# Stheven Robles

Stheven Adán Robles Ruiz (born 12 November 1995), nicknamed El Pelón ("The Hairless Man"), is a Guatemalan professional footballer who plays as a midfielder or right-back for Liga Nacional club Comunicaciones and the Guatemala national team.

## Early life

The place where you grow up can define what your future will be like, but that was not the case for Stheven Robles, the Comunicaciones and Guatemala national team full-back, who had to face many obstacles to get ahead.
Robles was born in Zone 18 in Guatemala City, in the Villas neighborhood, a place controlled by gangs where children run and enjoy the alleys. They all know each other, they know the movements of the neighbors and they know who is in the organized groups.
Robles, the youngest of three siblings, was looked after by his mother, Sandra, who was afraid that he would be called into the gang, so everytime he went to the dirt courts, she was with him and they returned home together.
His first team was Galácticos, which played in the league of Zone 18. His friend Walfredo Cruz always told him: "I'm sure you'll play in one of the best teams," so he never stopped insisting that he go to tryouts with the clubs because he knew the time would come.
By the time he was 12, no one could stop him. "I would run away from home to play," says Robles, who started out as a striker, but later moved to a right wing-back or full-back.
Walfredo always accompanied him, paid for his public transportation and food, because the Robles family had no means of traveling to distant places.
At the age of 15, Robles went to a tryout for Comunicaciones where the Argentine coach Jorge Miguel Sumich chose him to stay in the under-17 category, which at that time was managed by Mario Acevedo, but he only stayed for two days, as he was promoted to train with the senior team.
At that time, Robles was in his fourth year of high school, but he decided to drop out.
"I would get up early to go to school and then go to training. I didn't come back until 8pm and there were many times when I went the whole day without eating," Robles recalls.
Although Robles trained with the senior team, he began playing with Cremas B where he earned 400 quetzales ($50) a month and already been called up to the Guatemala U20 team with which Robles played in the 2015 CONCACAF U20 Championship in Jamaica.

## Club career
### Comunicaciones
#### 2014–15 season

Prior to making his debut, Robles traveled to Argentina for a trial with Unión de Santa Fe. However, Robles returned to Guatemala shortly after. Robles made his debut for the first team under coach Willy Coito Olivera on 8 February 2015 in a 1–0 win over Halcones. A month later, on 7 March, Robles was featured in the starting line-up in the 5–0 win against Universidad SC. Then, on 12 March, Robles was subbed on at the 70th minute for Enrique Miranda in a 7–1 win over Suchitepéquez. He would go on to win the 2015 Clausura with Comunicaciones, Robles' first major title with the club.

#### 2015–16 season

Robles began his season against Marquense on 13 September 2015, where he played the full 90 minutes and provided an assist in a 3–0 away win. Robles also played in his first Clásico Chapin against Municipal in that season, before being subbed off at the 78th minute for Brandon de León. On 26 September, Robles received a yellow card at the 80th minute in a 1–1 draw against Universidad SC. Months later, on 17 January 2016, Robles was subbed off at the 56th minute for Carlos Mejía in a 1–1 draw against Petapa.

#### Carchá (loan)

On 1 July 2016, Robles joined newly promoted club Carchá on loan. He made his debut against Mictlán on 17 July, before being subbed off at the 68th minute for Cristian Albizures. However, after only 9 appearances with the club, Robles returned to Comunicaciones on 31 December.

#### Return to Comunicaciones

On 4 November 2017, during a match against Xelajú, Robles was kicked hard in the stomach by Wilson Godoy, which caused intense abdominal pain. He had to go under immediate surgery and was out for 2 months, missing the rest of the 2017 Apertura. In solidarity with Robles, several of his teammates cut their hair to show their support for him. Robles made his return for the 301st edition of the Clásico Chapín on 20 January 2018, where he was subbed on at the 78th minute for Marvin Ceballos. A week later, on 3 February, Robles was sent off at the 36th minute in a match against Sanarate.

#### 2018–19 season

Due to several Comunicaciones players being injured, Robles became the top choice for Willy Coito Olivera for the 2019 Clausura. He started in matches against Xelajú and Chiantla, where he received a yellow card in both matches. On 1 May 2019, Robles started in the 5–0 victory over Petapa.

#### 2019–20 season

On 27 July, Robles started in the match against Cobán Imperial, where he was subbed off at the 76th minute for Lynner García. Robles made his CONCACAF League debut in the preliminary round against Marathón on 1 August, which ended in a 2–1 victory. Days later, on 4 August, prior to the 307th edition of the Clásico Chapín, Robles was met with harsh words and insults from Municipal fans. He responded by showing six fingers to represent Comunicaciones' six titles. Robles was subbed on at halftime for Stefano Cincotta, as the Cremas lost 1–0. Two weeks later, on 18 August, Robles scored his first goal for Comunicaciones at the 49th minute against Malacateco, resulting in a 3–0 win. A week later, on 24 August, Robles was subbed on for Jorge Vargas at the 65h minute against Siquinalá. Four days later, Robles started in the round of 16 match of the CONCACAF League against Guastatoya on 28 August, winning 2–1 on aggregate. Later, on 18 September, Robles received a yellow card in a 4–2 win over Mixco. 28 September, Robles started in the match against Olimpia in the quarter-finals, as Comunicaciones were eliminated from the CONCACAF League following a 2–0 defeat. On 31 October, Robles scored his second goal for the club at the 37th minute against Xelajú, which ended in a 3–0 win. On 14 December, in the quarter-finals of the 2019 Apertura against Guastatoya, Robles scored his third goal for Comunicaciones at the 66th minute, which resulted in a 3–1 win. After scoring, he and Robin Betancourth celebrated the goal similar in style to Cristiano Ronaldo. Robles played the full 90 minutes in the semi-finals against Municipal on 22 December, as Comunicaciones were eliminated from the 2019 Apertura. On 30 December, it was announced that Robles renewed his contract with the club until 2022. He also sent a strong message to Municipal on social media after they had won the 2019 Apertura saying, "Enjoy it, you're only missing 5."
On 25 January 2020, Robles scored his fourth goal for the club in the 311th edition of the Clásico Chapín at the 75th minute, ending in a 4–2 win for Los Albos. While celebrating the goal, Robles showed six fingers to send a message to Municipal fans. Two days later, Robles said, "We are for big things." Then, on 12 February, at the 20th minute during a match against Antigua, Robles controlled the ball and faced three players, but in a cut he stood on the ball with his left leg, which caused him to lose balance and his right leg served as support. A double-header caused the midfielder to fall on the pitch and abandon the match. It was later confirmed that Robles had suffered an ACL injury and was out for 6 to 8 months, missing the rest of the 2020 Clausura. On 24 February, it was also confirmed Robles would have to receive surgery. On 6 April, Robles talked about his injury, stating, "There are moments where one gets desperate."

#### 2020–21 season

On 30 July, Robles confirmed on social media that he had fully recovered from the injury and thanked his physiotherapist Javier Salazar for helping him maintain his form. A month later, on 29 August, Robles returned in a match against Xelajú, where he was subbed on at the 68th minute for Jorge Aparicio. On 17 October, Robles provided an assist for Rodrigo Saravia in a 3–0 win over Iztapa. A week later, on 23 October, Robles started in preliminary round of the 2020 CONCACAF League against Motagua, where he was subbed off at the 66th minute for Carlos Castrillo, as Comunicaciones lost 15–14 on penalties. Two weeks later, on 9 November, Robles started and was subbed off at the 78th minute in a 4–0 win over Sacachispas, which was also his 100th league match for the club. On 28 December, Robles provided an assist for Andrés Lezcano in a 1–0 win against Cobán Imperial. That same day, Robles became heavily linked to a transfer to Alianza Petrolera, where he would join his national teammate Ricardo Jérez. Robles was close to joining the club, however, a deal was never finalized and Robles would stay. On 17 January 2021, Robles started in the quarter-finals of the 2020 Apertura against Antigua, before being subbed off at the 78th minute for Dewinder Bradley, as Comunicaciones lost 3–0 and were eliminated.
On 21 February, Robles started and received a yellow card in the 3–2 win over Xelajú. Two weeks later, on 6 March, Robles provided an assist for José Corena in a 3–1 victory against Santa Lucía. Four days later, Robles scored his fifth goal for the club at the 88th minute, ending in a 3–0 triumph against Malacateco. Three weeks later, on 4 April, Robles provided an assist for Rafael Morales in a 5–0 win over Iztapa. On 26 April, in a match against Achuapa, Robles suffered a sprained ankle and was confirmed to be out for 2 to 3 weeks. Robles returned for the quarter-finals of the 2021 Clausura on 8 May against Sacachispas, where he provided an assist in a 1–1 draw. Two weeks later, on 21 May, in the first leg of the final against Santa Lucía, Robles was subbed off at the 88th minute, as the Hexacampeón lost 4–0. In the second leg, Robles scored his sixth goal for the club at the 45th minute, but it was not enough, as Comunicaciones lost 6–5 on aggregate. On 31 May, Robles shared a post on social media, which many fans took as a farewell to the club. It caused panic to many Comunicaciones fans.

#### 2021–22 season

Robles started in a 4–0 win over Sololá on 1 August, where he was subbed off at the 65th minute for Nelson García. Four days later, Robles started in the preliminary round of the 2021 CONCACAF League against Once Deportivo, where he was subbed off at the 73rd minute for Allen Yanes in a 1–1 draw. Then, on 11 August, Robles started in a 3–1 win against Achuapa. Eight days later, on 19 August, Robles started in the second leg of the preliminary round of the CONCACAF League, defeating Once Deportivo 3–0. A few weeks later, on 11 September, Robles started in the 315th edition of the Clásico Chapín, before being subbed off at the 83rd minute for Carlos Castrillo in a 2–1 win. On 29 September, in the round of 16 stage of the 2021 CONCACAF League, Robles played throughout the full 90 minutes against Alianza, winning 1–0. Two weeks later, on 10 October, Robles was subbed on at the 46th minute for William Fajardo in a 2–1 over Nueva Concepción. On 21 October, Robles was subbed off at the 87th minute for Lynner García in the 1st leg of the quarter-finals of the 2021 CONCACAF League against Saprissa in a 4–3 defeat. In the second leg, on 3 November, Robles provided an assist for Juan Luis Anangonó, as Comunicaciones won 2–1. On 14 November, Robles started in the 6–1 win over Santa Lucía. Two weeks later, on 23 November, Robles provided an assist for Andrés Lezcano in the 1st leg semifinals in a 1–0 win against Guastatoya. Later, on 30 November, Robles started in the second leg of the semi-finals, winning 3–1 on aggregate, as Comunicaciones advanced to the final. In the 1st leg of the final on 8 December against Motagua, Robles provided an assist for Juan Luis Anangonó in a 2–1 win in Tegucigalpa. While celebrating the second goal for the club, a flare was thrown from the crowd and hit Robles in the head. In the second leg on 14 December, Robles was subbed off at the 80th minute for Alexander Larín in a 4–2 win on aggregate in Guatemala City, as Robles would win his second major title with Comunicaciones. Four days later, in the quarter-finals of the 2021 Apertura, Robles started in a 1–0 win against Iztapa. Robles would start in the semi-finals against Municipal, where Comunicaciones advanced after a goaless draw. On 30 December, Robles started in the first leg of the Apertura final against Malacateco, losing 2–0. Then, on 1 January 2022, in the second leg of the final, Robles was subbed off at the 45th minute for Lynner García, as Comunicaciones failed to win the title.
On 15 January, Robles provided an assist for Andrés Lezcano in the 7–0 win over Nueva Concepción. Days later, on 20 January, Robles became one of the most valuable Guatemalan players, worth at about €325 thousand (Q2,591,433). A week later, on 29 January, Robles provided another assist for Lezcano in a 3–3 draw against Iztapa. In the 1st leg of the round of 16 stage in the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League on 17 February, Robles received a yellow card in a 1–0 win over Colorado Rapids at home. In the second leg on 23 February, Robles was sent off at the 16th minute. Almost a month later, on 20 March, Robles started against Cobán Imperial, ending in a 4–1 defeat. On 30 April, Robles played throughout the full match in a 3–1 win over Antigua. In the first leg of the quarter-finals of the 2022 Clausura on 11 May, Robles was subbed off at the 77th minute for Carlos Castrillo in a 3–0 victory against Santa Lucía. Three days later, Robles started in the second leg in a goaless draw, as Comunicaciones advanced to the semi-finals. Four days later, in the first leg of the semi-finals against Malacateco, Robles played throughout the full match in a 1–1 draw. Robles would also play in the second leg of the semi-finals, ending in a goaless draw, as Comunicaciones advanced to the final. In the first leg of the final on 26 May, Robles was subbed off at the 68th minute for Lynner García in a 1–0 win against Municipal. The next day, it was announced that Robles and Matías Rotondi would not play in the second leg due to making obscene gestures, and would have to pay a fine of 500 quetzales. Despite this, Comunicaciones still managed to win the 2022 Clausura title, Robles' third major title with the club.

#### 2022–23 season

On 24 July, Robles started in a 1–0 loss against newly promoted Xinabajul. Weeks later, in the first leg of the round of 16 of the 2022 CONCACAF League on 16 August, Robles started in a 1–0 loss against Diriangén. In the second leg on 23 August, Robles provided an assist for Oscar Santis, as Comunicaciones were eliminated after a 2–1 loss on aggregate. On 4 September, Robles scored his seventh goal for the club in a 2–0 win over Iztapa. Robles was close to scoring twice, however, the goalkeeper was able to keep it out of the line. Later, on 18 September, Robles provided an assist for Lynner García in a 4–2 loss against Malacateco. On 8 October, Robles provided an assist for Andrés Lezcano in a 3–1 victory over Mixco. On 29 October, in the 323rd edition of the Clásico Chapín, Robles received a yellow card at the 45th minute in a 3–2 win. A month later, on 30 November, in the first leg of the quarter-finals of the 2022 Apertura, Robles received a yellow card at the 65th minute in a goaless draw against Guastatoya. Days later, Robles started in the second leg, as Comunicaciones won by a score of 2–0. On 6 December, in the first leg of the semi-finals against Cobán Imperial, Robles received a yellow card at the 4th minute in a 1–0 loss. In the second leg on 10 December, Robles received another yellow card at the 73rd minute, as Comunicaciones lost 3–0 on aggregate.
On 22 January 2023, Robles ruptured his muscle fibers in a match against Xinabajul, and had to be taken off at the 19th minute. It was later confirmed that Robles would be out for 6 to 8 weeks due to the injury. Weeks later, on 18 February, Robles returned for a goaless draw against Santa Lucía, where he was subbed off at the 65th minute for Diego Santis. Four days later, Robles was subbed off at the 79th minute for Erick González in a 4–2 win over Iztapa. However, Robles would suffer from athletic pubalgia and had to rest for a few days. It was also confirmed that Robles would not be available for the next few matches. On 5 April, Robles returned once again against Achuapa, where he was subbed on at the 78th minute for Diego Santis in a 2–0 victory. Then, on 19 April, Robles scored his eighth goal for Comunicaciones at the 70th minute in the 5–1 win over Iztapa. On 3 May against Cobán Imperial, Robles provided an assist for Diego Barreto and received a yellow card. In the 326th edition of the Clásico Chapín on 7 May, Robles received a yellow card after only 6 minutes in a 1–0 win. A week later, in the quarter-finals of the 2023 Clausura, Robles started and was subbed off at the 93rd minute for Diego Santis in a 4–1 victory against Achuapa. In the first leg of the semi-finals on 18 May, Robles was subbed off at halftime for Jorlian Sánchez in a goaless draw against Antigua. In the second leg, Robles was subbed off at halftime for Oscar Mejía, as Comunicaciones would lose 4–3 on penalties.

#### 2023–24 season

On 29 July, Robles received a yellow card at the 80th minute in a 1–1 draw against Xinabajul. In the first match of Group C of the 2023 CONCACAF Central American Cup against Real España, Robles was subbed on at the 57th minute for Diego Santis in a 3–1 win. On 11 August, in the second match of Group C, Robles played throughout the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 win over Diriangén. Three days later, Robles was subbed on at the 72nd minute for Diego Santis, but was sent off 7 minutes later against Cobán Imperial. On 23 August, in the third match of Group C, Robles played the full match against Águila, ending in a 4–1 victory. A week later, in the fourth and final match of Group C against Herediano, Robles had to be subbed off at the 58th minute after the ball hit his left eye. Weeks later, on 13 September against Xinabajul, Robles received a yellow card at the 84th minute after pushing José Milla. On 24 September, Robles was subbed on at the 76th minute for Diego Santis in the 5–0 win over Coatepeque. Three days later, in the first leg of the quarter-finals against Herediano, Robles received a yellow card at the 42nd minute in a goaless draw. On 4 October, in the second leg, Robles received another yellow card at the 22nd minute, as Comunicaciones lost 3–2 on aggregate. In the play-in round on 31 October, Robles received a yellow card at the 48th minute against Cartaginés. On 6 November, Robles received a yellow card at the 88th minute in a 2–1 win over Guastatoya. A week later, on 14 November, Robles scored an own goal at the 18th minute in a 2–2 draw against Zacapa. In the first leg of the quarter-finals of the 2023 Apertura, Robles was featured in the 2–0 loss to Malacateco. In the second leg on 2 December, Robles received a yellow card at the 54th minute, as Comunicaciones won 5–2 on aggregate. Five days later, in the first leg of the semi-finals, Robles played in a goaless draw against Xelajú. In the second leg on 11 December, Robles was subbed off at the 98th minute for Diego Santis, as Comunicaciones would win 4–2 on penalties. On 17 December, in the first leg of the final, Robles was subbed off once again at the 64th minute for Diego Santis in a 1–1 draw against Guastatoya. In the second leg of the final on 23 December, Robles was close to scoring a goal from yards out, but the goalkeeper Adrián de Lemos was able to tip the ball over the crossbar. Despite this, Comunicaciones would win the match 1–0 and the 2023 Apertura, Robles' fourth major title with the club. After the match, Robles declared that Comunicaciones is the biggest club in Guatemala.
On 6 February 2024, in the first leg of round one of the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup, Robles provided an assist for Carlos Mejía in a 4–1 loss to Monterrey. In the second leg of round one, Robles played throughout the full match, as Comunicaciones would suffer a humiliating 7–1 defeat and were eliminated. On 24 February, Robles received a yellow card at the 87th minute in a goaless draw against Xelajú. A few days later, Robles would receive another yellow card at the 53rd minute in a 3–0 loss to Cobán Imperial.

## International career
### Youth

Robles was called up to the Guatemala U20 team during the participation at the 2015 CONCACAF U-20 Championship. On 9 January 2015, he made his debut against the United States in a 1–1 draw. Two days later, Robles scored the only goal at the 27th minute in a 1–0 win over the host nation Jamaica.
In August, Robles was called up to the U23 squad during the 2015 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying tournament, as Guatemala were defeated by Costa Rica in the repechage playoff of the Central American zone.

### Senior

On 4 June 2019, Robles was called up to the senior team for the first time in his career. Five days later, he made his senior debut in a friendly match against Paraguay in a 2–0 defeat. In an interview, Robles stated that the match was very demanding.
On 6 September 2019, Robles provided an assist for Edi Danilo Guerra in the historic 10–0 win over Anguilla in the 2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League. Days later, on 10 September, Robles scored his first goal for Guatemala against Puerto Rico in a 5–0 victory. Robles was one of the four Guatemalan players featured in CONCACAF's Starting XI for League C. On 17 November, Robles was featured in another 5–0 win over Puerto Rico, where he received a yellow card at the 65th minute.
After being out due to injury, Robles returned on 30 September 2020 in a friendly against Mexico, which ended in a 3–0 defeat.
On 15 November, Robles provided an assist for Darwin Lom in a 2–1 victory over Honduras. He also won the man of the match award for his performance.
On 23 March 2021, Robles was called up to the Guatemalan team for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The next day, Robles played the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 win against Cuba. Robles also started against the British Virgin Islands on 27 March, which ended in a 3–0 win for the Chapines. Then, on 4 June, Robles played throughout the full match in the historic 10–0 win against Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Days later, on 9 June, Robles started in a 0–0 draw against Curaçao, as Guatemala failed to advance to the second round. Shortly after, Robles apologized to fans on social media saying, "Apologies for taking way your hope."
On 1 July, Robles was called up by Amarini Villatoro for the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup qualifiers. Two days later, in the first round against Guyana, Robles would shoot at goal, but was deflected off Reiss Greenidge, and was classsified as an own goal, as Guatemala won 4–0. Three days later, on 6 July, Robles provided an assist for Luis Martínez against Guadeloupe, but was unsuccessful as Guatemala lost 9–10 on penalties. However, on 9 July, it was announced that Curaçao would not participate in the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup due to the high number of COVID-19 cases, and Guatemala would take its spot. In the first match of Group A against El Salvador, Robles started and was subbed off at the 80th minute for Yeltsin Álvarez, as Guatemala lost 2–0. On 14 July, in the second match against Mexico, Robles was subbed off at the 82nd minute for Luis de León in a 3–0 defeat. In the third match against Trinidad and Tobago, Robles played the full 90 minutes in a 1–1 draw, as Guatemala ended their campaign.
On 8 September, Robles was subbed off at the 68th minute for Javier González in a 2–2 draw against Nicaragua.
On 24 April 2022, Robles scored his second goal for Guatemala at the 75th minute in the 4–0 win over El Salvador. After the match, Robles assured that big things are in store for Guatemala. Days later, Robles was subbed on at the 82nd minute for Rodrigo Saravia in a goaless draw against Mexico.
On 31 May, Robles was called up by Luis Fernando Tena to Guatemala's 23-man squad for the 2022–23 CONCACAF Nations League. Three days later, in the first match of Group D, Robles was subbed on at the 46th minute for José Ardón in a 2–0 loss to French Guiana. In the second match on 5 June, Robles played throughout the full match in a 2–0 win over Belize. A week later, Robles received a yellow card at the 60th minute in a 1–1 draw against the Dominican Republic. In the fourth match on 13 June, Robles received a yellow card at the 70th minute in a 2–0 win over the Dominican Republic.
On 24 September, Robles was featured in a match against Colombia, ending in a 4–1 defeat. On 23 October, Robles would cause two penalties in favor of Qatar, which resulted in a 2–0 loss.

## Style of play

Robles is a versatile player on the field, his usual position had been as a midfielder, but now he plays in defence and he says that one of his greatest strengths is that he goes out to face his rivals, he likes one-on-one play and not giving up the ball.
Due to his playing style and hard work ethic, Robles has received the praise of Amarini Villatoro.

## Personal life

Robles has been in a relationship with his long-time girlfriend, Linda since 2011. The couple has two daughters. Robles has the name of Linda tattoed on his arms, while her face is tattooed on his left leg. They are undoubtedly Robles' greatest motivation for working every day.
"I grew up in my neighborhood, but I was not a gang member. My brother was and that's why he left the country. They always bother me, but I don't care what they say," said Robles who is known for having multiple tattoos on his skin.
Robles has received the support of his family, friends, and others since he was a kid.
On 2 April 2024, Robles donated school supplies to a first grade student in San Pedro Ayampuc after her parents had passed away. A week later, Robles would also donate equipment to a club in San Pedro Ayampuc.

## Career statistics
### International goals

    Scores and results list Guatemala's goal tally first.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1. | 10 September 2019 | Mayagüez Athletics Stadium, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico | Puerto Rico | 4–0 | 5–0 | 2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League C |
| 2. | 24 April 2022 | PayPal Park, San Jose, United States | El Salvador | 4–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |

## Honours

Comunicaciones
* Liga Nacional de Guatemala: Clausura 2015, Clausura 2022, Apertura 2023
* CONCACAF League: 2021