As a follow up to our 25th season celebration series naming the top 5 players by position in FCD franchise history, I started a Top 5 FCD Players by Number series.
We’re up to 35, but from here on up the numbers get pretty thin so I’m going to knock out a bunch of them in one post.
If I owned FCD, no one would be allowed to wear these numbers.
Around these parts, we think numbers are important, and I had the idea that – if the season didn’t restart – it might be fun to spin the Top 5s a bit and do a Top 5 Players by Number series. Of course, the season did restart so the idea went on the back burner… until now.
Disclaimer: The 25th Season Top 5 Player lists were voted on by a committee. These Top 5 Player by Number lists are just mine. So come at me, bro!
Top 5 FCD Number 35s
| Rank | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alex Lee | A defender drafted 11th overall by FC Dallas in the 2021 SuperDraft out of Maryland. Lee never played for FCD and was released after 2012. He went on to play 122 times for the Richmond Kickers. Since 2018 he’s played for the slightly famous – see their 2017 US Open Cup un – Christos FC. Lee has also been capped 13 times by Guam. Alex’s twin brother Justin played for Penn State and was invited to FCD camp but not signed. He too has played for Guam. |
The number 36 has never been worn at FC Dallas on the official roster.
Top 5 FCD Number 37s
| Rank | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maxi Urruti | Urruti started wearing 37 Newell’s Old Boys as he joined their pro squad out of their youth system. Other than his final year at NOB – when he changed to 9 – he’s worn 37 his entire career with Toronto FC, Portland Timbers, FC Dallas and now Montreal. The 3rd Ranked Off-Striker in club history behind Jason Kreis and Kenny Cooper, Urruti was a big piece in the 2016 Double. Numbers in Dallas including playoffs wearing 37: 97 games, 92 starts, 30 goals, and 20 assists. |
The numbers 38 and 39 has never been worn at FC Dallas on the official roster.
Top 5 FCD Number 40s
| Rank | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Richard Sanchez | The 6th Homegrown in FCD history. Former Mexico U17, U20, and U21. He won the 2011 FIFA U17 World Cup with Mexico going 4-0-0 in the tourney. After a loan stint with Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Sanchez was sold by FCD to Tigres UANL for a reported $1 million. Loaned by Tigres back to FCD. Over his four seasons in Dallas wearing the 40, Sanchez did not appear in a game. Released by Tigres in 2017, Sanchez signed with MLS, spent three seasons with the Chicago Fire, and was with Sporting KC in 2020. |
| 2 | Carlos Avilez | After graduating from the FCD Academy, Avilez was originally signed to a “USL affiliate” deal through the club’s relationship with OKC Energy. He was essentially a Dallas training player and wasn’t on FCD’s senior team roster. He officially signed to North Texas SC in 2019 and was part of that title-winning side. Under contract again with NTXSC in 2020, Avilez signed with FCD as the 19th Homegrown in club history to be the team’s 3rd keeper following Jesse Gonzalez’s mutual contract termination. Avilez’s contract was later learned to be a short term deal and he re-signed with NTX for the rest of 2020 only to have his option declined after the season. Avilez never made an appearance for FCD. |
Top 5 FCD Number 41s
| Rank | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ted Eck | A club legend, Eck is an Honorable Mention in our All-Time Holding Mid ranks. The reason he wore the number 41 from 1998 till 2000 is part of club lore and the importance of the number 14 for FC Dallas. TL,DR version: Eck wore 12 after being drafted by the Burn in 1996, switched to 14 after Leonl Alvarez departed in 1997, then Eck swapped to 41 to allow Alvarez to reclaim the 14 when Leonel returned in 1998, only for Eck to swap back to the 14 for his final season in 2001. |
The numbers 42 and 43 have never been worn in Dallas history on the official roster.
Top 5 FCD Number 44s
| Rank | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dario Sala | The #5 keeper in our All-Time FC Dallas club rankings. When Dario first arrived in Dallas he wore a different number, but he changed to the 44 for the 2008 season. Dario was the FCD first-choice keeper – barring injuries – from 2006 to 2008. In 2009 Ray Burse started more games than Dario as did Kevin Hartman in 2010. Numbers wearing the #44 in Dallas: 53 games, 52 starts, 12 shutouts, 17-16-19 record. Darios overall is #3 in club history for games (100), starts (99), and minutes (8,845) by a goalie; 4th in win pct (.530), wins (39), and shutouts (23); and 3rd in saves (328) and save pct (69.5). 2009 FC Dallas Defender of the Year. |
| 2 | Jesse Gonzalez | Gonzalez, who would eventually become our #3 keeper in franchise history, signed with FCD as the club’s 10th Homegrown in 2013. He was first rostered in 2014 and given (chose?) the 44 jersey which he wore for two seasons. In his second season on the roster in the 44, Gonzalez made 11 starts with 5 shutouts, 37 saves, and a 7-3-1 record. In 2016, he was given the #1 jersey. |
| 3 | Abel Aguilar | Abel joined FCD late in his stellar career as a veteran roster piece for Oscar Pareja in the post-2017-meltdown. He played 4 games with 1 start for FCD in 2018. During his career, he played for clubs such as Deportivo Cali, Udinese, Deportivo La Coruña, and Toulouse. He also has 71 caps with Colombia. |
Believe it or not, 44 isn’t the last number to be worn more than once.
Up next?
45 to 99.
The rest of the numbers, basically.
Lovely to see my Frenchie team (Toulouse) mentioned here. 🙂 Forza TFC!!!