FC Dallas signs Libertadores champion to revive hopes after disappointing season | OneFootball

FC Dallas announced that the club signed midfielder Ramiro Benetti to a contract through 2026 with an option to extend through 2027. A player of 31 years old, the team comes as a free agent, after passing his recent years with Cruzeiro of Brazil's Série A.

With an already well-established career in Brazil, Ramiro brings that experience to contribute to the roster in Dallas. The club concluded the 2024 season in 11th place in the Western Conference with 41 points and missed out on the Audi MLS Cup playoffs.

Ramiro's experience

The midfielder brings more than a decade of experience in professional Brazilian soccer. Throughout his career, he played for top clubs like Grêmio, Corinthians, and Cruzeiro, as well as a loan spell at Al-Wasl FC in the UAE Pro League.

In that period, Ramiro had gathered 469 matches, with 34 goals scored and 27 assists, numbers that show how consistent he has been over the years. He also has some important titles, such as the 2017 Copa Libertadores with Grêmio, the top competition in South America.

FC Dallas sporting director André Zanotta underlined the impact expected from the player's arrival: "His overall quality will complement our group, while his work rate in the midfield is exceptional. Ramiro is a versatile player, capable of playing in multiple positions, and a dedicated teammate with a character that fits what we are trying to build at the club."

Ramiro's role in the FC Dallas squad

One of the key characteristics of Ramiro is his versatility. The Brazilian can play in many different midfield roles, which could provide head coach Eric Quill with more options to change the team around during the season.

At Cruzeiro, his performances were essential in helping the club avoid relegation in 2023 and in contributing to a runner-up finish in the 2024 Campeonato Mineiro. However, he eventually lost his spot in the squad with mid-year signings.

Ramiro is a reinforcement that FC Dallas has been looking for and needs. His experience, his career path in competitive leagues, brings balance and reliability to a team eager to reach higher levels in MLS.

The 2024 season did not turn out to be as FC Dallas wanted. That result triggered an alert within the club, which recognized the need to bring in targeted reinforcements with the goal of improving performances on the field.

Ramiro's arrival is an important step in that restructuring process. The Brazilian offers the profile of a player with experience and who is consistent, both so necessary for a roster so needy of greater stability.

Besides his versatility on the field in midfield, he can also be of influence on and off it due to his experience, enabling young players to develop and for collective mentality.