Rubén Rayos Serna (born 21 June 1986), commonly known as Rayo, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder.
 Rayo as a Maccabi Haifa player (2013) | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rubén Rayos Serna[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 21 June 1986[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Elche, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Elche | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2005–2006 | Elche B | ||
| 2006–2008 | Elche | 0 | (0) |
| 2006–2008 | → Villajoyosa (loan) | 62 | (20) |
| 2008–2009 | Barcelona B | 23 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | Orihuela | 35 | (11) |
| 2010–2011 | Lleida | 33 | (19) |
| 2011–2013 | Asteras Tripolis | 62 | (12) |
| 2013–2015 | Maccabi Haifa | 54 | (17) |
| 2015–2016 | Sochaux | 12 | (0) |
| 2016–2020 | Anorthosis | 111 | (30) |
| 2020–2021 | Bandırmaspor | 23 | (5) |
| 2022 | Ejea | 12 | (2) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:00, 16 December 2023 (UTC) | |||
Club career edit
Rayo was born in Elche, Valencian Community. He finished his youth career with Elche CF, and played only Segunda División B football until the age of 25, representing Villajoyosa CF, FC Barcelona Atlètic,[2] Orihuela CF[3] and UE Lleida.[4]
In the summer of 2011, Rayo moved straight into the Super League Greece, joining a host of compatriots at Asteras Tripolis FC.[5] He scored five league goals in his first season, adding three in the campaign's domestic cup.
Rayo improved his overall totals to nine goals and 12 assists in 2012–13. In the final of the Greek Cup, against Olympiacos FC, he put his team ahead 1–0 in an eventual 3–1 extra time loss.[6] He was eventually chosen Best Foreign Player for his exploits[7] and, during most of his spell, was also captain.
On 6 June 2013, Rayo signed a three-year contract with Maccabi Haifa FC, netting 11 goals from 27 appearances in his first year to help his new club to fourth position in the regular season of the Israeli Premier League.[8] In March 2014, he was involved in an incident with Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv FC's Rafi Dahan, his harsh tackle producing an anterior cruciate ligament injury to his opponent which sidelined him for almost one year – he received a straight red card,[9][10] and Dahan was eventually forced to retire;[11] subsequently, Dahan filed a lawsuit against Rayo and Maccabi Haifa in an Israeli court,[12] winning the legal action after the judge ruled that the other player's actions were deliberate.[13]
On 8 July 2015, Rayo joined French side FC Sochaux-Montbéliard, agreeing to a two-year deal for an undisclosed fee.[14] Roughly one year later, he moved to Anorthosis Famagusta FC in the Cypriot First Division.[15]
Career statistics edit
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Asteras Tripolis | 2011–12 | Super League Greece | 27 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | 31 | 8 | ||
| 2012–13 | 35 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 1 | — | 48 | 10 | |||
| Total | 62 | 12 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 79 | 18 | ||
| Maccabi Haifa | 2013–14 | Israeli Premier League | 27 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 6 | — | 40 | 17 | |
| 2014–15 | 27 | 6 | 2 | 2 | — | 6 | 4 | 35 | 12 | |||
| Total | 54 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 75 | 29 | ||
| Sochaux | 2015–16 | Ligue 2 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 16 | 0 | |
| Anorthosis | 2016–17 | Cypriot First Division | 30 | 8 | 4 | 2 | — | — | 34 | 10 | ||
| 2017–18 | 34 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 36 | 5 | ||||
| 2018–19 | 24 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 28 | 3 | |||
| 2019–20 | 23 | 14 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 25 | 15 | ||||
| Total | 111 | 30 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 123 | 33 | ||
| Career total | 239 | 59 | 28 | 10 | 18 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 293 | 80 | ||
Honours edit
Asteras Tripolis
- Greek Football Cup runner-up: 2012–13[6]
Individual
- Super League Greece Player of the Year: 2012–13
- Super League Greece Foreign Player of the Year: 2012–13[7]
References edit
- ^ a b c Rubén Rayos at AS.com (in Spanish)
- ^ "Rubén Rayos, primer fichaje del Barcelona Atletic" [Rubén Rayos, first Barcelona Atletic signing] (in Spanish). Mundo Blaugrana. 11 July 2008. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
- ^ Amat, F. (26 August 2009). "El Orihuela refuerza la plantilla con jugadores de las canteras del Barcelona, Español y Hércules" [Orihuela strengthen squad with players from Barcelona, Español and Hércules youth systems]. La Verdad (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 July 2013.
- ^ García, S. (20 May 2011). "Máyor avala al goleador Rayos" [Máyor gives thumbs up to scorer Rayos]. La Crónica de León (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 22 December 2011. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
- ^ "El 'español' Asteras liquida al Olympiacos de Valverde" [Asteras from 'Spain' finish Valverde's Olympiacos]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 27 November 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ a b Rubio, Quique (11 May 2013). "El Olympiacos de Míchel logra el doblete tras ganar la Copa" [Míchel's Olympiacos get double after Cup win]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 July 2013.
- ^ a b "Rubén Rayos, mejor extranjero de la pasada liga griega" [Rubén Rayos, best foreign in last Greek league]. Marca (in Spanish). 5 February 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
- ^ "Leading goalscorer". Israel Football Association. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
- ^ "La brutal entrada de Rubén Rayos" [Rubén Rayos' brutal tackle]. Marca (in Spanish). 11 March 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
- ^ Emergui, Sal (11 March 2014). "Piden sanción ejemplar para la brutal entrada de Rayos" [Exemplary sanction wanted for Rayos' brutal tackle]. El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 October 2014.
- ^ "Rafi Dahan forced to retire aged just 25 as a result of THAT Rubén Rayos tackle". 101 Great Goals. 6 March 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
- ^ "מיליון שקלים: תביעת הענק בתיק רפי דהן – ראיוס 21" [Twenty-one million NIS: The big lawsuit in the Dahan – Rayos case] (in Hebrew). Sports Channel. 7 November 2019. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
- ^ "חריג ונעשה במכוון : בית המשפט הורה לראיוס ומכבי חיפה לשלם מילונים לשחקן שפצע במשחק" [Exceptional and deliberate: The court orders Rayos and Maccabi Haifa to pay millions to an injured player]. Haaretz (in Hebrew). 30 December 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
- ^ "Ruben Rayos à Sochaux (off.)" [Ruben Rayos to Sochaux (off.)]. L'Équipe (in French). 8 July 2015. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
- ^ "Απόκτηση Ruben Rayos Serna" [Acquisition of Ruben Rayos Serna] (in Greek). Anorthosis Famagusta. 14 July 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
- ^ Rubén Rayos at Soccerway
- ^ Rubén Rayos at FBref.com
External links edit
- Rubén Rayos at BDFutbol