Luis Rubiales

Luis Manuel Rubiales Béjar (born 23 August 1977) is a Spanish retired professional footballer who played as a defender, and the current president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation.

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Rubiales and the second or maternal family name is Béjar.
Luis Rubiales
Personal information
Full name Luis Manuel Rubiales Béjar
Date of birth (1977-08-23) 23 August 1977
Place of birth Las Palmas, Spain
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position(s) Defender
Youth career
1991–1993 Motril
1993–1995 Valencia
1995–1997 Atlético Madrid
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–1999 Guadix 46 (10)
1999–2000 Mallorca B 30 (1)
2000–2001 Lleida 35 (0)
2001–2003 Xerez 55 (0)
2003–2008 Levante 85 (0)
2008–2009 Alicante 15 (0)
2009 Hamilton Academical 3 (0)
Total 269 (11)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Known for not being a very skilled player but a tenacious one – he only appeared in 53 La Liga matches over three seasons – he received the nickname Pundonor (Courage).[1]

Playing career

Rubiales was born in Las Palmas, Canary Islands.[2] During his Spanish career, spent mainly in Segunda División, he represented Guadix CF, RCD Mallorca B, UE Lleida, Xerez CD, Levante UD (gaining promotion to La Liga in 2004 and 2006) and Alicante CF.[3] He made his debut in the Spanish top flight on 29 August 2004, coming on as a late substitute in a 1–1 away draw against Real Sociedad.[4]

On 4 August 2009, it was announced he had agreed a one-year deal at Scottish Premier League side Hamilton Academical.[5] However, after only three league appearances – four official – he left the club and returned to his country.

Post-retirement

In March 2010, already retired, Rubiales was elected president of the Association of Spanish Footballers (AFE).[6][7][8] He quit his post in November 2017 with the intention of running for office at the Royal Spanish Football Federation,[9] being elected its president in May 2018;[10] in one of his first actions, he sacked Spain head coach Julen Lopetegui immediately before the 2018 FIFA World Cup, having not been informed by the latter that he was negotiating to become the new manager of Real Madrid.[11]

On 8 September 2018, Rubiales gave an interview in which he criticised the Spanish League president Javier Tebas for signing a contract that would see matches being played in the United States. The former explained that the deal was "worthless" without the Spanish Federation's approval.[12]

Honours

Levante

References
  1. García, Pio (25 August 2011). "El obrero del fútbol" [The worker of football]. El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  2. "BIOGRAPHY | Luis Manuel Rubiales, the complete football experience". Royal Spanish Football Federation. 17 May 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  3. "El Alicante ficha a Rubiales" [Alicante sign Rubiales] (in Spanish). Fichajes. 6 August 2008. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
  4. Isasa, Xabier (30 August 2004). "Una Real incompleta" [Incomplete Real]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 March 2014.
  5. Wright, Angus (4 August 2009). "Accies recruit Wesolowski and Rubiales". The Scotsman. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  6. "Luis Rubiales: "Hay que luchar por todos los jugadores, por humildes que sean"" [Luis Rubiales: "We must fight for every player, no matter how humble he is"]. Marca (in Spanish). 9 March 2010. Retrieved 14 April 2010.
  7. Riaño, Alicia (20 August 2011). "Rubiales: "Hasta que no se solventen las diferencias no hay Liga"" [Rubiales: "No League until differences are worked out"]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  8. G. Matallanas, Javier (23 February 2012). "Rubiales y sus directivos ganan al año 571.648 euros" [Rubiales and his staff make 571.648 euros per year]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  9. J. Moñino, Ladislao (20 November 2017). "Luis Rubiales deja la AFE para intentar presidir la Federación" [Luis Rubiales leaves the ASF to try to run the Federation]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  10. "El nuevo presidente de la RFEF, Luis Rubiales, visitará Ceuta este miércoles" [The new RSFF president, Luis Rubiales, will visit Ceuta this Wednesday] (in Spanish). Ceuta al Día. 27 May 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  11. "World Cup 2018: Spain sack manager Julen Lopetegui two days before first match". BBC Sport. 13 June 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  12. "Rubiales puts doubt in USA based La Liga matches!". Witty Futty. 8 September 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  13. "El Levante festejó el título con un homenaje al equipo que subió en 2004" [Levante celebrated title by honouring team that promoted in 2004] (in Spanish). EFE. 11 June 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Ángel María Villar		 President of the
Royal Spanish Football Federation
2017–		 Succeeded by
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