Joao Plata

Acquired

RSL: Acquired by Real Salt Lake on Jan. 30, 2013 in a trade with Toronto FC in exchange for a second round pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft

TOR: Selected with the 49^th pick of the 2011 MLS SuperDraft. Officially signed with Toronto on Jan. 10, 2012 following the conclusion of a year-long loan

Professional Career

2018: In his sixth year with RSL, Plata notched eight goals and eight assists in 25 appearances for the club. Plata started 20 matches to register 1,721 total minutes.

2017: Plata played in 29 matches for RSL, making 27 starts. He scored seven goals and provided five assists in 2,318 minutes played.

2016: In another standout year for the 24-year-old Ecuadorian, Plata scored nine goals and assisted in 12 goals for RSL in 2,478 minutes. Plata also scored in RSL’s 1-1 home draw against Tigres in the CONCACAF Champions League, scored, assisted and put his penalty away in RSL’s U.S. Open Cup shootout victory over Wilmington on June 14 and scored two penalties in the team’s U.S. Open Cup shootout loss to Seattle on June 28.  Adding a playoff goal to his ledger, he finished with 13 goals and 13 assists across all competitions.

2015: Plata got off to a slow start to his third season with RSL when he suffered a fractured foot in preseason.  He made his season debut as a substitute in a 2-1 win over NYCFC on May 23.  He scored his first goal on July 18 against the Houston Dynamo to start a string of three straight matches with a goal.  He had four straight matches with a point from July 11-August 1 with three goals and three assists in that stretch.  He finished the season with four goals and four assists in 19 appearances, 17 of them starts.  He also added one goal in three matches in CONCACAF Champions League play to help RSL reach the quarterfinal round.

2014: Plata continued his meteoric rise in MLS in 2014.  After recording four goals and eight assists in 29 appearances in his first season with RSL in 2013, he finished his second season with 13 goals and six assists in 26 matches.  Plata recorded his first career brace on May 3 in a 3-2 win over the Chicago Fire, amidst a streak of four straight matches with a point that saw him register four goals and one assist.  Internationally, Plata made three appearances for Ecuador – his first call-ups since 2011 – and scored two goals in a friendly against El Salvador on October 14.

2013: Made 29 regular season appearances in his first season with RSL, including 19 starts … Registered four goals and eight assists in the regular season … Finished in the top-five for RSL with eight assists (second), 50 shots (second) and 19 shots on goal (second) … Recorded his first assist for RSL in the season opener in a 2-0 win over San Jose Earthquakes on March 3 … Provided an assist in a 1-1 draw with Colorado Rapids on March 16 … Registered two assists in a 2-0 win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC on May 4 … Scored his first goal for the Claret-and-Cobalt in a 4-1 win over Chivas USA on May 19 … Provided an assist in a 3-0 win over FC Dallas on July 13 … Recorded an assist in a 4-3 loss to New York Red Bulls on July 27 … Scored in a 4-2 loss to LA Galaxy on Aug. 17 … Had an outstanding performance in RSL’s 4-2 win over Portland Timbers on Aug. 30, registering one goal and two assists … Scored in the final regular season game – a 2-1 win over Chivas USA on Oct. 23 … Scored two goals and recorded two assists in Real Salt Lake’s Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup run … Scored the game-winning goal in a 2-1 win over Portland Timbers to advance to the final on Aug. 7 … Scored a goal and registered an assist in RSL’s 5-2 win over Charleston Battery on June 12 … Provided an assist in RSL’s 3-2 win over Atlanta Silverbacks on May 28 … Made two appearances in RSL’s playoff run … Registered one assist on Javier Morales’ goal in the first leg of the Western Conference Championship series against Portland Timbers on Nov. 10

2012: Went on a six-month loan from Toronto FC to Ecuadorian club LDU Quito on July 11 … Played 10 league games – seven starts – for Toronto before leaving for Quito without scoring a goal or adding an assist … Finished his TFC career with 10 goals and nine assists in 52 games across all competitions

2011: Appeared in 26 matches, starting in 21 … Recorded three goals and five assists, while logging 1,753 minutes … His first career goal came on May 7 at BMO Field against Houston … Plata also logged the game-winning assist in the May 7 match against the Dynamo, with the entire performance earning him MLS Player of the Week honors for Week 8 …. Appeared and started in all four of TFC’s matches in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship … Scored one goal in the second leg of the finals against Vancouver … Was named the George Gross Memorial Trophy winner as the tournament’s MVP … Appeared in five of Toronto’s CONCACAF Champions League matches, starting in four … Scored four goals including two during the decisive group stage match in Dallas on October 18 … Was the leading scorer  at the 2011 MLS Combine … Drafted by TFC with the 49^th overall pick in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft
 

2010: Made seven appearances in his first full year with Ecuadorian first-division club LDU Quito … Started five matches for Quito and scored one goal, a game-winner against ESPOLI in September

International Career

Ecuador Senior National Team: Has one senior cap for his native Ecuador, coming on as a late game substitute in Ecuador’s 2-2 friendly draw against Canada at BMO Field on June 1, 2011
 

Ecuador Youth National Teams: Ecuador Under-20’s: Has appeared in multiple games for the Ecuadorian Under-20 National Team

Personal

An avid fan of Reggaeton, Plata is known in the RSL locker room for his dance skills