Marco Ruben Explained

Marco Ruben
Upright:1.2
Fullname:Marco Gastón Ruben Rodríguez
Birth Date:26 October 1986
Birth Place:Capitán Bermúdez, Argentina
Height:1.79 m
Position:Striker
Years1:2004–2006
Caps1:77
Goals1:20
Years2:2007
Caps2:28
Goals2:7
Years3:2008–2012
Caps3:65
Goals3:14
Years4:2008–2009
Clubs4:Recreativo (loan)
Caps4:43
Goals4:7
Years5:2009–2010
Caps5:31
Goals5:18
Years6:2012–2016
Caps6:11
Goals6:1
Years7:2013–2014
Clubs7:Évian (loan)
Caps7:25
Goals7:1
Years8:2014
Clubs8:Tigres (loan)
Caps8:10
Goals8:0
Years9:2015–2016
Clubs9:Rosario Central (loan)
Caps9:41
Goals9:28
Years10:2016–2022
Caps10:95
Goals10:35
Years11:2019
Clubs11:Athletico Paranaense (loan)
Caps11:23
Goals11:4
Totalcaps:449
Totalgoals:135
Nationalyears1:2011
Nationalcaps1:1
Nationalgoals1:1

Marco Gastón Ruben Rodríguez (born 26 October 1986) is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as a striker.

He spent the better part of his 18-year career with Rosario Central, scoring 105 goals in all competitions. He also played in Spain, Ukraine, France, Mexico and Brazil.

Ruben won one cap for the Argentina national team, in 2011.

Club career

Born in Capitán Bermúdez, Santa Fe Province, Ruben started his career with Rosario Central in 2004. In the 2006 Apertura tournament he scored seven goals in 17 matches to be the team's top scorer, and this brought him to the attention of several major clubs in Argentina and Europe, with Club Atlético River Plate eventually winning the battle and paying US$7.5 million for his signature, alongside teammates Juan Ojeda and Cristian Villagra.[1]

After a short spell, Manuel Pellegrini's Villarreal CF purchased Ruben for $7 million in January 2008, immediately loaning him to fellow La Liga side Recreativo de Huelva until 30 June.[2] He made his league debut in Spain on the 27th, appearing as a substitute and being booked in the 3–1 home loss against Getafe CF.[3]

The loan was renewed for the 2008–09 season,[4] but Ruben scored just three times as the Andalusians were relegated.[5] After returning to Villarreal, he spent the vast majority of the year with the reserves, which were having their first experience in the Segunda División.[6]

In mid-January 2010, Villarreal agreed to sell Ruben to Wigan Athletic of the Premier League after the player had helped the reserves to the fourth place with nine league goals, good enough for joint-third.[7] Although the player agreed personal terms with Wigan, the clubs could not reach an agreement and the deal fell through.[8]

Ruben played his first league game with Villarreal's main squad on 7 February 2010, more than two years after his purchase, appearing six minutes at RCD Mallorca (1–0 loss).[9] [10] On 9 January of the following year, while starting in the place of injured Nilmar, he scored against Real Madrid to make it 2–1 for the Valencians (his first goal for the first team), who were eventually defeated at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium (4–2).[11]

On 13 July 2012, Ruben signed a five-year contract with Ukrainian club FC Dynamo Kyiv for a 14 million fee.[12] [13] He scored his first goal for his new team on 3 November, netting the first in a 2–0 home win over SC Tavriya Simferopol.

After a spell in the French Ligue 1 with Thonon Évian F.C.[14] where he failed to meet expectations as that particular type of football did not suit his style,[15] Ruben joined Liga MX side Tigres UANL on 18 June 2014 on a one-year loan from Dynamo.[16] He made his competitive debut on 9 July, playing the whole of a 4–1 defeat to Monarcas Morelia in the Supercopa MX.[17]

Ruben returned to Rosario Central on 24 December 2014, initially on a temporary deal.[18] He scored a career-best 21 goals in his first year (24 in all competitions) and was named team captain.[19]

On 11 January 2019, Ruben joined Brazil's Club Athletico Paranaense on a year-long loan.[20] He retired on 7 May 2022 at the age of 35 after scoring for Rosario in the 3–1 win over Estudiantes de La Plata at Estadio Gigante de Arroyito, as the club's third all-time scorer with 105 goals.[21] [22]

International career

Ruben made his debut for Argentina in an unofficial pre-Olympic preparation match against Guatemala in February 2008, scoring once in a 5–0 win.[23] His only official appearance took place on 5 June 2011 in a friendly with Poland, and he netted the 1–1 equaliser in an eventual 2–1 loss.[24] [25]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Rosario Central2005–06Argentine Primera División29110000002911
2006–07Argentine Primera División167000000167
Total45180000004518
River Plate2006–07Argentine Primera División8300000083
2007–08Argentine Primera División204000000204
Total287000000287
Villarreal2007–08La Liga0000000000
2008–09La Liga0000000000
2009–10La Liga4000110051
2010–11La Liga30542134004711
2011–12La Liga319105000379
Total651452195008921
Recreativo (loan)2007–08La Liga144000000144
2008–09La Liga293000000293
Total437000000437
Villarreal B2009–10Segunda División31180000003118
Dynamo Kyiv2012–13Ukrainian Premier League111004000151
2013–14Ukrainian Premier League0000000000
Total111004000151
Évian (loan)2013–14Ligue 1251400000291
Tigres (loan)2014–15Liga MX100210020141
Rosario Central (loan)2015Argentine Primera División30215300003524
2016Argentine Primera División1175488002419
Total412810788005943
Rosario Central2016–17Argentine Primera División216000000216
2017–18Argentine Primera División173402000233
2018–19Argentine Primera División90410000131
2019–20Argentine Primera División7400001185
2021Argentine Primera División191500821133820
2022Argentine Primera División000000114114
Total73288110223811439
Athletico Paranaense (loan)2019Série A2348286314213
Career total39512637134921289509169

International

Scores and results list Argentina's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ruben goal.

Honours

Rosario Central

2017–18

Athletico Paranaense

2019

2019

Notes and References

  1. News: River cerró los pases de Marco Ruben, Villagra y Ojeda. River closed deals for Marco Ruben, Villagra and Ojeda. Clarín. es. 27 December 2006. 24 January 2010.
  2. Web site: Ruben moves to Villarreal. Sky Sports. 24 January 2008. 24 January 2010.
  3. Web site: Recreativo Huelva 1–3 Getafe. ESPN Soccernet. 27 January 2008. 30 December 2012.
  4. Web site: Fútbol.– Marco Ruben vuelve al 'Recre' dispuesto a cubrir el hueco de Sinama: "Tengo mis armas para jugar arriba". Football.– Marco Ruben returns to 'Recre' willing to cover for Sinama: "I have my strengths to play up front". Europa Press. es. 8 July 2008. 22 November 2018.
  5. News: El Recreativo consumó el descenso. Recreativo confirmed relegation. ABC. es. 23 May 2009. 22 November 2018.
  6. News: Marco Ruben rescata un punto para el Villarreal B. Marco Ruben rescues point for Villarreal B. Marca. es. 26 September 2009. 22 November 2018.
  7. Web site: Wigan to buy Argentine Marco Ruben from Villarreal. BBC Sport. 23 January 2010. 25 January 2010.
  8. News: El Villarreal paraliza el traspaso de Marco Ruben al Wigan. Villarreal freeze Marco Ruben's transfer to Wigan. Marca. es. 26 January 2010. 22 November 2018.
  9. News: El Mallorca suma diez de diez en casa. Mallorca go ten for ten at home. El País. Menéndez. Manu. es. 8 February 2010. 23 November 2018.
  10. News: Ruben: "Ojalá pueda seguir jugando en el primer equipo". Ruben: "Hopefully I'll continue to play in the first team". El Periódico Mediterráneo. es. 8 February 2010. 23 November 2018.
  11. Web site: Ronaldo treble revives Real. ESPN Soccernet. 9 January 2011. 20 March 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110114013241/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=301848&cc=5739. 14 January 2011.
  12. Web site: Marco Ruben ficha por el Dínamo. Marco Ruben signs for Dynamo. UEFA. es. 14 July 2012. 22 November 2018.
  13. Web site: "Cachavacha", sin récord en Villarreal. "Cachavacha", no record at Villarreal. Ovación. es. 9 June 2016. 22 November 2018.
  14. Web site: ETG: L'Argentin Marco Ruben prêté à Evian. ETG: Argentine Marco Ruben loaned to Evian. Eurosport. fr. 15 August 2013. 22 November 2018.
  15. Web site: Marco Ruben: "Le football français ne correspondait pas à mes caractéristiques". Marco Ruben: "French football did not suit my style". Lucarne Opposée. Poupat. Bastien. fr. 14 February 2016. 22 November 2018.
  16. News: Se define el futuro de Ruben: hoy se sabrá si Tigres prescinde del delantero. Ruben's future in the making: today Tigres will announce if they release the forward. La Capital. es. 23 December 2014. 22 November 2018.
  17. Web site: Resultado SuperCopa MX 2014: Morelia – Tigres (4–1). 2014 MX SuperCup score: Morelia – Tigres (4–1). Vavel. Tijerina. José Isaac. es. 9 July 2014. 22 November 2018.
  18. News: Regalo de cumpleaños. Birthday present. Olé. es. 24 December 2014. 22 November 2018.
  19. News: Marco Ruben, de Villarreal a capitán de Rosario. Marco Ruben, from Villarreal to Rosario captain. Marca. León. Daniel. es. 16 February 2016. 22 November 2018.
  20. Web site: Argentino Marco Ruben é o novo atacante do Furacão. Argentine Marco Ruben is the Hurricane's new striker. Athletico Paranaense. pt. 11 January 2019. 11 January 2019.
  21. Web site: Marco Ruben y el adiós al fútbol: "No me entra en el cuerpo tanto cariño, me dieron la despedida soñada". Marco Ruben and goodbye to football: "All this love is too much to bear, I was given a dream farewell". Channel 3. es. 7 May 2022. 8 May 2022.
  22. Web site: Rosario Central fue una fiesta en la despedida de Marco Ruben. Rosario Central was a party in Marco Ruben's farewell. TyC Sports. es. 7 May 2022. 8 May 2022.
  23. News: La Argentina "olímpica" se lució ante Guatemala. "Olympic" Argentina had a ball against Guatemala. La Nación. es. 7 February 2008. 7 December 2019.
  24. Web site: Musacchio y Ruben, convocados a la selección argentina. Musacchio y Ruben, called to Argentine national team. River Plate. es. 20 May 2011. 28 January 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131214235848/http://www.riverplate.com/Noticias/Ex-River/9992-marco-ruben-mateo-musacchio-citados-seleccion-argentina.html. 14 December 2013.
  25. Web site: Second-string Argentina humbled again. ESPN Soccernet. 5 June 2011. 5 June 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110607211145/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=316629&cc=5739. 7 June 2011.
  26. News: Argentina vuelve a perder un amistoso. Argentina lose another friendly. La Nación. es. 6 June 2011. 22 November 2018.