Abel Ruiz

Abel Ruiz Ortega (Spanish pronunciation: [aˈβel ˈrwiθ]; born 28 January 2000) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Portuguese club Braga.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Ruiz and the second or maternal family name is Ortega.
Abel Ruiz
Ruiz with Spain U19 in 2019
Personal information
Full name Abel Ruiz Ortega[1]
Date of birth (2000-01-28) 28 January 2000
Place of birth Almussafes, Spain
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Position(s) Forward
Club information
Current team
 Braga
Number 9
Youth career
2008–2012 Valencia
2012–2017 Barcelona
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2020 Barcelona B 68 (9)
2019–2020 Barcelona 1 (0)
2020 → Braga (loan) 6 (1)
2020– Braga 6 (0)
National team‡
2015–2017 Spain U17 38 (25)
2018 Spain U18 4 (7)
2017–2019 Spain U19 18 (7)
2019– Spain U21 3 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13 January 2021 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 19 November 2019

Club career

Born in Almussafes, Valencian Community, Ruiz joined FC Barcelona's youth setup in 2012, from Valencia CF.[3] On 21 November 2016, he renewed his contract with the club.[4]

On 9 April 2017, while still a junior, Ruiz made his senior debut with the reserves, coming on as a late substitute for Jesús Alfaro in a 2–0 Segunda División B away win against CF Badalona; he also became the first player born in the 2000s to make an appearance for the club's senior ranks.[5]

After Barcelona B's promotion, Ruiz made his professional team debut on 28 August 2017, replacing David Concha in an 0–3 home loss against CD Tenerife for the Segunda División championship.[6] Four days later he scored his first professional goal in a 2–2 draw against Granada CF.[7]

Ruiz had his first-team debut in the Supercopa de Catalunya on 7 March 2018, scoring the winning penalty in a shootout against RCD Espanyol.[8] His La Liga debut came on 12 May 2019 in a 2–0 win against Getafe CF, as a substitute for Philippe Coutinho for the final 21 minutes at the Camp Nou.[9]

On 31 January 2020, Ruiz joined Portugal's S.C. Braga on loan for the rest of the season, with a mandatory purchase for €8 million and a buy-back clause.[10] He made his debut on 20 February in the last 32 first leg of the UEFA Europa League away to Rangers, starting the game and scoring in a 3–2 loss.[11] Totalling eight appearances over the season, he scored his first Primeira Liga goal on 4 July soon after entering in a 4–0 home win over C.D. Aves.[12]

International career

Ruiz made his debut for the Spain under-17 team on 25 October 2015, starting and scoring the first in a 2–0 2016 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualification win against Andorra.[13] He was also named in the list for the finals in Azerbaijan,[14] despite being one year younger than his teammates.

Ruiz finished the competition with four goals, being awarded the Silver Boot; he was also included in the tournament's best eleven.[15] During the 2017 edition in Croatia, he captained the side as Spain achieved their ninth title.[16]

On 22 September 2017, Ruiz was included in Santiago Denia's squad ahead of the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup,[17] and scored two braces in the tournament, scoring two goals in a 4–0 win against Niger on 10 October, and two more in a 3–1 semi-finals win against Mali on 25 October.[18]

Career statistics
As of 28 December 2020[19]
Club League Season League National cup League cup Europe Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Barcelona B
Segunda División B 2016–17 20————20
Segunda División 2017–18 263————263
Segunda División B 2018–19 213————213
2019–20 193————193
Total 689————689
Barcelona La Liga 2018–19 1000—00—10
Braga (loan) Primeira Liga 2019–20 61000021—82
Braga 2020–21 50221020—102
Total 11122104100184
Career total 8010221041008711

    Honours

    Club
    Barcelona

    International
    Spain U19
    Spain U18
    Spain U17

    Individual

    Records

    References
    1. "Acta del Partido celebrado el 12 de mayo de 2019, en Barcelona" [Minutes of the Match held on 12 May 2019, in Barcelona] (in Spanish). Royal Spanish Football Federation. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
    2. "ABEL RUIZ" (in Portuguese). SC Braga. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
    3. "Abel Ruiz, el futuro nueve de España" [Abel Ruiz, the future nine of Spain] (in Spanish). Sphera Sports. 20 May 2017. Archived from the original on 10 January 2018. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
    4. "Abel Ruiz se queda en el Barça" [Abel Ruiz stays at Barça] (in Spanish). Sport. 21 November 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
    5. "El almusafense Abel Ruiz debuta con el filial del FC Barcelona en la Segunda B" [The almusafense Abel Ruiz debuts with the reserve team of FC Barcelona in Segunda B] (in Spanish). Levante-EMV. 9 April 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
    6. "El Tenerife se pone líder en Barcelona" [Tenerife become leader in Barcelona] (in Spanish). Marca. 28 August 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
    7. "Tercer empate de un Granada que no termina de arrancar" [Third draw of a Granada which cannot get going] (in Spanish). Marca. 1 September 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
    8. "Abel Ruiz, protagonista en la tanda de penaltis" [Abel Ruiz had his debut by scoring on the penalty shoot-out] (in Spanish). Sport. 7 March 2018. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
    9. "Abel Ruiz makes first team debut". FC Barcelona. 12 May 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
    10. "Abel Ruiz leaves for SC Braga". FC Barcelona. 31 January 2020.
    11. "Rangers' Ianis Hagi completes thrilling Europa League comeback against Braga". The Guardian. 21 February 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
    12. "Sporting blanks offer Braga hope in hunt for a top three finish". PortuGOAL. 6 July 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
    13. "Abel Ruiz abre el camino de la victoria de la selección española sub'17 ante Andorra" [Abel Ruiz shows the way to victory of Spain under-17s against Andorra] (in Spanish). Sport. 25 October 2015. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
    14. "Cuatro representantes valencianos, rumbo a la Eurocopa Sub-17 de Azerbaiyán" [Four Valencians, to the under-17 European Championship in Azerbaijan] (in Spanish). FFCV. 28 April 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
    15. "Ten to watch from U17 EURO in Azerbaijan". UEFA.com. 23 May 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
    16. "Spain secure record third U17 EURO title". UEFA.com. 19 May 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
    17. "Oficial | Esta es la convocatoria para la Copa Mundial Sub-17 de India" [Official | This is the call-up for the Under-17 World Cup in India] (in Spanish). SeFutbol. 22 September 2017. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
    18. FIFA.com. "FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017". FIFA.com. FIFA.com. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
    19. Abel Ruiz at Soccerway
    20. "Chelsea 0–3 Barcelona". UEFA.com. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
    21. "U17 Top scorers in Azerbaijan". UEFA.com. 21 May 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
    22. "Technical Report – Team of the Tournament". UEFA. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
    23. "Abel Ruiz and Amine Gouiri equal record". UEFA.com. 12 May 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
    24. "Ruiz level with José Gomes as top U17 EURO scorer". UEFA.com. 19 May 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
    25. "Abel Ruiz, récord de la Sub 17" [Abel Ruiz, recordist of the under-17s] (in Spanish). Marca. 16 May 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
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