Rubén Suárez Explained

Rubén Suárez
Fullname:Rubén Suárez Estrada
Birth Date:19 February 1979
Birth Place:Gijón, Spain
Position:Midfielder
Youthclubs1:Sporting Gijón
Years1:1997–2002
Caps1:77
Goals1:25
Years2:1998–2004
Caps2:104
Goals2:11
Years3:2004–2008
Caps3:93
Goals3:13
Years4:2008–2012
Caps4:127
Goals4:37
Years5:2012–2013
Caps5:13
Goals5:1
Years6:2013
Caps6:19
Goals6:1
Years7:2013–2014
Caps7:14
Goals7:0
Years8:2014–2015
Caps8:38
Goals8:16
Years9:2015–2016
Caps9:25
Goals9:5
Years10:2016–2017
Caps10:35
Goals10:9
Years11:2017–2019
Caps11:26
Goals11:1
Years12:2019–2020
Clubs12:Soneja
Caps12:20
Goals12:1
Totalcaps:591
Totalgoals:120
Nationalyears1:1997–1998
Nationalcaps1:5
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:1998–1999
Nationalcaps2:12
Nationalgoals2:1
Nationalyears3:1999
Nationalcaps3:1
Nationalgoals3:0

Rubén Suárez Estrada (pronounced as /es/; born 19 February 1979) is a Spanish former footballer. Mainly an attacking midfielder, he could also play as a second striker.

He appeared in 283 Segunda División matches over 13 seasons, totalling 49 goals for Sporting de Gijón, Elche, Levante and Almería. He added 61 games and 13 goals in La Liga with the two last clubs, and also competed professionally in China and Greece.

Club career

Born in Gijón, and a product of local Sporting de Gijón's famed youth academy, Mareo, Suárez played six seasons with the Asturians' first team in the Segunda División. He stayed in that league afterwards, with four additional years at Elche CF.[1] [2]

Suárez joined Levante UD in the same division on 31 July 2008, on a two-year contract.[3] In his first year he finished as the side's top scorer at 12, mainly due to the serious fibula injury to Alexandre Geijo.[4]

In the 2009–10 season, Suárez repeated the feat (again netting in double digits), as the Valencians returned to La Liga after a two-year absence.[5] On 28 August 2010, at the age of 31 years, six months and nine days, he made his debut in the top division, opening the score at home against Sevilla FC through a penalty kick, in an eventual 4–1 defeat.[6]

In late June 2012, aged 33, Suárez had his first adventure abroad, signing with Chinese Super League club Guizhou Renhe F.C. and reuniting with former Levante teammates Rafa Jordà and Nano, after contributing eight goals in less than 1,000 minutes of play to Levante's first-ever qualification for the UEFA Europa League after a sixth-place finish in the league.[7] [8]

Suárez returned to his country on 3 January 2013, signing with second-tier UD Almería for 18 months.[9]

International career

Suárez played all the matches for Spain at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship held in Nigeria, scoring in a 3–1 group stage win against Honduras – the only game where he did not appear from the bench – as the national team won the tournament.[10] Later that year, he earned one cap for the under-21s.[11]

Personal life

Suárez's father, Secundino, was also a footballer. A defender, he too played for Sporting Gijón.[12] [5]

Honours

Spain U20

1999[13]

Notes and References

  1. News: El gijonés Rubén espera volver a jugar con el Elche en un mes. Gijón's own Rubén hopes to play with Elche again in one month. La Nueva España. Spanish. 29 March 2007. 9 December 2021.
  2. Web site: Rubén Suárez: "Me he quedado con ganas de más fútbol". Rubén Suárez: "I was left wanting more football". Golsmedia. Carlos. Gallardo. Spanish. 31 May 2020. 9 December 2021.
  3. News: Rubén Suárez firma por dos años con el Levante. Rubén Suárez signs with Levante for two years. El Comercio. Spanish. 1 August 2008. 9 December 2021.
  4. News: La inversión más rentable del Levante. Levante's most profittable investment. Las Provincias. Spanish. 11 May 2009. 30 November 2017.
  5. News: Rubén, el hijo de Cundi, es la estrella. Rubén, the son of Cundi, is the star. Diario AS. Spanish. 25 September 2010. 30 November 2017.
  6. Web site: Sevilla see off new boys. ESPN Soccernet. 28 August 2010. 1 March 2011. 24 October 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121024104304/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report/_/id/301832?cc=5739. dead.
  7. News: "Xavi ya era igual hace 13 años". "Xavi was the same he is now 13 years ago". El País. Cayetano. Ros. Spanish. 13 April 2012. 30 November 2017.
  8. News: Rubén Suárez se va al fútbol chino. Rubén Suárez goes to Chinese football. La Nueva España. J. E.. Cima. Spanish. 22 June 2012. 21 December 2012.
  9. Web site: Rubén Suárez ficha por el Almería, centro campista de mucha experiencia.. Rubén Suárez signs for Almería, much-experienced midfielder.. Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional. Spanish. 3 January 2013. 30 November 2017. bot: unknown. https://archive.today/20130217113552/http://www.lfp.es/Noticias2/DetalleNoticia2/tabid/444/Article/2005/language/es-ES/rubn-surez-ficha-por-el-almera-centro-campista-de-mucha-experiencia.aspx. 17 February 2013.
  10. News: España bate a Honduras y se medirá a Estados unidos en octavos de final. Spain beat Honduras and will face the United States in last 16. El Mundo. Spanish. 12 April 1999. 30 November 2017.
  11. Web site: España 2–1 Israel. Spain 2–1 Israel. UEFA. Spanish. 9 October 1999. 30 November 2017.
  12. Web site: Ruben Suárez, un debut tardío. Ruben Suárez, a late debut. Notas de Fútbol. Spanish. 8 September 2010. 21 December 2012.
  13. News: Qué fue de los campeones del mundo sub20. What happened to the under-20 world champions. Marca. Miguel Ángel. García. Spanish. 17 April 2009. 3 May 2017.