Considered as the best player in the history of Guatemala and in words of David Beckham when he played for LA Galaxy in 2008: "If Carlos were European, he would immediately be recognized as a world-class player of great value". Carlos Ruíz epitomizes the classic poacher: lethal finishing, aerial dominance, and razor-sharp instincts. His 2002–2008 prime saw him dominate MLS and CONCACAF football, blending aggression with intelligence in attacking, his stats reflect a striker who lived for goals—whether via headers or volleys.

Biography: Born in September 15, 1979, in Guatemala City, Guatemala, he began his career in the youth categories of CSD Municipal, where he played from 1991 to 1995. He made his professional debut with the same club in 1995, in a match between CSD Municipal and Xelajú M. C., and scored his first professional goal against Azucareros in 1996 in the Copa Gallo. He remained with CSD Municipal until mid-2002, and with the club won the 2000 Clausura, the 2001 Apertura, the 2002 Clausura and the UNCAF Interclub Cup in 2001.

With CSD Municipal, he scored 25 goals.

He made his debut in the MLS in 2002, where he was transferred to LA Galaxy, where in his first season in the team of Los Angeles, he scored 24 goals + 8 in the playoff, and he scored the golden goal in overtime against New England Revolution, where he won his first trophy with LA Galaxy, being the MVP of the season. In 2003, he scored 15 goals and in 2004 he scored 11 goals, making a total of 50 goals in 72 games with LA Galaxy.

Incredible fact, in december 2003, Carlos Ruiz traveled to England for a trial with Wolves, who were then in the Premier League, Dave Jones, manages of the Wolves at the 2003-2004 season called Ruiz "one of the best leading goal scorers in MLS" and believed he could adapt to English football, but after a week-trial, Wolves decided not to sign him, saying "We didn't think he would be able to add anything extra to our squad" Wolves signed Ionel Ganea, but Wolverhampton descended to 2nd Division for 2004-05 season, leaving Ruiz still in LA Galaxy for one more year.

In 2005, he was transferred to FC Dallas, where in 2005 he scored 11 goals in the MLS, in 2006 scoring 13 goals, including the "Goal of the Decade" a bicycle kick vs. D.C. United. In 2007, he scored only 7 goals in the MLS Season, having a total for FC Dallas 31 goals in 68 games, and in the playoff he scored 5 goals in 6 matches.

In 2008, he has transferred to LA Galaxy, now with players like Landon Donovan and David Beckham, he scored a hat-trick against Shanghái Shenghua, but in March 29, 2008, he suffered a gross tackle by Ciaran O'Brien, getting seriously injuried, and losing the rest of the 2008 season.

But, let's talk about his best part of his career, the national team, he's a legend for the Guatemala national team, getting too close to reach the World Cup 2006, getting 2 point down to Trinidad & Tobago for the play-off against Bahreín.

His debut was in 1998, where from that until 2008, he scored 22 goals in the WQ Qualifiers, scoring 8 goals for the 2002 qualifiers, and 10 goals in the 2006 qualifiers, and 4 goals for the 2010 qualifiers (playing until his injury in 2008), and scoring 39 goals with the Guatemalan team, being in a record time in the most goalscorer player in the history of the national team, remembering the volley goal he scored in the final match for the 2006 qualifiers against Costa Rica.