The St. Louis Ambush have signed 26-year-old midfielder Mario Marcos dos Santos for the 2018-19 season. He will play under a shortened version of his name, Mario Marcos. Per team and league policies, terms of the deal were not announced.
Ambush Head coach Hewerton Moreira discovered Marcos, a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, as a result of open tryouts held in Brazil this summer. “I’m excited to have Mario join the Ambush,” Hewerton said. “His technical abilities, skill and tenacity were evident watching him play. I’m looking forward to having him join our squad.”
Ambush CEO Shelly Clark said, “We went outside the box this year and hosted tryouts in Brazil. Last season, two of our most impactful players (goalkeeper Paulo and midfielder Clayton Matheus) came to us from Brazil and I believe that Coach Hewerton has identified several players, including Mario, who will have an immediate impact on our overall performance.”
Marcos has played soccer most of his life. As a youth, his coaches recognized his dribbling and speed at a level above others his age. Among the clubs he has played for are Real Madrid of Minas Gerais, E.C Flamenguinho and E.C Taboao da Serra. Mario has also enjoyed both personal and team achievements including playing on four championship squads and garnering two MVP honors.
The Ambush kick off their 2018-19 campaign with road games on November 30 at Orlando, December 1 at Florida and December 8 at Harrisburg. The upcoming season will consist of 24 games, with all 12 home games being played at the Family Arena in St. Charles. The home opener is slated for Sunday, December 16 at 3:05 p.m. CT when the Ambush host the Kansas City Comets. Season tickets are now on sale and start as low as $150 for all 12 home games.
Ahead of the regular season, the Ambush invite fans to their annual Fan Fest, slated for Sunday, November 18 at the Family Arena. The popular event will include kids’ activities and a preseason exhibition game against the Dallas Sidekicks. Fan fest activities, the game and parking at the Family Arena are all free for this special event.
