FRISCO - He was the first FC Dallas Homegrown player to play over 2,000 minutes in a season. Now he's the first to play in 100 games.
The 6-2 victory by FC Dallas on Saturday night carried multiple storylines, but one not to be forgotten is Victor Ulloa making his 100th league appearance for the club. The midfielder sported the captain's armband in place of defender Matt Hedges, and marked the special occasion with an assist on Dallas' fourth goal of the match.
"I couldn't have imagined this opportunity," Ulloa said. "I'm so happy and so blessed and honored to be here for 100 games, and hopefully we're here for 100 more."
Ulloa is only the eighth MLS Homegrown to play in 100 MLS matches, and has had to overcome his fair share of obstacles to become a regular part of the Dallas midfield. Signed in July 2010, he went almost two and a half years in between his first and second league appearances for the club.
That period included a change of head coaches for Dallas, which meant Ulloa had to prove himself all over again to Oscar Pareja when he took over.
Looking back on that period, Ulloa speaks to a maturity growth as a big reason why his game was able to flourish.
"Just getting comfortable on the ball and getting that experience that you don't get when you're not playing games," Ulloa said.
Ulloa has now established himself as a crucial part of the Dallas midfield. He's made at least 28 appearances for the team in each of the last three seasons.
He's also brought a versatility to his game that helps Dallas out in situations like Saturday night. With Kellyn Acosta away on United States Men's National Team duty, Dallas needed a more attacking presence from the midfield, something that Ulloa provided Pareja with.
"You have Victor coming from the academy and being the captain of the team on his 100th game, something that isn't easy to do at his age," Pareja said. "I'm very proud for Victor and very happy."
The 25-year-old hasn't had to do it alone during his time in Frisco, though. Since their days together in the same apartment complex as children, fellow Homegrown Jesse Gonzalez has been with Ulloa every step of the way.
"To see him get his 100th appearance, Im happy for him, not just as a friend, but as a teammate," Gonzalez said. "We dreamed of this as children. He's deserved it."
