ATLANTA — Atlanta United today announced it has acquired Mexican forward Ronaldo Cisneros from Chivas Guadalajara on loan through July 7 with an option to extend through the end of the 2022 season and a purchase option. Cisneros will occupy an international roster spot pending the receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P-1 Visa.
“We’re pleased to add Ronaldo and look forward to integrating him into the group,” Atlanta United Vice President and Technical Director Carlos Bocanegra said. “While we were already familiar with him, we were able to see him play in person during our preseason trip to Guadalajara. We like his profile, he can play direct and stretch the opposition, and has the versatility to play up top or on the wing as part of a front three.”
Cisneros has made a combined 121 appearances and recorded 22 goals and seven assists across Liga MX, Copa MX and Liga de Expansión play. The Torreón, Mexico native joined the Santos Laguna academy in 2011 and progressed through the youth ranks before making his Liga MX debut on Oct. 24, 2014 against Pumas. He made 16 total appearances and scored four goals with Santos between 2014-2017 and won two Liga MX titles (2014-2015, 2017-2018) and a Copa MX title (2014-2015). He scored a hat trick against FC Juarez in Copa MX on Sept. 13, 2017.
Cisneros signed with Chivas prior to the 2018 Clausura season and scored his first Liga MX goal on his debut on Jan. 20, 2018. He made seven Liga MX Clausura appearances and one appearance in Concacaf Champions League as Chivas won the competition in 2018.
He then went on loan at Club Atlético Zacatepec in the Mexican second division in 2018 where he scored three goals in 17 appearances in the Apertura before returning to Chivas for the Liga MX Clausura, where he scored four goals in 17 appearances. He then spent 2019 on loan at Mineros de Zacatecas where he scored two goals in 16 appearances before returning to Chivas’ second division side Club Deportivo Tapatío on loan in 2020, where he scored seven goals in 29 appearances in Liga de Expansión MX.
In 2021, Cisneros made five appearances and scored one goal in Liga de Expansión MX Apertura play and made three appearances with one goal with Chivas in Liga MX Apertura. Most recently, he featured twice for Chivas in 2022 Liga MX Clausura play.
Cisneros represented Mexico at the U-18, U-20, U-21 and U-23 levels, most recently with the U-23 side in 2019. The striker was the top scorer at the 2017 Concacaf U-20 Championship, scoring six goals in five matches to win the Golden Boot in addition to being named to the tournament’s Best XI. He also represented Mexico at the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup and scored two goals in five appearances.
Player Profile
Name: Ronaldo Cisneros
Position: Forward
Height: 6-0
Birthdate: Jan. 8, 1997 (25)
Birthplace: Torreón, Mexico
Nationality: Mexico
Transaction: Atlanta United acquires forward Ronaldo Cisnaros from Chivas Guadalajara on loan through July 7 with an option to extend through the end of the 2022 season and a purchase option on March 21, 2022.
2022 Atlanta United roster (as of March 21, 2022)
Goalkeepers (4): Dylan Castanheira, Justin Garces*, Brad Guzan, Bobby Shuttleworth
Defenders (11): Mikey Ambrose, George Campbell, Alex De John, Alan Franco, Andrew Gutman, Ronald Hernández, Brooks Lennon, Efrain Morales*, Miles Robinson, Bryce Washington, Caleb Wiley
Midfielders (12): Thiago Almada, Osvaldo Alonso, Ezequiel Barco**, Erik Centeno, Emerson Hyndman, Franco Ibarra, Marcelino Moreno, Jake Mulraney, Matheus Rossetto, Amar Sejdic, Santiago Sosa, Tyler Wolff
Forwards (7): Luiz Araújo, Machop Chol, Ronaldo Cisneros^, Jackson Conway, Dom Dwyer, Erik López*, Josef Martínez
*-On loan to Atlanta United 2
**-On loan to Club Atlético River Plate
*-On loan to Club Atlético Banfield
^-On loan from Chivas Guadalajara
