Rubén Castro
Castro playing for Betis in 2012
Personal information
Full name Rubén Castro Martín[1]
Date of birth (1981-06-27) 27 June 1981[1]
Place of birth Las Palmas, Spain
Height 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)[1]
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
Artesano
Las Palmas
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2001 Las Palmas B 34 (13)
2001–2004 Las Palmas 112 (36)
2004–2010 Deportivo La Coruña 31 (4)
2004–2005 → Albacete (loan) 22 (3)
2006 → Racing Santander (loan) 1 (0)
2007 → Gimnàstic (loan) 20 (4)
2008–2009 → Huesca (loan) 41 (13)
2009–2010 → Rayo Vallecano (loan) 42 (14)
2010–2018 Betis 260 (135)
2017 → Guizhou Zhicheng (loan) 12 (7)
2018–2020 Las Palmas 65 (30)
2020–2022 Cartagena 82 (39)
2022–2023 Málaga 41 (10)
International career
2002–2003 Spain U21 6 (4)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:33, 1 June 2023 (UTC)

Rubén Castro Martín (Spanish pronunciation: [ruˈβeŋ ˈkastɾo maɾˈtin];[upper-alpha 1] born 27 June 1981) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays mainly as a striker.

He represented mainly Las Palmas and Betis during his career, appearing in 282 matches in La Liga and 435 in Segunda División (scoring an all-time best 195 goals in the latter competition).[2] He also competed in China.

Club career

Las Palmas and Deportivo

Born in Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Castro was signed by Deportivo de La Coruña from local UD Las Palmas in 2004, in a deal which also saw Momo moving in the opposite direction. The deal was agreed in order to wipe out the debt that Las Palmas still had after signing Gabriel Schürrer from Deportivo for €3.6 million.[3]

Castro scored his first goals for Las Palmas in La Liga in the 2001–02 season, when he came on as a substitute in the 64th minute of a home fixture against Real Madrid, with the score at 2–2; the match ended 4–2 for the hosts, courtesy of him.[4] In the 2003–04 campaign he was crowned Pichichi Trophy of the Segunda División for his hometown club, netting 22 times – with the team being nonetheless relegated – and being subsequently purchased by Depor.[5]

At the beginning of 2006–07, Castro was on loan at Racing de Santander, but he left Cantabria due to a lack of playing opportunities. During the January transfer window another loan happened, this time to Catalonia's Gimnàstic de Tarragona where he started very well with three goals in his first three matches,[6] although the side would be eventually relegated and the player returned to Deportivo.

After appearing scarcely during the 2007–08 season, Castro was loaned again in July 2008, to newly-promoted second division club SD Huesca.[7] There, his goals proved crucial for the Aragonese as they retained their recently obtained status.[8]

In late August 2009, Castro was again loaned by Deportivo and also in division two, now to Rayo Vallecano. For the second year in a row he repeated team position (11th) and goals scored (14),[9] returning in June to the Galicians.

Betis

In August 2010, Castro was sold to Real Betis for a fee of €1.7 million.[10] The attacking trio of himself, Jorge Molina and midfielder Achille Emaná combined for more than 50 league goals in 2010–11, as the Andalusians returned to the top tier after two years of absence.[11]

Castro scored his first goal in the competition in nearly four years on 27 August 2011, in a local derby at Granada CF (1–0 win, netting five minutes from time).[12] He repeated exactly the same feat the following matchday, against RCD Mallorca.[13]

On 10 December 2011, Castro put a stop to a streak of 11 games without one win for the Pepe Mel-led side with only one point managed, netting twice in stoppage time of the 2–1 home victory over Valencia CF.[14] He finished the campaign with 16 goals – third-best national scorer, eighth overall – as the Verdiblancos finally finished in 13th position.

Castro scored 66 goals in all competitions from 2012 to 2015, including 31 in league in the latter season to help Betis return to the top flight as champions.[15] He celebrated his 200th appearance in the competition with a goal, helping to a 1–1 home draw with Villarreal CF.[16]

In July 2017, aged 36, Castro moved abroad for the first time in his career, being loaned to Chinese Super League club Guizhou Hengfeng Zhicheng F.C. for five months.[17] In his first match upon his return to the Estadio Benito Villamarín, on 15 January 2018, he replaced Sergio León late into the home fixture against CD Leganés and scored the 3–2 winner through a penalty.[18]

Las Palmas return

On 13 July 2018, after cutting ties with Betis, the 37-year-old Castro returned to Las Palmas on a two-year contract.[19] He scored 15 times in the second division in each of his seasons.[20]

Cartagena

Castro agreed to a one-year deal at second-division newcomers FC Cartagena on 12 September 2020.[21] He scored 19 goals during the season, as they avoided relegation.[22]

The following campaign, as the team again managed to stay afloat, Castro scored 20 times.[23]

Málaga

On 7 July 2022, aged 41, Castro signed for one year with Málaga CF.[24] In June 2023, following the club's second-tier relegation, he left after his contract expired.[25]

Personal life

Castro's two older brothers – Rubén was the youngest of five siblings – Guillermo and Alejandro, were also footballers. At one point in their careers, they also represented Las Palmas.[26]

In 2013, his fiancée pressed charges against him for domestic violence.[27] He was released on bail and, two years later, Betis fans offered chants of support to the footballer.[28]

Career statistics

As of 27 May 2023[29][30]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Las Palmas 2000–01 La Liga 3000——30
2001–02 29521——316
2002–03 Segunda División 40911——4110
2003–04 402200——4022
Total 1123632——11538
Albacete 2004–05 La Liga 22300——223
Deportivo 2005–06 La Liga 243118[lower-alpha 1]4—338
Racing Santander 2006–07 La Liga 1000——10
Gimnàstic 2006–07 La Liga 20400——204
Deportivo 2007–08 La Liga 7120——91
Huesca 2008–09 Segunda División 411311——4214
Rayo Vallecano 2009–10 Segunda División 421421——4415
Betis 2010–11 Segunda División 422775——4932
2011–12 La Liga 341610——3516
2012–13 341863——4021
2013–14 2510316[lower-alpha 2]2—3413
2014–15 Segunda División 423141——4632
2015–16 La Liga 381920——4019
2016–17 351310——3613
2017–18 10100——101
Total 260135241062—290147
Guizhou Zhicheng 2017 Chinese Super League 12700——127
Las Palmas 2018–19 Segunda División 411510——4215
2019–20 241500——2415
Total 653010——6630
Cartagena 2020–21 Segunda División 411910——4219
2021–22 412010——4220
Total 823920——8439
Málaga 2022–23 Segunda División 411020——4310
Career total 729295381514600781316
  1. ↑ Appearance(s) in UEFA Intertoto Cup
  2. ↑ Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League

Honours

Betis

Individual

Records

  • Betis all-time top scorer: 147 goals[32][33]

Notes

  1. ↑ In isolation, Rubén is pronounced [ruˈβen].

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Rubén Castro Martín". Málaga CF. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  2. ↑ "Rubén Castro ya es el máximo goleador de Segunda División" [Rubén Castro is already top scorer in Segunda División]. El Español (in Spanish). 23 April 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  3. ↑ "El juicio por el ´caso Schurrer´ se celebra esta mañana en Las Palmas" [Trial for 'Schurrer affair' to take place this morning in Las Palmas]. La Opinión A Coruña (in Spanish). 20 February 2014. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  4. ↑ "Rubén, verdugo del Madrid" [Rubén, Madrid's henchman] (in Spanish). Eurosport. 12 October 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  5. ↑ Moreno, Carlos (4 May 2020). "Rubén Castro, el goleador incombustible" [Rubén Castro, the tireless scorer]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  6. ↑ Aymi, Oriol (11 December 2006). "Rubén Castro resucita al Nàstic" [Rubén Castro resurrects Nàstic]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  7. ↑ "Rubén Castro jugará en el Huesca" [Rubén Castro to play with Huesca]. El Diario Montañés (in Spanish). 20 July 2008. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  8. ↑ "El broche a una gran temporada" [Icing on cake to great season]. Marca (in Spanish). 20 June 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  9. ↑ "Rubén Castro tumba a su ex equipo con dos goles en los primeros seis minutos" [Rubén Castro downs former team with two goals in first six minutes]. Marca (in Spanish). 8 May 2010. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  10. ↑ "El Deportivo ingresará 1,7 millones por Rubén Castro" [Deportivo to make 1,7 million for Rubén Castro] (in Spanish). Riazor. 18 November 2010. Archived from the original on 6 May 2014. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
  11. ↑ Espina, José A. (4 September 2011). "Molina y Rubén prometen goles también en Primera" [Molina and Rubén also promise goals in Primera]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  12. ↑ "Rubén Castro hace justicia" [Rubén Castro does justice]. El País (in Spanish). 27 August 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
  13. ↑ "Castro leads Betis charge". ESPN Soccernet. 11 September 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  14. ↑ "Castro late show overthrows Los Che". ESPN Soccernet. 10 December 2011. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  15. 1 2 "Rubén Castro, máximo goleador de la Liga regular con 32 tantos" [Rubén Castro, top scorer of regular League with 32 goals]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 7 June 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  16. ↑ Melero, Delfín (23 August 2015). "Rubén Castro llega a tiempo" [Rubén Castro arrives on time]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  17. ↑ "Rubén Castro se marcha cedido al Guizhou Hengfeng Zhicheng FC" [Rubén Castro goes to Guizhou Hengfeng Zhicheng FC on loan] (in Spanish). Real Betis. 11 July 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  18. ↑ Morán, Miguel Ángel (15 January 2018). "Rubén Castro prolonga la euforia verdiblanca" [Rubén Castro extends white-and-black euphoria]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  19. ↑ "Rubén Castro, nuevo fichaje de la UD Las Palmas" [Rubén Castro, new signing of UD Las Palmas] (in Spanish). UD Las Palmas. 13 July 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  20. ↑ Moreno, Carlos (22 July 2020). "Rubén Castro finaliza la temporada con 15 goles a sus 39 años" [Rubén Castro ends season with 15 goals at the age of 39]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  21. ↑ "¡¡Rubén Castro es albinegro!!" [Rubén Castro is white-and-black!!] (in Spanish). FC Cartagena. 12 September 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  22. ↑ "Rubén Castro admite que tuvo ofertas de Primera y señala sus próximos retos" [Rubén Castro admits he had offers from Primera and points out his next goals]. Estadio Deportivo (in Spanish). 22 July 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  23. ↑ Martín, Pedro (5 July 2022). "Oficial | El Cartagena se despide de Rubén Castro" [Official | Cartagena say goodbye to Rubén Castro]. Estadio Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  24. ↑ "Rubén Castro ficha por el Málaga a sus 41 años" [Rubén Castro signs for Málaga at 41] (in Spanish). Canal Sur. 7 July 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  25. ↑ "Concluye la vinculación de 18 jugadores con ficha profesional" [Link of 18 players with professional registration ends] (in Spanish). Málaga CF. 30 June 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  26. ↑ "Rubén Castro, otro talento grancanario" [Rubén Castro, another talent from Gran Canaria] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 5 October 2001. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
  27. ↑ Pineda, Rafael (28 May 2013). "Orden de alejamiento para Rubén" [Restraining order for Rubén]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  28. ↑ "Los ultras del Betis apoyan a Rubén Castro, acusado de violencia de género" [Betis' ultras support Rubén Castro, charged with gender violence] (in Spanish). Telecinco. 22 February 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  29. ↑ Rubén Castro at BDFutbol
  30. 1 2 Rubén Castro at Soccerway
  31. ↑ "Ruben Castro, LaLiga SmartBank Player of the Month for June". La Liga. 10 July 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  32. ↑ "Rubén Castro: "I am really proud to have scored so many goals for this club"". Real Betis. 6 December 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  33. ↑ Cejas, Antonio (15 January 2018). "El día de Rubén Castro" [The day of Rubén Castro]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 January 2018.
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