, as the club finished 14^th in the table with 34 points (8-12-10). He also recorded four goals in the 2011 Copa Sudamericana, as Universitario advanced to the Quarterfinals.

2010 (Universitario): After winning the league title in his first professional season, Ruidíaz became a regular for Universitario, making 35 appearances and scoring seven goals as his side finished fourth in the aggregate table with 72 points (21-12-11).

2009 (Universitario): Ruidíaz made his professional debut on October 4, 2009 for Universitario, where he had played at the youth levels since he was eight years old. He scored three goals in nine appearances in his first pro season, as Universitario de Deportes won the Primera Division title after defeating Alianza Lima in the Playoff Final.

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

Ruidíaz has 31 career caps and four goals for the Peruvian National Team. He made his international debut on June 7, 2011 against Japan before being called into Peru’s 2011 Copa América squad that finished third, with Ruidíaz starting and logging 90 minutes in a 1-0 Group Stage loss vs. Chile. In the 2016 Copa América Centenario held in the United States, Ruidíaz made three appearances for a Peruvian side that advanced to the Quarterfinal Round, thanks to a goal by Ruidíaz in a 1-0 win over Brazil in the final match of the Group Stage. Most recently, he was named to Peru’s roster for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, making substitute appearances in two Group C matches for his nation versus Denmark on June 16 and France on June 21.

ACQUIRED

Signed with Sounders FC as a Designated Player on June 29, 2018.