CARLOS RUIZ NAMED “PERSON OF THE YEAR” IN GUATEMALA
Former Guatemalan Futsal Striker Carlos Ruiz was named “Person of the Year” presented by the newspaper Prensa Libre in his homeland on Jan. 6, 2003. Ruiz led the Los Angeles Galaxy of USA’s Major League Soccer (MLS) to the 2002 title, while garnering Most Valuable Player honors in both the regular season and championship game. That, combined with his humanitarian work with “Ayudame a Vivir” (Help Me Live), a foundation that helps children with cancer, made him the logical choice for the award. Ruiz, who has played with Guatemala’s Men’s National Team and also competed with the Futsal Team at the 2000 FIFA World Championship, was selected from a panel of 11 finalists, winning nearly 60 percent of the vote in a nationwide poll of Guatemalans.