2021: Arriola started the year on loan with Swansea City A.F.C., where he made two appearances and logged 18 minutes. The Black-and-Red’s Designated Player returned to D.C. United from Swansea City on March 31 after sustaining a quadricep injury. The injury sidelined the forward for the first four games of the MLS season. The 26-year-old returned to the lineup on May 14 in the 1-0 victory against the Chicago Fire FC. Arriola suffered a second injury and missed five games from July 17 to Aug. 4. He returned to the field on Aug. 8 against CF Montréal then missed two additional games during the international window when he was called up by the USMNT at the end of August. Arriola suffered one more injury that kept him off the field for three games. He returned to play on Oct. 28 against the New York Red Bulls and played the final three games of the season. The forward made 20 appearances (19 starts), scored six goals, recorded two assists, logged 1,365 minutes, and was named to the MLS Team of the Week in weeks 7 and 27.
2020: After an impressive first two years with D.C. United, Paul Arriola saw his third season with the club cut short when he suffered an ACL injury during a preseason friendly in January that sidelined him for all but one match of the 2020 season. After recovering from the injury, Arriola returned to the field in United’s final match of the season against the Montreal Impact on Nov. 8.
2019: During the 2019 season, Arriola was once again a mainstay in the starting lineup for head coach Ben Olsen. The 24-year-old was tasked with playing in defense at times throughout the season, while also being utilized anywhere across United’s frontline. Arriola finished second on the team with six goals, while his goal against Sporting Kansas City on May 12 was nominated for AT&T Goal of the Week. The midfielder made a career-high 29 appearances and was named to MLS Team of the Week on three occasions.
2018: The second-year USMNT player was a constant figure in United’s midfield with 28 appearances (25 starts). In the Audi Field opener on July 14, Arriola bagged his first brace of the season, scoring in the 61st and 78th minutes. He continued his outstanding season with another brace against Montreal on Sept. 28. The attacking midfielder earned MLS Goal of the Week for Week 16 with an acrobatic diving header against Toronto FC. Arriola was also featured on six MLS Team of the Week sheets, setting career-highs in goals scored (7) and total assists (8). His performances for D.C. United earned him two caps in 2018 for the USMNT in international friendlies against Bosnia- Herzegovina and Brazil. Arriola logged 45 minutes off the bench against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Jan. 28 and 55 minutes as a starter against Brazil on Sep. 7.
2017: U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder Paul Arriola joined United when he was signed as a Young Designated Player on Aug. 10, 2017. The energetic midfielder started in all 11 of United’s matches after joining the club during the August transfer window, logging 922 minutes. Arriola made an instant impact on the offense, slotting into the wide midfield position next to playmaker Luciano Acosta and using his speed down the flanks to generate scoring chances. Against San Jose on Sept. 23, Arriola recorded his first two assists for United, setting up two of Patrick Mullins’ record-setting four goals in the second half. The California native notched his first MLS goal on Oct. 22 against New York, in the final game and last United goal at RFK Stadium, slotting in a Luciano Acosta cross at the back post. Arriola also played extensively in the USMNT World Cup qualifying campaign, playing in five of the qualifying matches. Prior to arriving in D.C., Arriola spent four years with Club Tijuana in Liga MX.
Arriola made his professional debut for Club Tijuana in Liga MX of Mexico on July 20, 2013. The Chula Vista, Calif., native went on to score nine goals and record three assists in 108 total appearances for the club.
Paul Arriola represented the United States at the youth levels before earning his first senior squad in a 3-1 win over Puerto Rico on May 22, 2016. He played in five out of six games when the USMNT lifted the trophy of the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Arriola played in all four of the USMNT matched in the group stage of the Uefa Nations League in 2019. The midfielder has now made 32 appearances for the USMNT recording five goals and five assists.
August 9, 2017: Acquired from Club Tijuana on a permanent transfer and signed a multi-year deal as a Young Designated Player.
