Christian Ramirez

ACQUIRED: Signed with Minnesota United on 1.5.2017

Ramirez was Minnesota United’s leading scorer during the team’s inaugural season in MLS, notching 14 goals in 30 appearances (27 starts), including a second-half brace in the 4-2 victory over Real Salt Lake and the winner vs. Orlando City SC among other impressive performances. He earned Team of the Week appearances in Week 5 and Week 29 for his contributions to the 4-2 win against Real Salt Lake and his goal and two assists in the 4-1 result over FC Dallas, respectively.

“Superman,” as he is fondly nicknamed, was one of the revelations of the 2017 MLS campaign.

Ramirez began his professional career in the USL with the Charlotte Eagles in 2013. He scored 12 goals that season en route to a USL Championship matchup against Orlando City, which was led by Adrian Heath at the time. Ramirez struck a pair of goals in the final, putting on a stunning display despite the Eagles’ loss.

He was forced into an immediate starting role with MNUFC before the start of the 2014 season, after first-choice forward Pablo Campos went down with an ACL injury during a preseason trip to England. Ramirez silenced his critics with a spinning shot and goal inside the box just minutes into his club debut. A tally of 20 goals that year earned him his first of two Golden Boot awards with the team.

Ramirez proved to be one of the Loons’ most valuable players during his NASL career. He made 92 consecutive appearances across all competitions for Minnesota, missing just one game due to injury in the 2016 season. His consistent contributions to Minnesota's success earned him three-straight NASL Best XI awards. 

The forward made 24 appearances over two years with the University of California Santa Barbara before transferring to Concordia University Irvine. There, he racked up 44 goals and 18 assists in two years, putting up fantastic numbers in each season. In 2012, he was named first-team NAIA All-American and the Golden State Athletic Conference Player of the Year, with 23 goals and six assists that campaign.

Ramirez played his high school soccer for La Quinta High School in Garden Grove, California, and featured for club sides Irvine Strikers, Pateadores and San Diego Surf Soccer. As a member of the California Olympic Development Program, he earned the ODP Golden Boot at the 2008 USYSA ODP National Championship in addition to a number of other accolades.

2018: Made first appearance and earned first assist of the year on March 3 at SJ...Made first start on March 10 at ORL...Scored first goal of the year on April 22 at SEA...Scored second goal of the year on May 12 vs SJ...Scored third goal of the year on May 26 vs MTL...Scored fourth goal of the year on June 23 vs COL...Provided second assist on July 14 vs RSL...Scored fifth goal on July 18 vs NE...Scored sixth and seventh goals and provided third assist on July 22 vs LAFC

2017: Made MLS debut and scored first MLS goal on March 3 at POR, as a late-match substitute ... Made first MLS start on March 12 vs ATL ... Scored second goal of the season on March 18 at COL ... Scored his third and fourth goals of the year on April 1 in 4-2 win vs RSL. Earned a spot in the Week 5 MLS Team of the Week ... Scored fifth goal of the season against HOU on April 15 ... Scored sixth goal of 2017 on May 7 vs SKC ... Scored seventh goal of the season on May 21 vs LA ... Scored eighth goal of the season on May 27 vs ORL ... Scored ninth goal of the year on June 21 vs POR ... Scored 10th goal of the season on June 29 at NYC ... Scored 11th goal of the season on July 29 vs DC ... Missed August 5 vs SEA and August 20 vs SEA due to injury ... Returned from injury on September 13 at VAN ... Scored 12th goal on September 16 at MTL ... Scored 13th goal and provided second and third assists on September 23 vs FCD ... Scored 14th goal on October 3 at ATL