Mauro Rosales, 30, established a Sounders FC record for assists in 2011 with 13 in 26 league appearances, ranking third in MLS.
RENTON, WASH. – Seattle Sounders FC has signed midfielder Mauro Rosales to a new multi-year contract. Per MLS and club policy, terms were not disclosed.
Rosales, 30, established a Sounders FC record for assists in 2011 with 13 in 26 league appearances, ranking third in MLS. He also scored five goals.
“Mauro was a huge impact on our team last year,” said Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid. “He played well and made others better with his service and use of the ball. We are pleased to have him back as a Sounder.”
Recognized as being a catalyst in Seattle’s surge in the Supporters’ Shield race, Rosales was a landslide winner for MLS Newcomer of the Year. Sounders FC finished second to the L.A. Galaxy for the league’s best record and qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs. Seattle also won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup for a third straight year and advanced to the quarterfinal round of the CONCACAF Champions League.
“I really am enjoying being here with the guys, with the team, with the people and the city,” said Rosales. “In the first year I was thinking just to play, to enjoy the game, and it was a season of great joy.”
“I want to express my gratitude to Adrian Hanauer, Chris Henderson, Sigi Schmid and my representative, Dario Sala, for making it possible for to play for Sounders FC, both this past year and going forward,” added Rosales. “I am very happy to be in Seattle, playing for our wonderful fans.”
The former Argentine international was named to the MLSsoccer.com Team of the Week a team-high seven times, and he was named MLS Player of the Week 18 after contributing a goal and assist in a 4-3 win over the defending MLS Cup champion Colorado Rapids.
“We were always very confident of reaching an agreement,” said General Manager Adrian Hanauer. “There was a great deal of trust between ourselves and Mauro and Dario Sala. They put their faith in us and we wanted to take care of Mauro. He has earned this contract through his outstanding play, his dedication to his craft and his commitment to this club, his fellow players and our coaches.
“It’s no wonder he has become such a fan favorite,” said Hanauer. “His love for the game is evident; he plays with passion and joy, with a flair and an acute sense for doing what the game demands. Mauro has helped make us a strong club and with him going forward we hope to only grow in strength.”
Rosales signed with Sounders FC on March 18 after playing from 2007-2010 for Buenos Aires giants River Plate. He has played nearly 400 matches for River Plate, Ajax and Newell's Old Boys, and has been capped 10 times by the Argentina National Team, winning the Olympic gold medal in 2004, the 2001 FIFA U20 World Cup and the 2004 Copa America runners-up.
Rosales made a strong first impression as he recorded assists in his first two MLS starts and scored his first goal at home in a Cascadia Cup fixture against Vancouver. He either scored (two) or assisted (six) in five consecutive matches from August 20 to October 15, despite missing much of the final month of the season due to injury.
Sounders FC lost just three times with Rosales in the starting XI, going 13-3-6 in his 22 starts. Rosales led the team to several wins this season, highlighted by his late efforts in Kansas City when he scored and assisted in the dying minutes to give Seattle a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory. Seattle went 10-1-2 when Rosales scored or assisted.
Transaction: Seattle Sounders FC (MLS) – Re-Signed MF Mauro Rosales
Mauro Rosales
Position: Midfielder
Jersey Number: 10
Height: 5-8
Weight: 160
Birthdate: 2/24/1981
Place of Birth: Villa Maria, Cordoba, Argentina
Hometown (Citizenship): Villa Maria, Cordoba, Argentina (Argentina)
Pronunciation: MOU-ro Roh-SAH-les
Last Club: River Plate (2007-10)
Previous Clubs (chronological): Newell’s Old Boys (1999-04), Ajax (2004-07)
