December 28, 2023 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Phoenix Rising FC News Release
PHOENIX, Arizona – Phoenix Rising FC has re-signed defender Alejandro Fuenmayor, pending league and federation approval, the club announced today.
“Ale was a fundamental piece of our success last season,” said Phoenix Rising FC Head Coach Juan Guerra. “We’re grateful to have him back. It’s important to create a continuous idea, vision, and culture on and off the field within the organization. I cannot wait to get started working with him again in 2024.”
Fuenmayor joined Rising on December 22, 2022, and was the USL Champion’s most dependable defender, logging 2,534 minutes on the back line in league play. The defender started and played every minute (450) across all four matches during Rising’s playoff run, helping the team concede just three goals in the final 330 minutes of the postseason.
“Phoenix is a great team,” said Fuenmayor. “It is a great organization. We finished as champions. It started as a team full of new players and little by little we got better. We have a great team and a great group of players. That motivated me to stay another year with the fans who have supported us all year and I believe it will be another great new year together.”
Fuenmayor, 27, spent the first five seasons of his career with Carabobo FC in the Venezuelan first division. Making his first start as a 17-year-old in 2013, he appeared 75 times and scored two goals for his hometown team before joining MLS side Houston Dynamo in 2018. Fuenmayor appeared in 26 matches for Houston in 2018, scoring three goals and helping the Dynamo claim the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Fuenmayor remained in Houston until 2021, adding 16 appearances to his MLS resume before signing with Oakland ahead of the 2022 season. He assisted on three goals in 29 regular season matches while in Oakland, leading Roots in interceptions (60) and tackles won (36). During his time with Roots, Fuenmayor shared the field with two of Rising’s offseason acquisitions, Edgardo Rito and Juan Carlos Azocar.
“It is really nice to be able to reunite with friends on the same team,” said Fuenmayor. “We know each other. We developed a relationship and outside of the field we have a great connection. We are Venezuelan, share the same culture. I’m happy they can come to play for Phoenix because it is a great organization with a great team and great teammates. They will work hard and are great players to have as part of the…