TULSA, Okla. – FC Tulsa announced on Wednesday the club had signed El Salvador international Ronald Rodríguez for the 2022 USL Championship season, adding a major piece to its back line for the new campaign. The signing is pending league and federation approval.

Rodríguez has already become an international stalwart, appearing in 19 matches for “La Selecta” dating back to June of 2021 that have seen him appear in both FIFA 2022 World Cup Qualifying and the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup. Rodríguez has accumulated more than 1,500 minutes of international duty in the last calendar year. The 23-year-old is currently in camp with El Salvador ahead of the next round of FIFA 2022 World Cup Qualifying at the end of the month, starting with its next match against the United States in Columbus, Ohio on January 28.

“Ronald is one of the top young center backs in Concacaf and has shown his talent at the highest level for El Salvador in World Cup Qualifying,” said Tulsa Head Coach Michael Nsien. “Ronald has become a permanent fixture for his national team, and we expect him to come into FC Tulsa and continue displaying quality performances and reaching new heights. Ronald has a very high ceiling of potential, and we look forward to helping him reach his objectives as he fights for our club.”

Domestically, Rodríguez has built an impressive body of work in five seasons with C.D. Águila in El Salvador, playing in the nation’s Primera División. The defender made 126 appearances, 122 starts, and logged 10,671 minutes across the league’s Apertura and Clausura competitions and has averaged more than five interceptions per match and boasted a dual success rate of 63 percent combining both league and international play.

Despite being a defensive player, Rodríguez is no stranger to contributing to the attack. He netted eight goals with Águila, three of which came in the 2018-2019 season, as the Salvadoran averaged nearly one shot on goal per 90 minutes. Rodríguez was also a playmaker with eight assists and averaged 4.5 passes into the attacking third each match. The all-around ability of Rodríguez was key in Águila’s success as the club won the Primera División’s Clausura competition in the 2018-2019 season, earning a place in the 2019 Concacaf League tournament, and was the runner-up in the 2020-2021 Apertura campaign.

“I can't wait to arrive at FC Tulsa and I'm grateful for them trusting in my work,” said Rodríguez. “I want to give my best for the club and achieve big things. Let's achieve all of our goals and bring joy to our fans!”