CARY, N.C. (Dec. 15, 2023) — North Carolina FC has signed defender Ezra Armstrong to a two-year contract through the 2025 season, the club announced Friday. The signing is pending league and federation approval.
Armstrong, who turns 25 today, was born in Gastonia, North Carolina and has several years of professional soccer experience in the United States and Europe, most recently with St. Louis CITY 2 in MLS Next Pro.
“We are pleased to welcome Ezra to North Carolina FC and back to his home state. He is well traveled for his age and is a proven defender who can also get forward and be a play-maker in the final third. We are excited about what he brings to the mix as we build a versatile and complete roster,” said NCFC Head Coach and Sporting Director John Bradford.
“I am thrilled to be joining NCFC because it means I will be playing professionally in my home state. This is where my journey to become a professional player began at a young age, and I am grateful for the opportunity to come full circle. I chose to sign with NCFC because I see the club’s determination to win more trophies and their commitment to operating at a high level.
I am excited to compete every day and help the team achieve their goals. After completing my second year at CITY 2 in MLS Next Pro, I knew I wanted to come back to the USL Championship and prove myself. What better way to do so than with a team that values me as both a person and a player? I am thankful for this opportunity and can’t wait to get started,” said Armstrong.
Across two seasons with CITY 2, Armstrong appeared in 41 matches, racking up seven assists in 2,393 minutes. On the defensive side, Armstrong won 52.1% of his duels and made 78 interceptions.
Armstrong made his professional debut in 2016 with Sporting Kansas City’s then-USL affiliate Swope Parke Rangers after joining the MLS club’s academy from an affiliated academy in Nashville, Tennessee.
After a year on loan in the NPSL, Armstrong went overseas to play two seasons with German sixth-tier side Türkspor Augsburg and Danish club Skovshoved IF before returning to the U.S. and joining CITY 2.
Armstrong is the son of former U.S. Men’s National Team defender Desmond Armstrong, who is in the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame. Ezra’s brother, Dida Armstrong, also plays professional soccer for CITY 2.
Armstrong is the seventh new signing for North Carolina FC this off-season and brings the roster to 16 players under contract for 2024.
ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA FC
North Carolina FC returns to play in the United Soccer League (USL) Championship (USSF Division II) in 2024. North Carolina FC enters its 18th season of competition in 2024, having played in several professional leagues as both North Carolina FC and the Carolina RailHawks. The team won the NASL (USSF Division II) regular season championship in 2011 and 2013 and won the USL League One (USSF Division III) Championship in 2023. Follow North Carolina FC on the web at www.northcarolinafc.com and on social media @NorthCarolinaFC.