Christian Ramirez nets brace for LAFC

American striker Christian Ramirez scored both goals in Los Angeles Football Club’s 2-0 win over Real Salt Lake. His first goal is a demonstration of perfect control and a well-placed shot; the second is the prototypical poacher’s finish.

Ramirez recently joined expansion side LAFC after five seasons with Minnesota United in the NASL and MLS. He’s been a consistent finisher throughout his career, with 23 combined goals over the past two seasons. The California-native will undoubtedly continue to add to that total now that he’s joined LAFC’s high octane attack.

“I’m going to be a poacher,” Ramirez told MLSSoccer.com. “I’m going to live inside the 18-yard box, and let guys... do their thing and be an option for them when they get in that attacking third.”

In 2016, this very website referred to Ramirez as “the best American striker you haven’t heard of”. While he has yet to earn a cap at the international level for the United States, the 27-year old received his first call-up in January for a friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina. With several friendlies scheduled for the upcoming months, his current form could possibly merit inclusion, despite the current focus on integrating young, developing players.

Does Ramirez have a place within the ranks of U.S. Soccer? The national team is always in need of depth at the striker position and in-form goal scorers. While the next World Cup is four years away, Ramirez will be a relatively spry 31 years old in 2022. It’s unlikely his playing abilities will suffer a steep decline, as he’s more reliant on carving out space than running past defenders. If Ramirez continues to score in bunches, then he should play his way onto future rosters.