Rubén González (footballer, born 1982)

Rubén González Rocha (born 29 January 1982), known simply as Rubén, is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a central defender.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is González and the second or maternal family name is Rocha.

Rubén
Personal information
Full name Rubén González Rocha
Date of birth (1982-01-29) 29 January 1982
Place of birth Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Centre back
Youth career
Conxo
Compostela
Real Madrid
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2006 Real Madrid B 87 (4)
2002–2006 Real Madrid 4 (0)
2004 → Borussia M'gladbach (loan) 3 (0)
2004–2005 → Albacete (loan) 22 (0)
2006–2007 Racing Santander 34 (2)
2007–2009 Celta 70 (1)
2009–2011 Mallorca 31 (3)
2011–2013 Osasuna 27 (0)
2013–2014 Baku 23 (0)
2014–2016 Zaragoza 31 (1)
2016 Delhi Dynamos 13 (1)
2017 Coruxo 13 (0)
Total 358 (12)
National team
1999 Spain U16 6 (0)
1999 Spain U17 3 (0)
2000–2001 Spain U18 10 (0)
2001 Spain U20 1 (0)
2002–2003 Spain U21 8 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He came through the youth ranks at Real Madrid,[1] but appeared in only 11 official matches in four years. He amassed La Liga totals of 118 games and five goals during ten seasons, also representing Albacete, Racing de Santander, Mallorca and Osasuna.

Club career

Rubén was born in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia. A youth product of La Liga powerhouse Real Madrid, who signed him from local SD Compostela, he would only amass four first-team league appearances in three seasons, his debut coming on 10 May 2002 in a 0–3 away loss against Deportivo de La Coruña.[2] On 9 November 2003 he was taken out after just 25 minutes and an own goal, in an eventual 1–4 defeat at Sevilla FC;[3][4] he finished 2003–04 on loan to German club Borussia Mönchengladbach, appearing rarely due to a shoulder injury.[5]

After a loan period with Albacete Balompié in 2004–05,[6] with the Castile-La Mancha side finishing dead last in the top flight, Rubén returned to Real Madrid, spending the following campaign with the reserves in Segunda División.[7] In 2006–07 he finally developed as a top-level player with Racing de Santander, helping the Cantabrians finish tenth while scoring his first goals in the competition in consecutive 2–1 wins, against RCD Mallorca and Villarreal CF;[8] however, he returned the next year to division two, joining RC Celta de Vigo.

In late August 2009, Rubén signed with Mallorca, arriving for free in a 2+1 deal.[9] In his first season he played mostly as a backup to José Nunes and Iván Ramis, but still managed to net twice, which resulted in four points away from home (2–1 win defeat of Real Valladolid, 1–1 draw to Real Zaragoza);[10][11] he added his third on 19 April 2010 – all came through headers from corner kicks – in a 2–0 home victory over CA Osasuna,[12] as the Balearic Islands team finished fifth and qualified for the UEFA Europa League.

After one season with Baku FC in the Azerbaijan Premier League, Rubén agreed to a two-year contract at Zaragoza on 12 August 2014, arriving from the same club as compatriot Mario.[13] On 3 September 2016, the 34-year-old moved to the Indian Super League after joining Delhi Dynamos FC.[14]

Rubén returned to his homeland in the 2017 January transfer window, signing with Coruxo FC from Segunda División B.[15]

Honours

Club

Real Madrid

International

Spain U16

References
  1. "Rubén: "Yo era un galáctico, pero no se dieron cuenta"" [Rubén: "I was a galactic, but they did not realize it"]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 18 April 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  2. "Último tropiezo camino de Glasgow" [Last stumble on the way to Glasgow]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 11 May 2002. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  3. "FC Sevilla 4–1 Real Madrid". ESPN Soccernet. 9 November 2003. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  4. "A Rubén le ha cambiado la cara" [Rubén has a new face]. Marca (in Spanish). 5 May 2010. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  5. "La nueva desgracia de Rubén" [Rubén's new setback]. El País (in Spanish). 12 March 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  6. "Albacete recruit Rubén". UEFA. 20 July 2004. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  7. "Rubén empieza hoy a trabajar con el Castilla" [Rubén starts working with Castilla today]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 7 August 2006. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  8. "Racing Santander 2–1 Villarreal". ESPN Soccernet. 20 December 2006. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  9. "El Mallorca contrata a Rubén González" [Mallorca hire Rubén González] (in Spanish). RCD Mallorca. 21 August 2009. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  10. "Mallorca return to form". ESPN Soccernet. 28 February 2010. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  11. "Mallorca held". ESPN Soccernet. 14 April 2010. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  12. "Mallorca's dream alive". ESPN Soccernet. 19 April 2010. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  13. "Rubén González refuerza el centro de la defensa blanquilla" [Rubén González bolsters heart of white defence] (in Spanish). Real Zaragoza. 12 August 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  14. "Delhi Dynamos FC sign former Real Madrid star Ruben Gonzalez". The Indian Express. 3 September 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  15. "El Coruxo de Segunda B ficha al exmadridista Rubén González" [Coruxo of Segunda B sign former Madrid man Rubén González]. Marca (in Spanish). 25 January 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
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