Sergio Ruiz Alonso

When Sergio Ruiz left football in November 2021, he stepped away from the game while battling depression, made worse by a foot injury and the disruption of Covid-19, and Charlotte FC backed him through the break.

The Cantabrian midfielder came through Racing Santander's academy the long way, passing through CD Pontejos and SD Atlético Albericia before working back up via the club's Rayo Cantabria side. He made his professional debut for Racing in 2016 and went on to play 134 matches for the club, scoring eight goals and helping the team climb back into the second tier. The loan spell in the Canary Islands lasted a season and a half and produced 43 appearances and five goals in Segunda División.

Granada gave Ruiz his most settled spell. Signed as a free agent in August 2022, he was named captain and became a key figure as the club won promotion to La Liga in his first season there. He went on to make more than 120 appearances across four years at Granada, valued for his vision and his willingness to drop into a defensive midfield role, or even right-back, when the team needed it. In June 2026 he moved back to UD Las Palmas on a free transfer, signing a two-year contract to rejoin the club where he had spent his loan years.