Roberto Ríos
![]() Ríos training with Betis in 2010 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Roberto Ríos Patus | ||
Date of birth | 8 October 1971 | ||
Place of birth | Bilbao, Spain | ||
Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||
Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
Youth career | |||
Betis | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1990–1992 | Betis B | 24 | (3) |
1992–1997 | Betis | 114 | (11) |
1997–2002 | Athletic Bilbao | 78 | (4) |
Total | 216 | (18) | |
International career | |||
1991 | Spain U19 | 2 | (0) |
1993–1994 | Spain U21 | 2 | (0) |
1996–1998 | Spain | 11 | (0) |
1996–1997 | Basque Country | 4 | (0) |
Managerial career | |||
2010–2013 | Betis (assistant) | ||
2014 | West Bromwich Albion (assistant) | ||
2014–2016 | Betis (assistant) | ||
2017 | Deportivo La Coruña (assistant) | ||
2019– | Las Palmas (assistant) | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Roberto Ríos Patus (born 8 October 1971) is a Spanish retired professional footballer who played as a central defender.
Club career
Although Basque-born (in Bilbao), Ríos emerged through the youth system of Real Betis, making his professional debuts in the second division in the 1992–93 season.[1] He went on to contribute importantly in the Andalusians' promotion the following year – although appearing in only 19 matches he scored four times – and become a regular first-team member onwards.
In the 1997 summer, following rumours of a transfer to Manchester United earlier in February, Ríos was signed by Athletic Bilbao for 2 billion pesetas, a then-record for a national player.[2] In his first season, he netted twice in 32 contests (including once in a 5–1 home thrashing of CP Mérida, on 21 December 1997)[3] as the Basque side finished runners-up in La Liga.
After spending the first months of the 2002–03 campaign without a club and having played only played 27 games in his last three years at Athletic combined, Ríos trained with West Bromwich Albion. However, in January 2003 he rejected a contract offer from the Gary Megson-led team, stating "I don't want to fool anyone" about his chances of regaining full fitness.[4]
Ríos retired aged 30, due to persistent injury problems. He returned to Betis in 2010, as part of newly appointed manager Pepe Mel's coaching staff.[5][6]
International career
Ríos was capped 11 times by Spain, with his debut coming on 9 October 1996 in a 0–0 away draw to the Czech Republic for the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.[7] In spite of having appeared significantly during the campaign and coming from a solid club season with Athletic, he was overlooked for the final stages in France.
Personal life
Ríos' father, Eusebio, was also a footballer (and a defender). He too played most of his career at Betis, and later became a coach, also managing the team.[8]
Honours
Spain U21
- UEFA European Championship: Third-place 1994
References
- ^ El Betis supo marcar las diferencias en Sestao (Betis knew how to make a difference in Sestao); ABC, 14 September 1992 (in Spanish)
- ^ Ríos y el Athletic pasan a la historia (Ríos and Athletic make history); El Mundo, 20 July 1997 (in Spanish)
- ^ Fin de año con goleada (Routing to end the year); El Mundo, 22 December 1997 (in Spanish)
- ^ Rios snubs Baggies; BBC Sport, 21 January 2003
- ^ Pepe Mel negocia con Chivas (Pepe Mel negotiates with Chivas); Diario AS, 27 September 2014 (in Spanish)
- ^ Ríos: “No me veo como primer entrenador; mi intención es estar muchos años con Mel” (Ríos: “I do not see myself as head coach; I intend to spend many years with Mel”); ABC, 7 October 2015 (in Spanish)
- ^ La nueva España aguó la fiesta checa (New Spain crashed Czech party); La Vanguardia, 10 October 1996 (in Spanish)
- ^ Fallece a los 73 años Eusebio Ríos (Eusebio Ríos dies at the age of 73); Diario de Sevilla, 12 May 2008 (in Spanish)
External links
- Roberto Ríos at BDFutbol
- Betisweb stats and bio (in Spanish)
- Roberto Ríos at Athletic Bilbao
- Roberto Ríos at National-Football-Teams.com
- Roberto Ríos – FIFA competition record (archived)
- Spain stats at Eu-Football
- 1971 births
- Living people
- Sportspeople from Bilbao
- Spanish footballers
- Basque footballers
- Association football defenders
- La Liga players
- Segunda División players
- Segunda División B players
- Betis Deportivo Balompié footballers
- Real Betis players
- Athletic Bilbao footballers
- Spain youth international footballers
- Spain under-21 international footballers
- Spain international footballers
- Basque Country international footballers