Rubén Castro

Rubén Castro

Castro playing for Betis
Personal information
Full name	Rubén Castro Martín
Date of birth	(1981-06-27) 27 June 1981
Place of birth	Las Palmas, Spain
Height	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Playing position	Striker / Winger
Club information
Current club	Betis
Number	24
Youth career
1999–2000	Artesano
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2000–2001	Las Palmas B
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	(14)
2009–2010	→ Rayo Vallecano (loan)	42	(14)
2010–	Betis	119	(66)
National team
2002–2003	Spain U21	7	(6)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 00:00, 4 February 2014 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals).

Rubén Castro Martín (born 27 June 1981), sometimes known as just Rubén, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Real Betis, mainly as a striker but also as a winger.

Football career

Las Palmas / 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 Argentine Gabriel Schürrer from Deportivo for €3.6 million.

Rubén 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 Rubén.^[1] In 2003–04 he was top scorer in the second division with his hometown club, netting 22 goals – with the team being nonetheless relegated – and being subsequently purchased by the Galician outfit.

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

After appearing scarcely during 2007–08, Rubén was loaned again in July 2008, to newly promoted second division side SD Huesca.^[2] There, his goals proved crucial as the modest Aragonese outfit retained its recently obtained second level status.^[3]

In late August 2009 Castro was again loaned by Depor, and also in division two, now to Rayo Vallecano. For the second season in a row, he repeated club position (11th) and goals scored (14),^[4] returning in June to the Galicians.

Betis

In August 2010 Rubén was sold to Real Betis, for a fee of €1.7 millions.^[5] The attacking trio of himself, Jorge Molina and midfielder Achille Emana combined for more than 50 league goals in 2010–11, as the Andalusians returned to the top division after two years of absence.

On 27 August 2011, Castro scored his first goal in the competition in nearly four years, in a local derby against Granada CF (1–0 away win, netting five minutes from time).^[6] He repeated exactly the same feat the following matchday, against RCD Mallorca.^[7]

On 10 December 2011, Rubén put a stop to a streak of 11 games without one win for the Pepe Mel-led side (only one point managed), netting twice in stoppage time in a 2–1 home win against Valencia CF.^[8] He finished the season with 16 goals – third-best national scorer, eighth overall – as the Verdiblancos finally finished in 13th position.

Personal

Castro's two older brothers – Rubén is the youngest of five male siblings – Guillermo (born 1973) and Álex (1974), were also footballers. At one point in their careers, they also represented hometown's Las Palmas.^[9]

References

External links

• Betis official profile (Spanish)
• BDFutbol profile
• Futbolme profile (Spanish)
• Transfermarkt profile