Rubén Paz

Ruben Wálter Paz Márquez (born 8 August 1959) is a Uruguayan former footballer who played as a midfielder. Paz played at two FIFA World Cups for Uruguay and was also South American Footballer of the Year in 1988. He retired in 2006 at the age of 47. He's currently Peñarol's assistant coach.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Paz and the second or maternal family name is Márquez.
Ruben Paz
Paz during his tenure on Racing Club
Personal information
Full name Ruben Wálter Paz Márquez
Date of birth (1959-08-08) 8 August 1959
Place of birth Artigas, Uruguay
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1975–1976 Peñarol de Artigas
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1977–1981 Peñarol 107 (53)
1982–1986 Internacional 145 (69)
1986–1987 Racing Paris 6 (0)
1987–1989 Racing Club 53 (17)
1989–1990 Genoa 25 (1)
1990–1993 Racing Club 75 (12)
1994 Rampla Juniors
1995 Frontera Rivera
1995–1996 Godoy Cruz 7 (0)
1996 Wanderers Artigas
1997–2000 Frontera Rivera
2002 Nacional San José de Mayo
2003–2005 Club Atlético Tito Borjas
2006 Pirata Juniors
National team
1979–1990 Uruguay 45 (8)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Ruben Paz began his career at the age of 17 when he joined the Club Atlético Peñarol Montevideo in 1977. He played in Peñarol until February 1982, where he obtained important achievements, winning 3 Uruguayan league championships (1978, 1979 and 1981) and became top scorer of the Uruguayan league by 1981.

In 1982, he emigrated to the Brazilian League, specifically the Rio Grande do Sul team Internacional, where he won three consecutive Gaúcho championships (1982, 1983, 1984) and was considered the best player of the Brazilian league by 1985/86.

In 1986 he makes the leap to Europe, specifically to Matra Racing Paris (now the Racing Club de France) of the Ligue 1 of French Football, where he played alongside his compatriot Enzo Francescoli.

The following year he was transferred to Racing Club de Avellaneda in the Argentine league, where he becomes the team leader and an idol for the fans of the squad that conquered the South American Super Cup and Interamericana Super Cup in 1988. That same year he was crowned as both the Argentinian and South American Footballer of the Year. He was one of the few players in Argentinian football to be respected by all supporters.

During the 1989-90 season he transferred to Genoa in the Serie A of the Italian Football League, coinciding with two compatriots, José Perdomo and Carlos Aguilera.

The following year he returned to Racing Club. In 1993 he returned to Uruguay to play in Rampla Juniors, and the following year moved to the Frontera Rivera club, where he stayed until 2000, except for the 1996 season, when he played for Godoy Cruz of Mendoza, Argentina. Later he continued to play in smaller clubs, ending his playing career in 2006.

International career

Participated in the Uruguayan team that won the Mundialito in 1980. Later he played in two editions of the World Cup, those held in Mexico in 1986 and Italy in 1990, in which his national team was eliminated in second round by Italy.

Honours

Club
Peñarol
Internacional
Racing

National team
Uruguay
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