MLS veteran striker Maxi Urruti just can’t quit Texas.

Urruti, 30, is an Argentine center forward with 238 appearances and 60 goals and 37 assists in his nine years playing in the league. He suited up for Houston last season, after plying his trade with four other MLS teams, including Dallas in 2016.

Urruti holds a Green Card as a permanent U.S. resident and does not occupy an international roster slot for the club.  

Maxi agreed to a two-year guaranteed deal with the Verde & Black for an undisclosed sum. Last season, number 37 had a base salary of $1.13M with Houston Dynamo; he likely signs with Austin at a more budget-friendly amount.

The Argentine striker began his pro career in his hometown of Rosario, Argentina, playing for Newell’s Old Boys in the AFA Primera Division. He made the jump to MLS in 2013, signing with Toronto FC. After less than a month with the Reds, he was traded to Portland. His first MLS goal came soon after the trade, scoring the only goal in a 1–0 win over the LA Galaxy.

During his Timber years, the relentless striker registered 15 goals in 65 appearances, capped most notably by winning the 2014 MLS Cup with Portland plus a Supporters Shield. 

He started his Texas tour in late 2015 when he was selected by FC Dallas as the first pick in the MLS Re-Entry Draft. In three seasons at Frisco, he posted 95 appearances and recorded 29 goals. Urruti was back in Canada in 2019, traded to Club de Foot Montréal (formerly Montreal Impact), where he played for two seasons, including a shortened pandemic 2020 season where he made 15 appearances with the club before undergoing knee surgery.

Urruti returned to Texas in 2021, this time playing for the Orange & Black. In one season with Houston, Urruti scored 6 goals in the first 11 games before enduring a three-month scoreless streak, finishing with 7 goals in 30 total appearances.

His contract option for 2022 was declined by the Dynamo after the club finished bottom in the MLS West.

Austin FC Sporting Director Claudio Reyna looks again to MLS experience to fill vacancies on the squad heading into 2022.

“Maxi is a winner with a proven history of scoring goals and creating chances,” said Austin FC Sporting Director Claudio Reyna. “He’ll help us become more dynamic in the attacking third and we look forward to welcoming him and his family to Austin.”

Claudio Reyna
December 28, 2021

What does Austin FC get in Maxi Urruti?

Austin FC gets a proven commodity with almost a decade of MLS know-how, mostly in the Western Conference. He replaces recently-departed McKinze Gaines and adds a spark off the bench to spell Moussa Djitte up top.

Maxi is a winner (2014 MLS Cup with Portland) and brings a relentless motor to a Verde club that has looked frustratingly flat on the attack during the 2021 season.

Work ethic, speed, and opportunistic goal-scoring describe Urruti’s qualities on the pitch.

The question for El Tree fans is whether we’ll see a reinvigorated striker or the player that struggled with scoring consistency in Houston, failing to get the ball in goal for a long stretch of the 2021 season.

Player Bio:

Name: Maximiliano Urruti
HT: 6-0
DOB: February 22, 1991
Birthplace: Rosario, Argentina
Footedness: Right
Instagram: @maxiurruti37

Maxi Urruti MLS Career Stats