FC Dallas U.S. Open Cup 2016: Where are they now?

By Matt Coles | Aug 22, 2019

KANSAS CITY, KS - JULY 11: FC Dallas midfielder Mauro Diaz (10) in the first half of the US Open Cup quarterfinal match between FC Dallas and Sporting Kansas City on July 11, 2017 at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, KS. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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DORTMUND, GERMANY – AUGUST 17: Axel Witsel of Borussia Dortmund and Carlos Gruezo of FC Augsburg battle for the ball during the Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund and FC Augsburg at Signal Iduna Park on August 17, 2019 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by TF-Images/ Getty Images) /

CM – Carlos Gruezo – FC Augsburg (Bundesliga, GER)

The second man of a midfield three was Ecuadorian Carlos Gruezo. The midfielder played over 100 times during his three-year spell with FC Dallas and was influential in the side’s double in 2016.

The Ecuadorian spent his youth career with LDU Quito, Defensor Sporting and Independiente DV, with the latter being the club where he made his professional debut in 2011. He then signed for Barcelona SC, also in his home country, winning the Serie A de Ecuador in his first season with the club.

Gruezo signed for VfB Stuttgart at the start of 2014, and when he scored his first goal in the Bundesliga later that year, he also became the first Ecuadorian to score in Germany’s top flight. During his time with the German club, Gruezo also made his international debut and was part of the Ecuador squad that went to the FIFA World Cup that year.

After two years with Stuttgart, the midfielder made the move back to the Americas and made his MLS debut with FC Dallas. In his first season with the club, Gruezo was part of the side that won the U.S. Open Cup and Supporters’ Shield double. After three years, and over a century of appearances for the club in MLS, Gruezo made the move back to Germany, signing for FC Augsburg in the summer of 2019.

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