Salvadoran footballer (born 1975)
Ronald Osvaldo Cerritos Flores (born January 3, 1975) is a Salvadoran former professional footballer who played as a striker.
Cerritos is the all-time leader in assists of the Major League Soccer team, the San Jose Earthquakes, with 47.
Club career
Cerritos has spent the bulk of his career playing in MLS, being signed by the league on March 21, 1997, and allocated to the San Jose Clash. While with San Jose he achieved great success, being named in the MLS Best XI in his first year with the club. In the offseason after 2001, however, Cerritos was traded to the Dallas Burn for Ariel Graziani. He never was able to settle in Dallas, having trouble earning a starting spot, and struggling with injuries.
After a year and a half at Dallas, during which he scored seven goals, Cerritos was traded to D.C. United for Ali Curtis and a first-round pick in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft. Cerritos again was largely unproductive in D.C. and was cut midway through the 2004 season because his performances were not justifying his large salary, and returned to play for Alianza in his native El Salvador. After the season with Alianza he returned to MLS and his original team, with San Jose acquiring him from DC for a draft pick. During his returning season, Cerritos scored an additional 6 goals. He is 2nd on San Jose's all-time scoring list, with 61 goals and also has the honor of having the most assists, with 47. Shortly after his return to the Earthquakes, however, Cerritos was moved to Houston for the 2006 season along with his teammates. Despite his success with San Jose his resulting stint with the Houston Dynamo was short-lived, as he was released in August 2006.
He was later signed by San Salvador F.C. on a two-year deal and became an outstanding performer week in and week out, soon being recalled to the El Salvador national team to participate in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States.
In November 2007, Cerritos signed a two-year contract with expansion Real Maryland FC USL Second Division.[1] He played fifteen games, scoring two goals,[2] but was released by the team after their 6–0 loss to the Richmond Kickers, a game in which he did not play. On July 31, 2008, Cerritos signed with the Carolina RailHawks of the USL First Division. He finished the season with the RailHawks, but was not signed by the team for the 2009 season.
At half time of the match between the San Jose Earthquakes and Chicago Fire on September 29, 2010, Cerritos became the second player inducted into the San Jose Earthquakes Hall of Fame.[3][4]
International career
Cerritos has been a mainstay in the El Salvador national team, having made over 60 appearances.[5] He made his debut for the national team against the USA on 5 December 1993 and scored his first goal for El Salvador in a 3–2 victory over Trinidad and Tobago on January 10, 1996, in a 1996 CONCACAF Gold Cup match.
On March 5, 2000, in a FIFA World Cup qualification match against Belize, Cerritos scored El Salvador's 400th goal in all senior international matches.
International goals
- Scores and results list El Salvador's goal tally first.
| # |
Date |
Venue |
Opponent |
Score |
Result |
Competition
|
| 1 |
10 January 1996 |
Edison International Field, Anaheim, United States |
 Trinidad and Tobago |
2–0 |
3–2 |
1996 CONCACAF Gold Cup
|
| 2 |
25 September 1996 |
Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, United States |
 Guatemala |
1–1 |
2–1 |
Friendly match
|
| 3 |
29 May 1999 |
Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, United States |
 Colombia |
2–1 |
2–1 |
Friendly match
|
| 4 |
5 March 2000 |
Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador |
 Belize |
3–0 |
5–0 |
2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
|
| 5 |
6 February 2008 |
Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador |
 Anguilla |
5–0 |
12–0 |
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
|
| 6 |
6 February 2008 |
Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador |
Anguilla |
10–0 |
12–0 |
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
|
| 7 |
6 February 2008 |
Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador |
Anguilla |
12–0 |
12–0 |
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
|
| 8 |
26 March 2008 |
RFK Stadium, Washington D.C., United States |
Anguilla |
1–0 |
4–0 |
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
|
Personal life
Cerritos is Married to Brenda Cerritos, Cerritos son, Alexis Cerritos, is also a professional footballer who plays for the El Salvador national football team.[6]
In his spare time, Cerritos enjoys playing cards and playing basketball with his friends. He enjoys spending time with his two sons. He currently lives Maryland.
He now has his own Soccer Club named Cerritos Soccer Academy, youth kids from 5–19 years old.
