Cristian Arrieta

Cristian Arrieta (born September 18, 1979, in Orlando, Florida) is a retired footballer and active coach.

Born in the United States and of Spanish and Italian heritage, Arrieta initially began playing soccer in Italy with various clubs in the lower divisions. In 2008, he returned to North America to sign with the Puerto Rico Islanders of the USL First Division. Under the guidance of Colin Clarke, Arrieta rose to prominence as one of the league's most consistent defenders. He was a pivotal factor in bringing the Islanders to a higher level of prestige among the league. He assisted the club by claiming their first regular-season championship, as well as reaching the playoff finals.

His performances in the CONCACAF Champions League provided Puerto Rico with stunning results over regional powerhouses, and helped the club reach the semi-finals of the tournament. In February 2010 he was ranked 14th in the USL First Division Top 25 of the Decade, which announced a list of the best and most influential players of the previous decade. That same year he gained his first cap for the Puerto Rico national team, and gained a total of 22 up to his retirement as a player in 2015.