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FC Dallas signs Guatemalan forward Carlos Ruiz

FC Dallas bolstered their front line by signing Guatemalan forward Carlos Ruiz
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He's back! 

FC Dallas has bolstered its frontline by signing Guatemalan forward Carlos Ruiz on a deal until the end of the current MLS season, the team announced Thursday.

Ruiz, 37, is known as one of the most colorful and controversial characters in MLS history, having previously spent ten years in the league in separate stints from 2002 to 2013. Ruiz become one of the most dangerous strikers in the league soon after joining the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2002, scoring 50 goals in two seasons before being traded to FC Dallas in exchange for the rights to Landon Donovan. Ruiz continued his good production with Dallas, scoring 36 goals over three seasons before rejoining the Galaxy and subsequently being traded to Toronto FC. 

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Ruiz became a journeyman for the next few years, with stints in Mexico, Greece, and Honduras in addition to two MLS returns with the Philadelphia Union (in 2011) and D.C. United (in 2013).

As much as goals, though, Ruiz is known for controversial plays on the field, including dives and overly-aggressive play.

Ruiz recently retired from the Guatemalan national team, with which he scored 68 times in 133 appearances, and recently claimed the world record for most goals scored in World Cup qualifying matches after scoring five times in a 9-3 win over Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.