Bryan Ruiz Gonzalez

Bryan Jafet Ruiz González (; born 18 August 1985) is a Costa Rican former professional footballer. A left-footed attacking midfielder, he also played as a second striker.

 Life 
At the age of twelve, Gonzalez started playing for Liga Deportiva Alajuelense minor leagues. He quickly became known as a skilled player.  In 2003, at the age of 18, he began playing first division football.  He would eventually become a professional soccer player with the same team.

 Career 
During his first tournament, Gonzalez played well.  He soon became an important member of his team.  He played in many important games, like “El Clásico” (The Classic), when Alajuela plays their biggest enemy, Saprissa. In his second year Gonzalez's team won the CONCACAF Champion's Cup.

Though Gonzalez had only been a professional soccer player for a short time, he was asked to represent his country by playing on the Costa Rica National Team.  He played well and was celebrated by the public.

Suddenly, in 2006, Gonzalez was invited to play for a soccer team in Belgium. The team, K.A.A. Gent, wanted to sign him to a four-year deal. Gonzalez accepted.  He became a popular player in Belgium by becoming the best scorer on his team.  He also got a hat-trick.

His success gained Gonzalez a lot of attention and popularity.  He was asked again to play with the Costa Rican national team. He returned to Costa Rica and played well for the national team. Afterward, he hoped to get signed by a good European team.

In 2009, Gonzalez played with FC Twente Enschede in Holland, where is team won the Cup.  In 2010, he began playing for the UEFA Champions League Cup.

Career statistics
Club

+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupContinentalOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAlajuelense2003–04Costa Rican Primera División203——10Six appearances and four goals in UNCAF Interclub Cup, four appearances and one goal in CONCACAF Champions Cup5—3082004–053113————31132005–06358——11Seven appearances and six goals in UNCAF Interclub Cup, four appearances in CONCACAF Champions Cup6—46142020–21407——5Four appearances and one goal in CONCACAF League, one appearance in CONCACAF Champions Cup1—4582021–22422——2Appearance(s) in CONCACAF League01Appearance in Supercopa de Costa Rica04522022–23132——50—182Total18135——33121021547Gent2006–07Belgian First Division16320—1Appearance(s) in UEFA Intertoto Cup0—1932007–08311173—10—39142008–09321242—2Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League0—3814Total7926135—40—9631Twente2009–10Eredivisie342422—12Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, ten appearances and two goals in UEFA Europa League2—48282010–1127931—9Five appearances in UEFA Champions League, four appearances in UEFA Europa League01Appearance in Johan Cruyff Shield040102011–1242——3Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League21185Total653553—244219643Fulham2011–12Premier League2722010——3022012–132952010——3252013–14121—20——1412014–15Championship2941021——325Total97125061——10813PSV Eindhoven (loan)2013–14Eredivisie145————145Sporting CP2015–16Primeira Liga34821118Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, six appearances and two goals in UEFA Europa League31Appearance in Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira046132016–17322202061—4232017–18202304060—332Total861271712041012123Santos2018Série A120——2Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores0—14020190000——0000Total12000002000140Career total534125309132832041664157

International

+ Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsCosta Rica20057120062020076220088420091022010602011702012302013113201412520151332016102201713120181022019712020002021132202291Total14729

Scores and results list Costa Rica's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ruiz goal.

+ List of international goals scored by Bryan RuizNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition1  16 July 2005  Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, United States   2–3 2–3  2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup2  24 March 2007  Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá, San José, Costa Rica   3–0 4–0  Friendly3  2 June 2007  Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá, San José, Costa Rica  2–0 2–0  Friendly4  21 June 2008  Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá, San José, Costa Rica  2–0 3–0  2010 FIFA World Cup qualification5  6 September 2008  Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá, San José, Costa Rica  7–0 7–0  2010 FIFA World Cup qualification6 10 September 2008 Stade Sylvio Cator, Port-au-Prince, Haiti  1–0 3–2 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification7 2–18 14 October 2009 Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, Washington, United States  1–0 2–2 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification9 2–010  6 February 2013  Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City, Panama   2–2 2–2  2014 FIFA World Cup qualification11  18 June 2013  Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica   2–0 2–0  2014 FIFA World Cup qualification12  15 October 2013  Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica   1–0 2–1  2014 FIFA World Cup qualification13  2 June 2014  Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, United States   1–0 1–3  Friendly14  20 June 2014  Arena Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil   1–0 1–0  2014 FIFA World Cup15  29 June 2014  Arena Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil   1–0 1–1 (5–3 pen.)  2014 FIFA World Cup16  13 September 2014  Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles United States   1–1 2–1  2014 Copa Centroamericana17  13 November 2014  Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay   2–1 3–3  Friendly18  11 July 2015  BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, United States   1–0 1–1  2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup19  8 September 2015  Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica   1–0 1–0  Friendly20  17 November 2015  Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City, Panama   1–0 2–1  2018 FIFA World Cup qualification21  29 March 2016  Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica   2–0 3–0  2018 FIFA World Cup qualification22  9 October 2016  Krasnodar Stadium, Krasnodar, Russia   2–0 4–3  Friendly23  13 June 2017  Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica   2–1 2–1  2018 FIFA World Cup qualification24  11 June 2018  King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium   1–0 1–4  Friendly25  11 October 2018  Estadio Universitario, San Nicolás de los Garza, Mexico   2–1 2–3  Friendly26  29 June 2019  NRG Stadium, Houston, United States   1–1 1–1 (4–5 pen.)  2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup27  20 July 2021  Exploria Stadium, Orlando, United States   1–0 1–0  2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup28  10 October 2021  Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica   1–1 2–1  2022 FIFA World Cup qualification29  27 January 2022  Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica   1–0 1–0  2022 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours
Alajuelense
CONCACAF Champions' Cup: 2004
Copa Interclubes UNCAF: 2005
Primera División: Apertura 2005, Clausura 2006, Apertura 2020
CONCACAF League: 2020

Twente
Eredivisie: 2009–10
KNVB Cup: 2010–11
Johan Cruyff Shield: 2010, 2011

Sporting CP
Taça da Liga: 2017–18
Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2015

Costa Rica
Copa Centroamericana: 2014

Individual
CONCACAF Men's Player of the Year: 2016
CONCACAF Goal of the Year: 2014
CONCACAF Best XI: 2015, 2016, 2017
Jean-Claude Bouvy Trophy: 2008, 2009
Player of the season at FC Twente: 2010
BBC Goal of the Month: October 2011
IFFHS CONCACAF team of the decade 2011–2020
IFFHS CONCACAF Men's Team of All Time: 2021

References

Category:1985 births
Category:Living people
Category:Costa Rican footballers
Category:Sportspeople from San José, Costa Rica