Carlos Gruezo (footballer, born 1995)
Ecuadorian footballer (born 1995)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Carlos Armando Gruezo Arboleda (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈkaɾlos ˈɣɾweso]; born 19 April 1995) is an Ecuadorian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder or central defender for Liga MX club Santos Laguna and for the Ecuador national team. He is the son of Carlos Armando Gruezo Quiñónez.[2]
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|
Gruezo with Ecuador in 2015 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Carlos Armando Gruezo Arboleda | ||
| Date of birth | 19 April 1995 | ||
| Place of birth | Santo Domingo, Ecuador | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[1] | ||
| Positions | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Santos Laguna | ||
| Number | 11 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Unión Deportiva Juvenil | |||
| 2008 | LDU Quito | ||
| 2009 | Defensor Sporting | ||
| 2010 | Independiente DV | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2011 | Independiente DV | 4 | (0) |
| 2012–2014 | Barcelona SC | 77 | (3) |
| 2014–2016 | VfB Stuttgart | 18 | (1) |
| 2016–2019 | FC Dallas | 98 | (3) |
| 2019–2023 | FC Augsburg | 69 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | San Jose Earthquakes | 47 | (0) |
| 2025 | L.D.U. Quito | 23 | (1) |
| 2026– | Santos Laguna | 8 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2011 | Ecuador U17 | 13 | (1) |
| 2013 | Ecuador U20 | 9 | (0) |
| 2014– | Ecuador | 64 | (1) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 19 August 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 19 November 2024 | |||
He is described by FIFA's official website as "a technically adept holding midfielder and a precise passer of the ball".[3]
Club career
Gruezo began his career with Independiente del Valle before joining Ecuadorian club Barcelona SC.[3]
Gruezo went on trial for VfB Stuttgart in their pre season friendlies in South Africa.[4] On 30 January 2014, he signed a four-year contract with Stuttgart.[5] He scored his first goal for the club in a 4–1 victory over Freiburg on 28 November 2014, becoming the first Ecuadorian to score in the Bundesliga.[6] In 2015 however, he lost his spot in the starting lineup and only had a few more appearances for Stuttgart.
He moved to FC Dallas on 23 January 2016.[7]
On 2 July 2019, Gruezo returned to Germany, joining FC Augsburg on a five-year deal.[8]
On 31 January 2023, Gruezo returned to the United States, joining San Jose Earthquakes on a three-year deal.[9] San Jose and Gruezo mutually agreed to terminate his contract with the club on 4 February 2025 and joined L.D.U. Quito soon after.[10][11]
International career
Gruezo played for the Ecuador U17 national team at the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup and at the 2013 South American Youth Championship.
He made his debut for the senior national team on 17 May 2014, coming in as a second-half substitute for Christian Noboa against the Netherlands. On 6 June, he was named in Ecuador's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.[12]
Gruezo was selected in the 23 player Ecuador squad for the Copa América Centenario.[13]
Gruezo was selected in the 23-man Ecuador squad for the 2019 Copa América, released on 20 May 2019.[14]
Gruezo was selected in the 28 player Ecuador squad for the 2021 Copa América.[15]
Gruezo was named in the Ecuadorian squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup[16]
Gruezo was called up to the final 26-man Ecuador squad for the 2024 Copa América.[17]
Personal life
In February 2019, Gruezo obtained a U.S. green card, which qualified him as a domestic player for MLS roster purposes.[18]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 19 October 2024[19]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Independiente del Valle | 2011 | Ecuadorian Serie A | 4 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | ||
| Barcelona SC | 2012 | Ecuadorian Serie A | 39 | 1 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 40 | 1 | ||
| 2013 | Ecuadorian Serie A | 38 | 2 | — | 3 | 0 | — | 41 | 2 | |||
| Total | 77 | 3 | — | 4 | 0 | — | 81 | 3 | ||||
| VfB Stuttgart | 2013–14[20] | Bundesliga | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 | ||
| 2014–15[20] | Bundesliga | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 1 | |||
| 2015–16[20] | Bundesliga | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Total | 18 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 19 | 1 | ||||
| FC Dallas | 2016 | MLS | 27 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 32 | 0 | |
| 2017 | MLS | 31 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | — | 38 | 1 | ||
| 2018 | MLS | 31 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 3 | |
| 2019 | MLS | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 1 | |||
| Total | 98 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 114 | 5 | ||
| Augsburg | 2019–20 | Bundesliga | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 12 | 0 | ||
| 2020–21 | Bundesliga | 28 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 30 | 0 | |||
| 2021–22 | Bundesliga | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 0 | |||
| 2022–23 | Bundesliga | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 0 | |||
| Total | 69 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 75 | 0 | ||||
| San Jose Earthquakes | 2023 | MLS | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
| 2024 | MLS | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 4[a] | 0 | 28 | 0 | ||
| Total | 52 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 57 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 318 | 7 | 13 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 352 | 9 | ||
- Appearances in Leagues Cup
International
- As of match played 19 November 2024[21]
| Ecuador | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2014 | 8 | 0 |
| 2015 | 2 | 0 |
| 2016 | 7 | 0 |
| 2018 | 4 | 0 |
| 2019 | 5 | 0 |
| 2020 | 3 | 1 |
| 2021 | 10 | 0 |
| 2022 | 8 | 0 |
| 2023 | 7 | 0 |
| 2024 | 10 | 0 |
| Total | 64 | 1 |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 November 2020 | Estadio Hernando Siles, La Paz, Bolivia |  Bolivia | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
