CINCINNATI – FC Cincinnati midfielder Allan Cruz and defender Mathieu Deplagne have obtained their U.S. Green Cards and are now U.S. permanent residents. Both players no longer occupy international roster spots on FC Cincinnati’s roster.
Cruz, 23, made 22 appearances, including 21 starts, scoring a team-high seven goals for the Orange and Blue in the club’s first MLS season. The midfielder scored his first MLS goal in spectacular fashion as his backheeled effort gave FC Cincinnati a multi-goal lead in their first-ever MLS match at Nippert Stadium on March 17. At the conclusion of the 2019 MLS regular season, Cruz was named team MVP and was voted FCC Players’ Player of the Year.
Deplagne, 28, made 33 appearances, all starts, scoring one goal and adding two assists in FC Cincinnati’s debut MLS season. The defender logged an FC Cincinnati-high 2,878 minutes in 2019. The Montpellier, France, native joined FC Cincinnati on Dec. 19, 2018, after playing eight professional seasons in France.
In 2020, a total of 208 international roster spots are divided among the 26 clubs. These spots are tradable, in full season increments, so some clubs may have more than eight and some clubs may have fewer than eight. FC Cincinnati currently have eight available international roster spots for the 2020 MLS season. International players on loan do not require the use of an international spot.
FC Cincinnati’s international roster spots and their current usage is below (in alphabetical order):
- Yuya Kubo
- Ben Lundt
- Haris Medunjanin
- Hassan Ndam
- Tom Pettersson
- Przemysław Tytoń
- Maikel van der Werff
- OPEN
FC Cincinnati will return to the field for their second MLS season on Sunday, March 1, when the team opens the season on the road against the New York Red Bulls. After a road game at Atlanta United FC on Saturday, March 7, FCC will open its 2020 home slate on Saturday, March 14, when the team hosts D.C. United at Nippert Stadium in a 5:30 p.m. game.
Season Ticket Memberships are still available for purchase and start at $230 per ticket. A 2020 Season Ticket Membership also secures fans’ place on the club’s priority list, which will be utilized when sales begin in the new West End Stadium for the 2021 season. Information about all 2020 ticket options – season tickets, multiple-game options, group tickets and individual-game tickets – is available at fccincinnati.com/tickets or by calling 513-977-5425 (KICK).
For up-to-the-minute information about FC Cincinnati, visit the team’s official website at fccincinnati.com, or follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @FCCincinnati.
