Player: Carlos Gruezo

Full name: Carlos Armando Gruezo Arboleda

• Nationality: Ecuador
• Date of birth: April 19, 1995
• Place of birth: Santo Domingo, Ecuador
• Position: Defensive midfielder / Central midfielder
• Height: ~1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)

Club career (highlights):

• Independiente del Valle (Ecuador) – Youth and senior breakthrough.
• SC Freiburg (Germany) – Moved to Europe and featured for Freiburg II and senior side.
• FC Ingolstadt 04 (Germany) – Continued development in Bundesliga/2. Bundesliga.
• FC Augsburg (Germany) – Signed by Augsburg and played as a defensive/holding midfielder in the Bundesliga.
• FC Dallas (USA) – Later moved to Major League Soccer; known to have played for FC Dallas after his time in Germany.

International career:

• Regular member of the Ecuador national team (La Tri).
• Represented Ecuador at youth level, including the U-20 World Cup (2015).
• Senior appearances include World Cup qualifying and Copa América tournaments.

Playing style: Gruezo is mainly a defensive/holding midfielder known for his work rate, ball recovery, tackling, short passing and positional discipline. He provides cover in front of the backline and helps transition play from defense to attack.

Notable: One of Ecuador’s prominent midfielders of his generation, with experience in top-flight leagues in Europe and in MLS, and multiple caps for the national team.