Rubén González (footballer, born 1982) explained

Rubén González
Fullname:Rubén González Rocha
Birth Date:29 January 1982
Birth Place:Compostela, Spain
Height:1.870NaN0
Position:Centre-back
Youthclubs1:Conxo
Youthclubs2:Compostela
Youthclubs3:Real Madrid
Years1:2001–2006
Caps1:87
Goals1:4
Years2:2002–2006
Caps2:4
Goals2:0
Years3:2004
Clubs3:Borussia M'gladbach (loan)
Caps3:3
Goals3:0
Years4:2004–2005
Clubs4:Albacete (loan)
Caps4:22
Goals4:0
Years5:2006–2007
Caps5:34
Goals5:2
Years6:2007–2009
Caps6:70
Goals6:1
Years7:2009–2011
Caps7:31
Goals7:3
Years8:2011–2013
Caps8:27
Goals8:0
Years9:2013–2014
Caps9:23
Goals9:0
Years10:2014–2016
Caps10:31
Goals10:1
Years11:2016
Caps11:13
Goals11:1
Years12:2017
Caps12:13
Goals12:0
Totalcaps:358
Totalgoals:12
Nationalyears1:1999
Nationalcaps1:6
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:1999
Nationalcaps2:3
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:2000–2001
Nationalcaps3:10
Nationalgoals3:0
Nationalyears4:2001
Nationalcaps4:1
Nationalgoals4:0
Nationalyears5:2002–2003
Nationalcaps5:8
Nationalgoals5:0

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

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 over ten seasons, also representing Albacete, Racing de Santander, Mallorca and Osasuna.

Club career

González 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 total four first-team league appearances in three seasons, his debut coming on 10 May 2002 in a 3–0 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 4–1 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 Castilla–La Mancha side finishing last in the top flight, Rubén returned to Real Madrid, spending the following campaign with the reserves in the Segunda División.[7] In 2006–07 he finally developed as a top-division player with Racing de Santander, helping the Cantabrians to 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 on a five-year contract.[9]

In late August 2009, González signed for Mallorca, arriving for free in a 2+1 deal.[10] In his first season, he was mostly a backup to José Nunes and Iván Ramis,[11] but still managed to net twice, which resulted in four points away from home (2–1 defeat of Real Valladolid, 1–1 draw with Real Zaragoza);[12] [13] he added his third on 19 April 2010 – all came through headers from corner kicks – in a 2–0 home victory over CA Osasuna,[14] as the Balearic Islands team finished fifth and qualified for the UEFA Europa League.[15]

After one season with FC Baku in the Azerbaijan Premier League, González agreed to a two-year contract at Zaragoza on 12 August 2014, arriving from the same club as his compatriot Mario.[16] On 3 September 2016, the 34-year-old moved to the Indian Super League with Delhi Dynamos FC.[17]

González returned to his homeland in the 2017 January transfer window, signing with Coruxo FC from Segunda División B.[18]

Honours

Real Madrid

2002–03

2003

2001–02

Spain U16

1999[19]

Notes and References

  1. News: Rubén: "Yo era un galáctico, pero no se dieron cuenta". Rubén: "I was a galactic, but they did not realize it". Diario AS. Spanish. 18 April 2017. 7 November 2017.
  2. News: Último tropiezo camino de Glasgow. Last stumble on the way to Glasgow. El Mundo. Manuel. García Solano. Spanish. 10 May 2002. 1 November 2017.
  3. Web site: FC Sevilla 4–1 Real Madrid. https://web.archive.org/web/20050518092535/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=130509&cc=5739. dead. 18 May 2005. ESPN Soccernet. 9 November 2003. 9 May 2013.
  4. News: A Rubén le ha cambiado la cara. Rubén has a new face. Marca. Hugo. Cerezo. Spanish. 5 May 2010. 1 November 2017.
  5. News: La nueva desgracia de Rubén. Rubén's new setback. El País. Juan. B. Olcina. Spanish. 12 March 2004. 1 November 2017.
  6. Web site: Albacete recruit Rubén. UEFA. 20 July 2004. 27 April 2023.
  7. News: Rubén empieza hoy a trabajar con el Castilla. Rubén starts working with Castilla today. Diario AS. Raquel. Fornieles. Spanish. 7 August 2006. 1 November 2017.
  8. Web site: Racing Santander 2–1 Villarreal. https://archive.today/20120717110836/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=203925&cc=5739. dead. 17 July 2012. ESPN Soccernet. 20 December 2006. 9 May 2013.
  9. News: Rubén: "Jugar en el Celta era una espinita que tenía clavada". Rubén: "To play for Celta was a thorn in my side". El Correo Gallego. Spanish. 28 July 2007. 27 April 2023.
  10. Web site: El Mallorca contrata a Rubén González. Mallorca hire Rubén González. RCD Mallorca. Spanish. 21 August 2009. 9 May 2013.
  11. News: Ramis estará un mes de baja. Ramis one month out. Marca. Spanish. 8 April 2010. 27 April 2023.
  12. Web site: Mallorca return to form. https://web.archive.org/web/20100306075547/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=275795&cc=5739. dead. 6 March 2010. ESPN Soccernet. 28 February 2010. 9 May 2013.
  13. Web site: Mallorca held. https://web.archive.org/web/20121024231615/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=275594&cc=5739. dead. 24 October 2012. ESPN Soccernet. 14 April 2010. 9 May 2013.
  14. Web site: Mallorca's dream alive. https://web.archive.org/web/20121024231620/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=275922&cc=5739. dead. 24 October 2012. ESPN Soccernet. 19 April 2010. 9 May 2013.
  15. News: Manzano: "Moralmente nos correspondía jugar la Champions". Manzano: "We were supposed to play the Champions League from a moral standpoint". Marca. Spanish. 16 May 2010. 27 April 2023.
  16. Web site: Rubén González refuerza el centro de la defensa blanquilla. Rubén González bolsters heart of white defence. Real Zaragoza. Spanish. 12 August 2014. 13 August 2014.
  17. News: Delhi Dynamos FC sign former Real Madrid star Ruben Gonzalez. The Indian Express. 3 September 2016. 17 October 2017.
  18. News: El Coruxo de Segunda B ficha al exmadridista Rubén González. Coruxo of Segunda B sign former Madrid man Rubén González. Marca. Spanish. 25 January 2017. 17 October 2017.
  19. Web site: European U-16 Championship 1999. RSSSF. Josef. Bobrowsky. 27 April 2023.