Minnesota Adds Danny Cruz To Attack

Minnesota United bolsters its already impressive offense by signing winger Danny Cruz. The Virginia native joins the Loons after six years in Major League Soccer (MLS) and a year on loan in Finland.

“Minnesota is a club with a lot of history and I am very excited to join a core group of players who have been together for a while,” Cruz said. “I’m going to give everything I have to this club and I’m thankful to Manny [Lagos] and Carl Craig and the whole organization for believing in me. I’m excited to tackle a new challenge and opportunity to build something great with a new club.”

Precision and powerful shots have made Cruz a deadly attacking player. Threading impossible passes across goal and bending shots from distance, he causes confusion in the back line and is not afraid to take defenders on. He is an unselfish player, providing nearly equal amounts of assists and goals in his career. 

Cruz was on the radar of U.S. Soccer since his young age, playing for the U-17 national team at the 2007 U-17 World Cup. He once again represented his country in 2008 and 2009 with the U-20 national team. When he wasn’t training with the U.S., Cruz played two years with the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels, winning conference Newcomer of the Year his freshman season. The winger also spent the 2008 season with the Des Moines Menace, where he shared the field with current Loons defender Justin Davis.

He was drafted 31st overall by the Houston Dynamo in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft and made his professional debut on March 29 of that year. Cruz made 54 appearances for the Dynamo and scored four goals, one of which sent his team to the 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs.

Cruz was traded to DC United prior to the 2012 season and played half a season with the club before once again being traded to the Philadelphia Union. He was a key part of the Union lineup, making more than 30 appearances for the club in both 2013 and 2014. Cruz played a part in Philly’s 2014 U.S. Open Cup run, ending in a runner-up finish to the Seattle Sounders.

In 2015, Cruz went out on loan with FK Bodø/Glimt in Norway's Tippeligaen. He made 16 appearances and scored twice as the team finished ninth in the league.