FRISCO, Texas - FC Dallas forward Carlos Ruiz was today selected as the MLS Player of the Month for May. Ruiz scored in all five FC Dallas games during the month of May, tallying a total of six goals and two assists during the month in leading FCD to a 3-1-1 record. This is Ruiz's sixth career player of the month honor, which is three more than any other MLS player in history (Clint Mathis and Diego Serna). Ruiz, who won on four occasions while with Los Angeles, earns his second as a member of FC Dallas, having also won for his five goals during May of 2005.
Ruiz opened the month of scoring on May 6 in Houston, when he scored his first goal of the year in a 4-3 loss to the Dynamo. Four days later, he tallied the game-winning goal against the Los Angeles Galaxy in a 1-0 home win on May 10 and followed that performance with the lone goal in the 1-1 draw with Houston on May 13 also at Pizza Hut Park. The 26-year old then scored twice in a 4-0 home win over the New England Revolution on May 20, and tallied an 87th minute game-winning goal against the New York Red Bulls in a 2-1 win on May 24 at Giants Stadium.
Ruiz, who is tied for second place on the MLS goal-scoring charts, also leads the league in fouls suffered with 28. His 40-yard lob for a goal versus New England and his game-winner versus New York were each selected as Goal of the Week for Week 8 and 9 respectively.
His current five-game goal-scoring streak equals the club record, which was held by Damian (1997) and Jason Kreis (2002). The New York game was Ruiz's 100 regular season game played in MLS, and he has scored 67 goals during that time. The retired Roy Lassiter is the only player with more goals scored through his first 100 games, having scored 69 goals in his first 100 games as a member of D.C. United, Tampa Bay, Miami and Kansas City.
FC Dallas, with an MLS best 6-1-3 (21 pts) record, hosts the Columbus Crew on Saturday, June 3 at Pizza Hut Park (7:30 p.m. CT).
All-Time Dallas MLS Players of the Month:
Carlos Ruiz, May, 2006
Carlos Ruiz, May, 2005
Jason Kreis, June, 1999
Matt Jordan, August, 1999
Alain Sutter, May, 1997
Jason Kreis, July, 1996
All-Time Carlos Ruiz Player of the Month:
FC Dallas, May, 2006
FC Dallas, May, 2005
LA Galaxy, April, 2004
LA Galaxy, August, 2003
LA Galaxy, July, 2002
LA Galaxy, April, 2002
The MLS Player of the Month is selected following the last game of each month throughout the regular season by a panel of journalists from the Professional Soccer Reporters Association (PSRA). The PSRA votes among players nominated by their respective teams.
