Real Salt Lake Adds Botafogo Striker Rwan Cruz as Designated Player
MLS Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake Adds Botafogo Striker Rwan Cruz as Designated Player

August 1, 2025 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


SANDY, Utah - Real Salt Lake has acquired 24-year-old Brazilian striker Rwan Cruz via loan from Botafogo (Brazilian Série A) to Utah's Major League Soccer Club through June 30, 2026, with an option to extend through the 2026 season. RSL also have a purchase option at a fixed price to be exercised at any point during the loan period.

Pending receipt of both the International Transfer Certificate (ITC) from the Brazilian federation, as well as his P-1 work visa, Cruz - considered a Designated Player for RSL's 2025 roster designation - will be eligible to appear for RSL in either Leagues Cup and/or MLS reg. season action.

Born in Jaboatão dos Guararapes, a suburb of Recife, Brazil, on May 20, 2001, the 24-year-old Rwan Philipe Rodrigues de Souza Cruz, scored 24 goals in 50 leagues games over 18 months from July 2023 to February 2025 at Ludogorets Razgrad in Bulgaria, while adding a goal and four assists in UEFA competitions. A Botafogo purchase brought him back to his native Brazil this February, with the imposing and quick 6-foot-2 attacker scoring seven goals in 53 games with Santos, Vasco da Gama and Botafogo on either side of his European experience. Cruz traveled with Botafogo and former RSL player Jefferson Savarino for the FIFA Club World Cup earlier this summer, but did not appear in the competition.

"I am excited to arrive in Utah and I look forward to integrating with the family here at the Club," said Cruz, who will wear Claret-and-Cobalt jersey No. 12. "I have been watching the RSL games and I think we play very well as a team. We have a playing style with short passing combinations that I enjoy very much, and I believe this is an excellent fit for me.

"I have received good references for this Club, and that motivated me to be here today; everything happens for a reason and I believe it is of great significance at the right time for me to be in Utah. I am very happy."

"The fans are our 12th player and we depend a lot on them. The energy that comes from them motivates us, they are important each and every game. I have felt and seen the atmosphere in the stadium for both the San Jose and Club América games, it was influential in our ability to turn these games around. Again, the fans are very important to us and they can expect me to bring competitiveness every moment I am on the pitch, and I am arriving to add to and strengthen the group by scoring many goals and assists."

The son of a bricklayer, Cruz made his professional debut with legendary Brazilian club Santos in February, 2022, at the age of 18 in a home loss to São Paulo, scoring his first professional goal three days later in a Copa do Brasil away win at Salgueiro. This season with Botafogo, Cruz has scored two goals in 16 matches across five competitions, including a prestigious Copa Libertadores goal in a 3-2 home victory of Estudiantes this May.

"We are elated to welcome Rwan to our Club, and have been working on this move for some time," said RSL's Chief Soccer Officer Kurt Schmid, following the Club's 2025 Leagues Cup Phase One shootout victory over Club América and ahead of upcoming contests against Atlético San Luis and Queretaro at America First Field. "Rwan's quality, finishing and attacking flexibility should allow him to bolster our options up top, adding a difference-maker to our core as we pursue a strong finish to the season."

# 12 - Rwan Cruz

Pronunciation: ruh - WAHN

Position: Striker

Hometown: Recife, Brazil

Date of Birth: 20 May 2001 (24)

Nationality: Brazilian

How Acquired: Via loan from Botafogo (Brazil) through June 30, 2026; Club option to extend loan through 2026 season, as well as transfer purchase at predetermined price at any time through loan period

TRANSACTION: Real Salt Lake acquires FW Rwan Cruz via loan from Botafogo (Brazil) through June 30, 2026, with an option to extend the loan through the 2026 Major League Soccer season; RSL also owns a Club option to purchase the Designated Player at any time during loan period.

Surging Real Salt Lake (9-11-4, 31 points, 8th West / 18th Shield) continues its very busy summer with Saturday's 7:30p MT Leagues Cup match against visiting Liga MX side Atlético San Luis at America First Field. On Utah soil against Mexican visitors, RSL owns an all-time 5W-6L-4T mark, including two wins, one loss and a draw in the last three Leagues Cup tournaments, including Wednesday's scintillating 2-2 regulation draw with Club América, one that saw RSL emerge via shootout, 3-1, following three saves in four attempts faced by GK Rafael Cabral, with Pablo Ruiz, Justen Glad and Brayan Vera each converting their penalties.

Saturday's highly-anticipated contest is available via Apple TV+ / MLS Season Pass, with Tyler Terens and Kyndra de St. Aubin (ENG) on the call, as are Sergio Ruiz and Walter Roque (SPN). Iconic RSL voice David James and former MLS goalkeeper Jay Nolly will call the game for KSL Sports Radio (1160 AM / 97.5 FM), with Nelson Moran in his 21st season as RSL's Spanish radio home on both 102.3 KDUT FM / 106.3 FM KBMG.

Following Saturday's contest against Atlético San Luis in Sandy, RSL will conclude its Phase One matches of the tournament next Wednesday, August 6, against Queretaro - with kickoffs for both games set at 7:30p MT. RSL kicked off its third foray into the Leagues Cup tournament winners of five of its seven matches since the beginning of June, capturing 16 of a possible 21 points to vault itself from 13th to 8th in the MLS Western Conference table, moving above the playoff line for the first time in 2025 with 10 MLS reg. season games remaining. RSL resumes MLS action on Sunday, Aug. 10 at New York Red Bulls in Harrison, NJ.

Tickets and information for both competitions can be accessed at www.RSL.com/tickets.

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