After spending more than half of his life abroad, Greg Garza’s return to the United States with Atlanta United was the perfect fit for both sides.
Garza, a native of Grapevine, Texas, left the country as a 12-year-old to pursue his soccer ambitions in Brazil. After four years in Sao Paulo’s youth system, he traveled to Portugal to play in Sporting CP’s academy, eventually signing with second-division Portuguese club Estoril Praia for his first professional contract. Tijuana, Mexico was the next stop on Garza’s world tour where he signed for Xolos in 2012.
After a few seasons with the Liga MX club, hip problems which later required surgery along with bone spurs and hernias sidelined Garza for more than a year.