Yet the Galaxy fell short in the playoffs in the three years that followed, and when the opportunity to bring in Landon Donovan came up, Ruiz was traded away to FC Dallas.

Ruiz, though popular throughout his tenure in Major League Soccer, was a controversial figure. His untimely hamstring injuries left his clubs a bit in the lurch at times, and his tendency to run off to his home country of Guatemala on unauthorized breaks antagonized team administrators.

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Though his play could be sublime at times, combining the best of skill and speed, Ruiz could also be an infuriating performer, scrapping in the box for position, and then throwing himself to the ground to draw fouls with even a minimum of contact.

Such maddening antics sometimes brought consequences. Yet Ruiz brushed off his most spectacular fracas, when Rico Clark of the Houston Dynamo kicked him on the ground after Ruiz had hit him with a knee while both were running for an airborne ball.

“That’s competitive play,” Ruiz said. “It’s not personal.”

Now Ruiz is back in Los Angeles, and seemingly glad to be on board the Galaxy bus again, even if his star billing is below that of David Beckham and perhaps even Landon Donovan.

“I still think the Galaxy is the best team in the U.S. They’re the best organization. The Galaxy have always had famous players. They continue to be a team that people always follow. It’s changed, obviously, since the days I was here in 2002, 2003 and 2004. It’s now 2008 and it’s different, with different players, and obviously, it’s different with David here.”

The basics are eternal, Ruiz asserted.  “In the end, it’s the same. The team tries to win, we try to play good football. Players have come and players have gone, but the idea is the same.”

A motivated Ruiz could do what he did in one game during the Asian tour, when he scored three goals in a single match. He was once a prolific scoring machine who didn’t need to rely on the machinations of diving to make an important impact in a game.

“That’s what I hope we get back,” said midfielder Pete Vagenas, who was once roommates with Ruiz. “I hope we get Carlos, the way he was and the way he played before he became Little Fishy and everything that came with that.”

Perhaps the stardom did go to the head of Ruiz, especially since he had such a fairy-tale first season, leading the league in goals scored (24) and winning a championship.

“There was a lot of pressure, because the Galaxy had had so many great players, but they hadn’t won titles,” recalled Ruiz of 2002. “That year, for me, there was a lot of pressure, but it ended well. We won a title for the first time in the team’s history and in the end, that’s what people remember.”

The urge to win another title drives him again. At 28, players like Ruiz start to assess their careers and realize that they may not have accomplished all they wished. They focus on making the most of the time their legs have left.

“The people want to see that same Carlos Ruiz who scored all those goals in those three years here,” said Ruiz. “That’s why I’m working hard, so they won’t be disappointed.”

Though the Galaxy have had an incredible amount of turnover lately, Ruiz maintained that a trio of players there now, Greg Vanney, himself and Pete Vagenas, began their careers with the team and have a special connection to the club.

‘We’re in this position, defending again the colors of the Galaxy,” Ruiz said. “I know that Pete, Greg and I – the team we most love is the Galaxy. We’re happy to be back, or in the case of Pete, to continue with, this team and hopefully win another title.”

The adjustment to the team’s new coach, soccer legend Ruud Gullit, wasn’t difficult, Ruiz claimed.

“Soccer is one language all over the world. Ruud isn’t here to teach us how to play, just to get us to understand what his system and tactics are. As professional players, we need to comply as quickly as possible. We’ve worked hard to get fit and strong, to follow the instructions of Ruud and his agenda. We still have some time to get all that in order before the league starts. I think the Galaxy are going to be a team that plays very good soccer.”

That was always what Ruiz was capable of, according to Donovan. His familiarity with Ruiz has historically been as an antagonist, though he welcomed Ruiz now as a teammate.

“We’ve never played together; we’ve always been rivals,” said Donovan. “I know that if he wants to, he can be an incredible player.”

If desire is the key to performance, Ruiz may be in for an amazing homecoming season.

“I care a lot for this team, these colors and the fans here. I do feel that I’ve come home and I’m very comfortable. I’m so glad I came to the Galaxy and not another team, because I would have felt like I was starting over. Instead, I returned here, and I have to prove myself here. I think if everything around you is good and you feel content, then it shows on the field. I’m happy to play and I hope to start the season well and eventually finish it well.”