| Rayo | |
| Fullname: | Rubén Rayos Serna |
| Birth Date: | 21 June 1986 |
| Birth Place: | Elche, Spain |
| Height: | 1.76 m |
| Position: | Attacking midfielder |
| Youthclubs1: | Elche |
| Years1: | 2005–2006 |
| Years2: | 2006–2008 |
| Caps2: | 0 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 2006–2008 |
| Clubs3: | → Villajoyosa (loan) |
| Caps3: | 62 |
| Goals3: | 20 |
| Years4: | 2008–2009 |
| Caps4: | 23 |
| Goals4: | 0 |
| Years5: | 2009–2010 |
| Caps5: | 35 |
| Goals5: | 11 |
| Years6: | 2010–2011 |
| Caps6: | 33 |
| Goals6: | 19 |
| Years7: | 2011–2013 |
| Caps7: | 62 |
| Goals7: | 12 |
| Years8: | 2013–2015 |
| Caps8: | 54 |
| Goals8: | 17 |
| Years9: | 2015–2016 |
| Caps9: | 12 |
| Goals9: | 0 |
| Years10: | 2016–2020 |
| Caps10: | 111 |
| Goals10: | 30 |
| Years11: | 2020–2021 |
| Caps11: | 23 |
| Goals11: | 5 |
| Years12: | 2022 |
| Caps12: | 12 |
| Goals12: | 2 |
| Club-Update: | 16:00, 16 December 2023 (UTC) |
Rubén Rayos Serna (born 21 June 1986), commonly known as Rayo, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder.
Rayo was born in Elche, Valencian Community. He finished his youth career with Elche CF, and played only Segunda División B football until the age of 25, representing Villajoyosa CF, FC Barcelona Atlètic,[1] Orihuela CF[2] and UE Lleida.[3]
In the summer of 2011, Rayo moved straight into the Super League Greece, joining a host of compatriots at Asteras Tripolis FC.[4] He scored five league goals in his first season, adding three in the campaign's domestic cup.
Rayo improved his overall totals to nine goals and 12 assists in 2012–13. In the final of the Greek Cup, against Olympiacos FC, he put his team ahead 1–0 in an eventual 3–1 extra time loss.[5] He was eventually chosen Best Foreign Player for his exploits[6] and, during most of his spell, was also captain.
On 6 June 2013, Rayo signed a three-year contract with Maccabi Haifa FC, netting 11 goals from 27 appearances in his first year to help his new club to fourth position in the regular season of the Israeli Premier League.[7] In March 2014, he was involved in an incident with Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv FC's Rafi Dahan, his harsh tackle producing an anterior cruciate ligament injury to his opponent which sidelined him for almost one year – he received a straight red card,[8] [9] and Dahan was eventually forced to retire;[10] subsequently, Dahan filed a lawsuit against Rayo and Maccabi Haifa in an Israeli court,[11] winning the legal action after the judge ruled that the other player's actions were deliberate.[12]
On 8 July 2015, Rayo joined French side FC Sochaux-Montbéliard, agreeing to a two-year deal for an undisclosed fee.[13] Roughly one year later, he moved to Anorthosis Famagusta FC in the Cypriot First Division.[14]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Asteras Tripolis | 2011–12 | Super League Greece | 27 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | 31 | 8 | |||
| 2012–13 | 35 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 1 | — | 48 | 10 | ||||
| Total | 62 | 12 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 79 | 18 | |||
| Maccabi Haifa | 2013–14 | Israeli Premier League | 27 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 6 | — | 40 | 17 | ||
| 2014–15 | 27 | 6 | 2 | 2 | — | 6 | 4 | 35 | 12 | ||||
| Total | 54 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 75 | 29 | |||
| Sochaux | 2015–16 | Ligue 2 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||
| Anorthosis | 2016–17 | Cypriot First Division | 30 | 8 | 4 | 2 | — | — | 34 | 10 | |||
| 2017–18 | 34 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 36 | 5 | |||||
| 2018–19 | 24 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 28 | 3 | ||||
| 2019–20 | 23 | 14 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 25 | 15 | |||||
| Total | 111 | 30 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 123 | 33 | |||
| Career total | 239 | 59 | 28 | 10 | 18 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 293 | 80 | |||
Asteras Tripolis
Individual
2012–13[6]