CARSON — Ruben Ramos Jr. might seem a little quiet, but Galaxy coach Greg Vanney said his game speaks loud enough.
“His game isn’t quiet,” Vanney said. “He’s confident, he’s smart, he’s not going to be out there directing everybody, he’ll come out of his shell.
“He’s an intelligent player. He doesn’t play as a shy guy, he plays with a boldness that is beyond his years.”
Ramos, from La Puente, was signed as Homegrown Player last year. He originally signed his contract Feb. 19, making him the third-youngest signing in club history. He recently turned 18 and is looking to make an impact with the first team this season.
“I want to learn the game more this season,” he said. “I think last year, I was just trying to get comfortable as much as possible. This year, I’m going to try to focus more.”
Ramos was the U-15 MLS Next Pro MVP for the 2021-22 season. He made his professional debut the following year with Galaxy II. In 2023, he was the club’s Academy Player of the Year. He’s also been part of the U.S. national team youth system, playing on the U15s, U16s, U17s and recently playing up with the U20s.
He’s just completed his second preseason training camp with the first team, appearing in all four games. He played 45 minutes in the first preseason game in Indio and followed that with a full 90-minute performance.
“Knowing his quality, just showing, that as we play more and more MLS teams, that the things that we know he can do, that he can do them,” Vanney said of what he’s looking from Ramos. “I think he’s tactically astute …he’s played a lot of international games as a young player, so he’s been in really tough environments. Now, it’s about showing at the speed that the MLS game will be, that he can continue in the ways that he’s contributed with the second team, the way he’s contributed with the younger teams.
“The quality is there. He’s very two-footed, very intelligent about how he moves around the field and his game. He’s a wonderful finisher. He’s one of the better finishers on our team, left footed and right footed. He doesn’t have to change our team, he doesn’t have to do anything amazing, I just want to see his quality now inside of an MLS environment.”
Ramos made his first-team debut June 15 as a late sub in a 4-2 Galaxy win. He had an 11-minute appearance July 13. The rest of his game time came with Galaxy II/Ventura County Football Club.
“The more training I did with the first team made me feel more confident and made me feel a higher level as a player,” Ramos said. “Toward the end of the season, I was feeling more comfortable, I was knowing what the players were going to do and what their intentions were, so I was trying to build chemistry around them and I feel like I managed that.
“I struggled last year coming into the first team, how quick they think and how they move the ball was definitely a learning moment for me. I had to get used to it. I had to work harder to get into their playing style.
Ramos’ versatility could lead to him seeing more time this season. It helps that he can fit on the wing, an area on the field that’s a bit light for the Galaxy.
“We don’t have a ton of wingers, we don’t have a ton of 10s,” Vanney said. “Ruben can play a couple different positions along that front line and his versatility makes him useful for us.”
Ramos became the 19th member of the Galaxy Academy to sign a Homegrown contract. He grew up a Galaxy fan, with Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane as his two favorite players.
After a long preseason, his performance just backed up what Vanney knows.
“He’s shown that he’s capable of competing at this level,” he said. “He’s more powerful, technical and he has all the tools of a good player. We like where he’s at. “
As for Ramos, one of his goals is at least a goal.
“Hopefully this year I can get my first goal,” he said. “I like to score and another goal is to get more minutes (with the first team).”