Another name being linked with Liverpool in recent days is FC Twente striker Bryan Ruiz. Roy Hodgson was apparently tracking his progress whilst at Fulham earlier this season but was put off by the Dutch club’s valuation. Rumoured to be a target of the Liverpool manager, regardless of Fernando Torres’s future, who is this Costa Rican player?
Starting out life at Costa Rican top division side Alajuelense, he made his debut for the first team in 2003 aged 18 and quickly developed a great partnership up front with two of the team’s best players, Rolando Fonseca and Froylan Ledezma. Playing in a front three, Ruiz played a deep lying role behind the strikers and was the playmaker of the team. Yet, he also had a good goalscoring record for the team scoring on average once in every three games with 24 league goals during his three seasons at the club. During his spell at the club, he also won some winner’s medals, winning the 2004 CONCACAF Champions Cup and the 2004/05 league championship with Alajuelense. His ability to run quickly with the ball and his dribbling prowess got him his initial nickname “la comadreja” or “the weasel.”
His success with Alajuelense also attracted the notice of the national team and he was called up to play in the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup. He scored against Honduras in a 3-2 defeat during the tournament, and began to play a larger part in the qualifiers for the 2006 World Cup. He only really became a regular for the national team during the 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign and he scored six goals in their failed attempt to qualify.
His impressive performances for his club and his initial foray into international football, attracted the attention of some European clubs, and he joined Belgian side Gent in the summer of 2006. He had a successful three year spell at the club, playing as either a winger or a striker and scored 26 league goals for the club, topping the club’s goal scoring charts. Ruiz’s talents had not gone unnoticed and Steve McClaren decided to purchase Ruiz for his Dutch side FC Twente last summer for €5million. It was to prove to be an extremely shrewd purchase.
Now nicknamed “the elf” by Costa Rican fans, Ruiz got his Eredivisie career off to a great start, scoring the second goal in a 2-0 win over Sparta Rotterdam on his debut. The goals were to keep on coming through the season and at one point, he scored in 10 consecutive matches while also scoring a 4 minute hat-trick against Sparta in March. All in all he scored 24 league goals in 34 appearances for FC Twente, helping the Dutch club to their first league championship in their history by scoring the first goal in a 2-0 win over NAC Breda which sealed the title on the last day of the season. He is valued at £12million by his club, but is it worth the risk for a player who has only had one prolific season in Holland? Below is a compilation of Ruiz’s goals from last season:
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Seems quite good, I like the fact that he seems to have a cool head and goes for placement rather than power. Anyone who has the balls to go for a Panenka and the skill to make it look effortless has my respect.
12 m for a player who scores loads in Holland. Reminds me of Dirk Kuyt. Or Ryan Babel if you take away the goals.
Looks great, but you don’t get those chances against the top half of the Prem. He may score for fun in Holland, but they don’t look like Prem goals at all…
Nice use of wikipedia there. Can I do your job, it seems easy?
he does seem to have good composure and is a decent finisher. i’m not sure if he has much of the pace and strength required to be a top prem striker. i agree with griffin to a certain extent alot of the goals scored don’t look like the chances he would get in england, he would have much less time on the ball. however i beleive he is already a more developed footballer than babel who was never a great goal scorer in holland. Babel was signed on potential really. PLUS don’t slag off kuyt the guy is a great football (i think you have been reading the sun too much anteater!)
Looks a very good player, reminds a little of Berger
If he is use to playing deep, why is it that his arrival is dependant on Torres, surely he fits in Gerrards role?
I dont wish to burst everyones transfer dreams but the money they are supposed to be getting 15 mill is about the amount they have received, for San Jose Voronin Dossena and Benayoun minus Hodgsons buyout clause equates to no extra money being available, only money from previous sales.
He hasn’t been playing as a striker and yet scored good amount of goals.
Could be good, just dont spend too much on him.