Bryan Ruiz

Ruiz began his professional career at 18, making his debut for Liga Deportiva Alajuelense on 30 November 2003 against Municipal Pérez Zeledón,[http://wvw.nacion.com/ln_ee/2009/febrero/16/deportes1875995.html Vida de Bryan Ruiz (Profile)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150102110500/http://wvw.nacion.com/ln_ee/2009/febrero/16/deportes1875995.html |date=2 January 2015 }} – Nación {{in lang|es}} in Costa Rica's top division. He formed a trio with 2 strikers, Rolando Fonseca and Froylán Ledezma, where he built a reputation as a goalscorer and a play maker.

Ruiz scored his first goal on 23 December 2003 against Ramonense, netting twice against Fernando Patterson. In Alajuelense, he was nicknamed La Comadreja (The Weasel), for his facial profile.{{citation needed|date=July 2015}} He was on the team when it won regional titles such as the UNCAF Cup and the CONCACAF Champions' Cup.

In the summer of 2006, Ruiz was signed by Gent in a four-year deal along with Randall Azofeifa from Deportivo Saprissa and Roy Myrie from Liga Deportiva Alajuelense. He scored his first hat-trick playing on 8 December 2007 against Lokeren. In that season in the Belgian League, he was the captain and top scorer for the team.http://everardoherrera.com/default.asp?s=nv&n=131-Campeón_holandés_AZ_Alkmaar_también_quiere_a_Ruíz {{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

File:BryanRuiz.jpg

On 15 July 2009, the Dutch club FC Twente announced that they had signed Ruiz for a fee of around €5 million, and agreed to receive a percentage of a subsequent transfer. He signed a four-year deal with the Eredivisie side.{{cite web|url=http://www.fctwente.nl/en/2009/07/bryan-ruiz-signs-for-fc-twente/ |title=Bryan Ruiz signs for FC Twente |publisher=FC Twente |date=15 July 2009 |access-date=20 April 2017}}

Ruiz made his debut for the new club by scoring the second goal of the match, with an assist from another newcomer, Miroslav Stoch, in an away defeat of Sparta Rotterdam.[http://www.vi.nl/Wedstrijden/Wedstrijd.htm?dbid=195287&typeofpage=84140 VI – Sparta Rotterdam – Fc Twente (01-08-2009)] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090910055658/http://www.vi.nl/Wedstrijden/Wedstrijd.htm?dbid=195287&typeofpage=84140 |date=10 September 2009 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.vi.nl/Spelers/Speler.htm?employer=8&season=382&dbid=53347&typeofpage=84137 |title=VI – Bryan Ruiz Gonzales |publisher=Vi.nl }} His goal against NAC Breda on 12 December 2009 marked the tenth consecutive match in which he had scored.{{cite web |url=http://eredivisie.nos.nl/nieuws/artikel/ID/tcm:45-614153/ |title=FC Twente na rust langs NAC Breda |publisher=NOS |date=12 December 2009 |access-date=2 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091215064424/http://eredivisie.nos.nl/nieuws/artikel/ID/tcm:45-614153 |archive-date=15 December 2009 |url-status=dead }} On 27 March 2010, Ruiz made one of the quickest hat-tricks everAccording to some sources this was Jan Seelen (Ajax) who made the hat-trick within 2 minutes against SHS (2–9) (1958/1959). against Sparta, with goals in the 46th, 49th and 50th minutes.{{cite web| url = http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report_bryan-ruiz-hat-trick-keeps-twente-on-course-for-title_1364327 | title = Bryan Ruiz hat-trick keeps Twente on course for title|date= 28 March 2010 |access-date= 28 August 2012}}

On 2 May 2010, FC Twente were crowned champions of Eredivisie for the first time in their history, with a 2–0 win at NAC Breda; Ruiz scored the first goal of the match during the 23rd minute of play. He finished the season as top scorer for Twente with 24 goals in Eredivisie play.

In August 2011, Ruiz was being watched by scouts from Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur; however, on 18 August 2011 Ruiz claimed that Fulham was in talks with him. He stated to a local source "Fulham is a serious option for me. "That is also a Premier League side and it is a fantastic league. "Fulham already contacted my agent. If Fulham does become serious, we will definitely talk."

File:Bryan Ruiz Fulham.jpg in 2012]]

On 31 August 2011, the last day of the Premier League summer transfer window, Fulham announced signing Ruiz for an undisclosed fee.{{cite web | url = http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2011/august/31/ruiz-joins-fulham|title=Ruiz Joins Fulham|publisher=Fulham FC|access-date=31 August 2011}} His début was on Sunday, 11 September 2011 at home to Blackburn Rovers{{cite news | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/14778563|title=Fulham 1–1 Blackburn|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=11 September 2011}} and he scored his first goal for Fulham in a 3–1 home defeat against Everton on 23 October 2011.{{cite news|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/15325501|title=Fulham 1–3 |publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=23 October 2011}}{{cite web |url=http://www.fulhamfc.com/player-profiles/bryan-ruiz |title=Bryan Ruiz profile |publisher=Fulham F.C. |access-date=31 January 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150109025511/http://www.fulhamfc.com/player-profiles/bryan-ruiz |archive-date=9 January 2015 }}

In the fixture against Bolton at the Reebok Stadium on 7 April 2012, Ruiz broke a bone in his foot, leading to a stretcher taking him off and him needing an operation, which sidelined him for 10 weeks.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17660917|title= Fulham striker Bryan Ruiz has surgery on broken foot|publisher=BBC Sport|date=10 April 2012}}

On 18 August 2012, Ruiz started Fulham's first Premier League game of the season, a 5–0 win against Norwich and assisted Mladen Petrić in scoring his second goal in his debut match.{{cite web| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19221586|title=Fulham 5–0 Norwich|publisher=BBC Sport|date=18 August 2012}} He finished the 2012–13 season making 31 first-team appearances and scoring five goals.{{cite web| url=http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=52549|title=Bryan Ruiz|publisher=Soccerbase|date=19 May 2013}}

Ruiz joined Eredivisie club PSV Eindhoven on 15 January 2014, on loan until the end of the season.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25679018|title=Bryan Ruiz: Fulham forward joins PSV Eindhoven on loan|publisher=BBC Sport|date=15 January 2014|access-date=15 January 2014}}

He made his debut on 19 January 2014 in a 1–0 loss to Ajax{{cite web |url=https://www.psv.nl/News/News-page/PSV-slip-to-a-10-defeat-in-Amsterdam.htm |title=PSV - PSV slip to a 1-0 defeat in Amsterdam |access-date=19 August 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222195036/https://www.psv.nl/News/News-page/PSV-slip-to-a-10-defeat-in-Amsterdam.htm |archive-date=22 February 2014 }} and scored his first goal for the club on 14 February with a 63rd-minute winner against Heracles Almelo.{{cite web|url=http://www1.skysports.com/football/live/match/291851/report|title=Eredivisie: PSV climb to fifth with victory over Heracles Almelo}}

On 7 July 2015, Ruiz joined Sporting CP on a three-year contract.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33438102|title=Bryan Ruiz: Sporting Lisbon sign Fulham forward on three-year deal|publisher=BBC Sport|date=7 July 2015|access-date=8 July 2015}} He made his debut for the club in the 2015 Supertaça match against Lisbon rivals S.L. Benfica, which Sporting won 1–0.{{cite news|url=https://desporto.sapo.pt/futebol/supertaca/artigo/2015/08/09/cronica-da-supertaca-2015|title=Sporting bate Benfica e entra a ganhar na nova época|language=pt|date=9 August 2015|work=SAPO Desporto}}

On 1 October 2015, Ruiz scored his first goal for Sporting against Beşiktaş in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League.{{cite news|url=http://www.crhoy.com/bryan-ruiz-anota-primer-gol-con-el-sporting-lisboa/|title=Bryan Ruiz anota primer gol con el Sporting Lisboa|language=es|date=1 October 2015|work=CR Hoy}} His first goal in the Primeira Liga came in a 3–0 Lisbon derby defeat of Benfica at the Estádio da Luz on 25 October.{{cite news|url=https://desporto.sapo.pt/futebol/primeira_liga/epoca-1516/jogos/191594|title=Benfica 0–3 Sporting|language=pt|date=25 October 2015|work=SAPO Desporto}} In another derby, on 5 March 2016, he missed an open goal, and Benfica won the match 1–0 at Estádio José Alvalade, knocking out Sporting to second place in the league.{{cite news|date=5 March 2016|title=Ruiz misses open goal as Benfica beat Sporting to go top|url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-portugal-idUKKCN0W70WZ|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322073810/http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-portugal-idUKKCN0W70WZ|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 March 2016|work=Reuters|access-date=24 June 2018}}

On 11 July 2018, free agent Ruiz signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Santos FC.{{cite news|url=https://thestar.com.my/sport/football/2018/07/12/costa-rica-captain-ruiz-leaves-troubled-sporting-for-santos/|title=Costa Rica captain Ruiz leaves troubled Sporting for Santos|work=The Star|date=12 July 2018|access-date=12 July 2018}} He made his debut for the club on 8 August, replacing Diego Pituca at half-time in a 1–1 away draw against Ceará.

After only 12 league matches during his first season, Ruiz failed to appear a single minute during his second, under Jorge Sampaoli. On 13 July 2020, after again failing to play under Jesualdo Ferreira, he terminated his contract with the club after alleging "wage breaches and moral damage".{{cite web|url=https://globoesporte.globo.com/sp/santos-e-regiao/futebol/times/santos/noticia/noticias-santos-bryan-ruiz-rescinde-contrato.ghtml|title=Bryan Ruiz rescinde contrato com o Santos após "descumprimento de salário e dano moral"|trans-title=Bryan Ruiz rescinds contract with Santos after "wage breaches and moral damage"|publisher=Globo Esporte|language=pt-BR|date=13 July 2020|access-date=16 July 2020}}

On 23 July 2020, Ruiz announced his return to Alajuelense.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/bryanruizcr/status/1286357048490426369|title=¡Vuelvo donde todo comenzó!|trans-title=I came back to where it all started!|publisher=Bryan Ruiz's official twitter account|language=es|date=23 July 2020|access-date=23 July 2020}} In December 2022, he officially retired from the professional game, and marked the occasion by participating in a friendly between Alajuelense and his former club Twente.{{cite web|url=https://www.tubantia.nl/fc-twente/in-beeld-bryan-ruiz-neemt-op-magische-avond-in-costa-rica-afscheid-van-het-voetbal~a21acd3e/ |date=December 19, 2022|title=In Beeld - Bryan Ruiz neemt op magische avond in Costa Rica afscheid van het voetbal}}{{cite web|url=https://www.londonworld.com/sport/football/fulham/former-fulham-man-announces-retirement-from-the-game-aged-37-3958174|first=Harry|last=Mall|title=Former Fulham man announces retirement from the game aged 37|date=December 19, 2022|work=London World}}

File:Bryan Ruiz González 2015.jpg]]Ruiz made his debut for Costa Rica against China on 19 June 2005.{{cite news|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/players/player=214876/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140616210838/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/players/player=214876/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 June 2014|title=Bryan RUIZ|access-date=21 June 2014|publisher=FIFA}}

He has represented the Ticos at the 2005, 2011 and 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cups, captaining the team at the latter tournament. His first international goal came against Honduras in the 2005 tournament.

Ruiz scored six times during the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign, as Costa Rica was knocked out by Uruguay in the intercontinental play-off. In the 2014 qualifiers, he scored three goals to lead the team to the tournament finals in Brazil.

In June 2014, Ruiz was named in Costa Rica's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/costa-rica/10810092/Costa-Rica-World-Cup-2014-squad.html|title=Costa Rica World Cup 2014 squad|date=2 June 2014|access-date=20 June 2014|work=The Telegraph}} In the team's opening match, he captained Los Ticos to a 3–1 defeat of Uruguay in Fortaleza.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/25285064|title=Uruguay 1–3 Costa Rica|date=14 June 2014|access-date=20 June 2014|publisher=BBC}} On 20 June, Ruiz scored the only goal as Costa Rica upset four-time champions Italy 1–0 to qualify for the round of 16, while also confirming England's elimination;{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/25285190|title=Italy 0–1 Costa Rica|date=20 June 2014|access-date=21 June 2014|publisher=BBC}} Ruiz played the entire match as Costa Rica went unbeaten in the group stage after a 0–0 draw with England in their final game.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/25285354|title=Costa Rica 0-0 England|date=24 June 2014|access-date=1 February 2025|publisher=BBC Sport}}

In the round of 16 match against Greece, Ruiz scored the opening goal in a 1–1 draw after extra time, before successfully converting his kick as Costa Rica prevailed 5–3 in the penalty shootout.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/27961189|title=Costa Rica 1–1 Greece|access-date=30 June 2014|date=29 June 2014|publisher=BBC}} At the quarter-final stage, Ruiz was one of two Costa Ricans to have their kicks saved by Tim Krul in a 4–3 penalty shootout loss to the Netherlands.{{cite news|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=255953/match=300186488/report.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140707105319/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=255953/match=300186488/report.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 July 2014|title=Netherlands 0–0 Costa Rica|access-date=22 March 2016|publisher=FIFA}}

In May 2018, he was named in Costa Rica's 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.{{cite web| url = https://www.goal.com/en/amp/news/costa-rica-names-23-man-world-cup-squad-featuring-keylor/1bw2iz8pkma5614bzushqyyo7g| title = Costa Rica national team World Cup squad: Oscar Ramirez names 23-man roster featuring Keylor Navas, six MLS players {{!}} Goal.com}} In the last group-stage match against Switzerland, he scored a last-minute equalizing goal from a penalty spot in 2–2 draw; however, the goal was credited as an own goal by Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer.{{Cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/swiss-keeper-nets-crazy-goal-defending-costa-rican-penalty-203952404.html|title = Swiss keeper nets crazy own goal defending Costa Rican penalty| date=27 June 2018 }}

In November 2022, Ruiz was named to the 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup,{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/articles/costa-rica-squad-list-fifa-world-cup-qatar-2022|title=Suarez names Costa Rica squad for Qatar 2022|publisher=FIFA}} his final tournament for Costa Rica as he retired after the tournament.{{Cite web |last=Fernandez |first=Ileana |date=2022-12-02 |title=Costa Rican soccer player Bryan Ruiz officially retires from National Team |url=https://ticotimes.net/2022/12/02/costa-rican-soccer-player-bryan-ruiz-officially-retires-from-national-team |access-date=2023-03-15 |website=The Tico Times {{!}} Costa Rica News {{!}} Travel {{!}} Real Estate |language=en-US}}

{{reflist|group="lower-alpha"}}

:Scores and results list Costa Rica's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ruiz goal.

Alajuelense

• CONCACAF Champions' Cup: 2004
• Copa Interclubes UNCAF: 2005
• Primera División: Apertura 2005, Clausura 2006, Apertura 2020{{cite news |last1=Araya |first1=José |title=Bryan Ruiz, el hijo prodigo que retornó para ser campeón {{!}} Teletica |url=https://www.teletica.com/liga-deportiva-alajuelense/bryan-ruiz-el-hijo-prodigo-que-retorno-para-ser-campeon_276154 |access-date=4 February 2021 |work=www.teletica.com |date=20 December 2020 |language=es}}
• CONCACAF League: 2020

Twente

• Eredivisie: 2009–10
• KNVB Cup: 2010–11
• Johan Cruyff Shield: 2010, 2011

Sporting CP

• Taça da Liga: 2017–18
• Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2015

Costa Rica

• Copa Centroamericana: 2014

Individual

• CONCACAF Men's Player of the Year: 2016{{cite web|title=Bryan Ruiz and Alex Morgan Named 2016 CONCACAF Players of the Year |url=http://www.concacaf.com/article/bryan-ruiz-and-alex-morgan-named-2016-concacaf-players-of-the-year |publisher=CONCACAF |access-date=18 January 2017}}
• CONCACAF Goal of the Year: 2014{{cite web|title=Navas, Wambach named 2014 CONCACAF Players of the Year|url=http://www.concacaf.com/article/navas-wambach-named-2014-concacaf-players-of-the-year-2|publisher=concacaf.com|access-date=23 December 2014|date=23 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160228035845/http://www.concacaf.com/article/navas-wambach-named-2014-concacaf-players-of-the-year-2|archive-date=28 February 2016|url-status=dead}}
• CONCACAF Best XI: 2015,{{cite web|url=http://www.concacaf.com/article/javier-hernandez-and-carli-lloyd-named-2015-concacaf-players-of-the-year|title=Javier Hernandez and Carli Lloyd Named 2015 CONCACAF Players of the Year|website=CONCACAF.com|date=22 January 2016|access-date=17 January 2019|archive-date=19 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819135212/http://www.concacaf.com/article/javier-hernandez-and-carli-lloyd-named-2015-concacaf-players-of-the-year|url-status=dead}} 2016, 2017{{cite web|title=2017 CONCACAF Award Winners Announced|url=https://awards.concacaf.com/en/article/2017-concacaf-award-winners-announced|website=CONCACAF|access-date=19 December 2017|date=19 December 2017|archive-date=22 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222051433/https://awards.concacaf.com/en/article/2017-concacaf-award-winners-announced|url-status=dead}}
• Jean-Claude Bouvy Trophy: 2008, 2009
• Player of the season at FC Twente: 2010
• BBC Goal of the Month: October 2011
• IFFHS CONCACAF team of the decade 2011–2020{{cite web |url=https://www.iffhs.com/index.php/posts/926 |title=IFFHS MAN TEAM - CAF - OF THE DECADE 2011-2020 |work=IFFHS |date=28 January 2021 }}
• IFFHS CONCACAF Men's Team of All Time: 2021{{cite web|url=https://iffhs.com/posts/1135|title=IFFHS }}

Ruiz has two brothers; one of them, Yendrick, is also a football player. Both Bryan and Yendrick were teammates in Alajuelense for a period of two weeks before Bryan signed for Gent. It was not until 14 August 2013, when both played together for the first time, in a friendly that Costa Rica played against Dominican Republic.{{cite news|last1=Goldberg|first1=David|title=Bryan Ruiz y Yendrick Ruiz al fin cumplen su sueño de niños: jugar juntos|url=http://www.nacion.com/deportes/futbol-internacional/fin-sueno-ninos-jugar-juntos_0_1359664081.html|access-date=27 June 2015|work=La Nación|date=13 August 2013}}{{cite web|title=Dominican Republic vs. Costa Rica 0–4|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2013/08/15/world/friendlies/dominican-republic/costa-rica/1557688/|website=Soccerway|access-date=27 June 2015}}

Ruiz worked as a columnist for Costa Rican sports newspaper Al Día from 2011 until the journal's ceasing in 2014.{{cite news|last1=Ruiz|first1=Bryan|title=Un libro de vivencias y puntos de vista|url=http://www.aldia.cr/columnistas-bryan_ruiz/libro-vivencias-puntos-vista_0_443955633.html|access-date=5 August 2016|work=Al Día|agency=Grupo Nación|date=11 October 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911045431/http://www.aldia.cr/columnistas-bryan_ruiz/libro-vivencias-puntos-vista_0_443955633.html|archive-date=11 September 2016}}

• List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• {{Soccerbase}}
• {{Soccerway|bryan-ruiz/10045}}
• [https://www.vi.nl/spelers/bryan-ruiz-gonzalez/profiel Bryan Ruiz] at Voetbal International {{in lang|nl}}
• {{Official website|url=http://www.bryanruizcr.com}}
• {{NFT player|11848}}

{{Navboxes

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{{Costa Rica squad 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}

{{Costa Rica squad 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}

{{Costa Rica squad 2014 FIFA World Cup}}

{{Costa Rica squad 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}

{{Costa Rica squad Copa América Centenario}}

{{Costa Rica squad 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}

{{Costa Rica squad 2018 FIFA World Cup}}

{{Costa Rica squad 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}

{{Costa Rica squad 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}

{{Costa Rica squad 2022 FIFA World Cup}}

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{{CONCACAF player awards}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ruiz, Bryan}}

Category:1985 births

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