"Gustavo is a solid and ruthless center back, with physical and technical skills capable of giving defensive safety to the team and quality build up from the back."
Usually we do not open the player profiles with a quote from the Gaffer, but Rochester New York Football Club Head Coach Bruno Baltazar described Gustavo Rissi's game as accurately and concisely in his twenty-eight words then one could do with ten or one hundred times as many.
Check out the six-foot center back from traditional Brazilian power Cruzeiro in his highlight video.
In the first sequence Gustavo plays a ridiculously textured ball with backspin right into the path of his right winger.
It looks like he hit it with a pitching wedge.
Don't worry about your first touch on a ball like that. It will settle itself on your foot.
In the second sequence Gustavo saws an opposing attacking player in half.
(To be fair, he then takes possession of the ball and proceeds on a lung busting 60 yard run up the touchline, but there are plenty of highlights of quality build-up from the back if you keep watching).
Ruthless - check.
Physical - check.
Technical skill - check.
Gustavo has been on loan with Austin Bold FC in the USL Championship, but with that club on hiatus for the 2022 season, competition for the center back was fierce.
RNY FC Sporting Director Dr. Lee Tucker credits Baltazar and his staff for getting Gustavo's signature during the closed season.
"We know Gustavo was a sought-after player, and for him to choose us demonstrates the pulling power of someone like Bruno and his coaching team."
With training camp set to begin in Rochester next week, Gustavo sees the hard work the team is about to embark on setting them on course for a championship run in early October.
"I am very happy with this opportunity to play for an ambitious club like Rochester New York FC. I hope it will be a year full of victories and that we can achieve all our goals. I can't wait to meet my teammates and coaching staff and start the hard work. Let's go for the title."
Ruthless x #BelieveImpossible
Rochester New York Football Club has signed Center Back Gustavo Rissi to an MLS NEXT Pro PROFESSIONAL contract, pending league and U.S. Soccer Federation approval, in addition to his ITC and work authorization. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Transaction: Rochester New York football Club signs Gustavo Martini Rissi to MLS NEXT Pro PROFESSIONAL contract.
Name: Gustavo Martini Rissi
Pronunciation: GUS-tavo
Position: Center Back
DOB: February, 4th, 1998(24)
Birthplace: Araras, Brazil
Height: 6 FT AND 0 IN
Nationality: Brazil
Last Club: Cruziero (Brazil)
