Marco Ruben

Marco Ruben

Personal information
Full name	Marco Gastón Ruben Rodríguez
Date of birth	26 October 1986 (1986-10-26)
Place of birth	Capitán Bermúdez, Argentina
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position	Striker
Club information
Current club	Villarreal
Number	9
Youth career
	Rosario Central
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2004–2006	Rosario Central	77	(20)
2007	River Plate	28	(7)
2008–	Villarreal	52	(12)
2008–2009	→ Recreativo (loan)	43	(7)
2009–2010	Villarreal B	31	(17)
National team‡
2011–	Argentina	1	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19 February 2012. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 1 September 2011

This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Ruben and the second or maternal family name is Rodríguez.

Marco Gastón Ruben Rodríguez (born 26 October 1986 in Capitán Bermúdez, Santa Fe) is an Argentine footballer who plays for Villarreal CF in Spain, as a striker.

Club career

Ruben started his career with Rosario Central in 2004. In the Apertura 2006 tournament, he scored seven goals in 17 games, making him the club's top scorer. This brought him to the attention of several major clubs in Argentina and Europe, with Club Atlético River Plate eventually winning the battle, paying $7.5 million for his signature, alongside teammates Cristian Villagra and Juan Ojeda.

After a short spell, Manuel Pellegrini's Villarreal CF purchased him for $7 million in January 2008, immediately loaning him to fellow La Liga outfit Recreativo de Huelva, until June 30. On the 27th, he made his league debut in Spain, appearing as a substitute and being booked in the 1–3 home loss against Getafe CF.

For 2008–09, Ruben continued in Huelva, in the same predicament, scoring three times in a full season as the Andalusians were relegated. The following season, he returned to Villarreal, but spent the vast majority of the year with the reserves, which were having their first Segunda División experience.

In mid-January 2010, Villarreal agreed to sell Ruben to Wigan Athletic in the Premier League, after the player had helped the reserves to the fourth place, with nine league goals, good enough for joint-third. Although agreement between the English club and the player had been initially reached, on the 30th, both teams were unable to agree terms and the deal fell through.

On 7 February 2010, more than two years after his purchase, Ruben played his first league game with Villarreal's main squad, appearing six minutes at RCD Mallorca (0–1 loss); on 9 January of the following year, while starting in the place of injured Brazilian Nilmar, he scored against Real Madrid to make it 2–1 for the Valencian (his first goal for Villarreal's first team), who were eventually defeated at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium (2–4).

International career

Ruben made his debut for Argentina in an unofficial pre-Olympic preparation match against Guatemala in 2008, scoring once in a 5–0 victory. His first official appearance took place on 5 June 2011, in a friendly with Poland, and he netted the 1–1 equalizer in an eventual 1–2 loss.

International goals

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Final Score	Goal	Result	Competition
1.	5 June 2011	Warsaw, Poland	Poland	2–1	1	Loss	Friendly

External links

• Villarreal official profile
• Argentine League statistics (Spanish)
• BDFutbol profile
• Futbolme profile (Spanish)
• Guardian Stats Centre
• Transfermarkt profile