Rubén Suárez
Rubén Suárez Estrada (Spanish pronunciation: [ruˈβen ˈswaɾeθ]; born 19 February 1979) is a Spanish footballer. Mainly an attacking midfielder, he can also play as a second striker.
Suárez in action for Levante in 2011 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Rubén Suárez Estrada | ||
Date of birth | 19 February 1979 | ||
Place of birth | Gijón, Spain | ||
Height | 1.67 m (5 ft 5 1⁄2 in) | ||
Playing position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Youth career | |||
Sporting Gijón | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1997–2002 | Sporting B | 77 | (25) |
1998–2004 | Sporting Gijón | 104 | (11) |
2004–2008 | Elche | 93 | (13) |
2008–2012 | Levante | 127 | (37) |
2012–2013 | Guizhou Renhe | 13 | (1) |
2013 | Almería | 19 | (1) |
2013–2014 | Skoda Xanthi | 14 | (0) |
2014–2015 | Castellón | 38 | (16) |
2015–2016 | Torrevieja | 25 | (5) |
2016–2017 | Torre Levante | 35 | (9) |
2017–2019 | Acero | 26 | (1) |
National team | |||
1997–1998 | Spain U18 | 5 | (0) |
1998–1999 | Spain U20 | 12 | (1) |
1999 | Spain U21 | 1 | (0) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19 May 2019 |
He appeared in 283 Segunda División matches over 13 seasons, scoring a combined 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 Segunda División. He stayed in the level afterwards, with four additional years at Elche CF.
In July 2008, Suárez joined Levante UD also in that tier. In his first year he finished as the side's top scorer at 12, mainly due to the serious fibula injury to Alexandre Geijo.[1]
In the 2009–10 season, Suárez repeated the feat (again scoring in double digits), as the Valencians returned to La Liga after a two-year absence.[2] On 28 August 2010, at the ripe 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 1–4 defeat.[3]
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 with eight goals in less than 1,000 minutes of play to Levante's first-ever qualification to the UEFA Europa League after a sixth-place finish in the league.[4][5]
On 3 January 2013, Suárez returned to his country, signing with second level's UD Almería for 18 months.[6]
International career
Suárez played in all the matches for Spain at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship held in Nigeria, netting 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.[7] Later in that year, he earned one cap for the under-21 team.[8]
Personal life
Suárez's father, Secundino, was also a footballer. A defender, he too played for Sporting Gijón.[9][2]
Honours
- Spain U20
References
- "La inversión más rentable del Levante" [Levante's most profittable investment]. Las Provincias (in Spanish). 11 May 2009. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
- "Rubén, el hijo de Cundi, es la estrella" [Rubén, the son of Cundi, is the star]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 25 September 2010. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
- "Sevilla see off new boys". ESPN Soccernet. 28 August 2010. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
- ""Xavi ya era igual hace 13 años"" [“Xavi was the same he is now 13 years ago”]. El País (in Spanish). 13 April 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
- "Rubén Suárez se va al fútbol chino" [Rubén Suárez goes to Chinese football]. La Nueva España (in Spanish). 22 June 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
- "Rubén Suárez ficha por el Almería, centro campista de mucha experiencia" [Rubén Suárez signs for Almería, much-experienced midfielder.] (in Spanish). Liga de Fútbol Profesional. 3 January 2013. Archived from the original on 17 February 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2017.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
- "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 (in Spanish). 12 April 1999. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
- "España 2–1 Israel" [Spain 2–1 Israel] (in Spanish). UEFA. 9 October 1999. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
- "Ruben Suárez, un debut tardío" [Ruben Suárez, a late debut] (in Spanish). Notas de Fútbol. 8 September 2010. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
- "Qué fue de los campeones del mundo sub20" [What happened to the under-20 world champions]. Marca (in Spanish). 17 April 2009. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
External links
- Rubén Suárez at BDFutbol
- Rubén Suárez at Futbolme (in Spanish)
- Rubén Suárez at LaPreferente.com (in Spanish)
- Rubén Suárez – FIFA competition record
- Rubén Suárez at Soccerway