Alexis (footballer, born 1985)

Alexis Ruano Delgado (born 4 August 1985), known simply as Alexis, is a Spanish former professional footballer. Mainly a central defender, he could also operate as a full-back.

This article is about one specific footballer known mononymously as Alexis. For other people with the same name, see Alexis (footballer, born 1974) and Alexis Sánchez.
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Ruano and the second or maternal family name is Delgado.

Alexis
Personal information
Full name Alexis Ruano Delgado
Date of birth (1985-08-04) 4 August 1985
Place of birth Málaga, Spain
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
Málaga
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2005 Málaga B 65 (0)
2004–2006 Málaga 50 (3)
2006–2007 Getafe 24 (2)
2007–2010 Valencia 62 (2)
2010–2013 Sevilla 22 (1)
2012–2013 → Getafe (loan) 38 (4)
2013–2016 Getafe 73 (2)
2016 Beşiktaş 10 (1)
2016–2018 Alavés 52 (3)
2018 Al-Ahli 8 (0)
2019–2020 Racing Santander 20 (0)
International career
2001–2003 Spain U17 18 (0)
2002–2004 Spain U19 11 (0)
2002–2005 Spain U20 8 (0)
2004–2006 Spain U21 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He amassed La Liga totals of 321 matches and 17 goals over 15 seasons, representing in the competition Málaga, Getafe (two spells), Valencia, Sevilla and Alavés. He also competed professionally in Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

Club career

Málaga and Getafe

Born in Málaga, Alexis joined Getafe CF from Málaga CF for 2006–07, for €2.5 million; he had spent three years at the Andalusia club, alternating between the first team and the second. He would first appear for the main squad of the latter on 15 February 2004, playing eight minutes in a 5–2 home win over RCD Espanyol.[1]

Alexis scored the winning goal for Getafe against Real Madrid, in a 1–0 home victory on 14 October 2006.[2] He was part of the league's best defence that season (only 33 goals in 38 games).

Valencia

In April 2007, Valencia signed Alexis to a €6.5 million deal at the Mestalla Stadium that ran until 2013, beating off competition from Real Madrid.[3][4][5] After spending most of the campaign sidelined with a severe knee injury,[6] he helped the team win the Copa del Rey, netting the second goal in a 3–1 victory over former club Getafe in the final after Juan Mata had scored the first.[7]

Alexis, who started the season as Raúl Albiol centre-back partner, netted in a 2–2 draw at UD Almería on 14 September 2008,[8] but also spent two months in the sidelines due to a pubalgia ailment.[9] He played 24 matches the following campaign, helping the Che to a third place in La Liga and former side Málaga avoid relegation as he headed home in the last-minute of the home fixture against CD Tenerife, which dropped down a level instead with that 0–1 loss.[10][11]

Sevilla and Getafe return

On 24 August 2010, Alexis joined Sevilla FC for €5 million, signing a six-year contract as a replacement for Arsenal-bound Sébastien Squillaci.[12] He made 21 league appearances in his first year (26 overall) as the team finished fifth and qualified for the UEFA Europa League.

In the third game of 2011–12 – his first – Alexis salvaged a point for Sevilla with an 86th-minute header away against Villarreal CF (2–2);[13] he would only be fourth of fifth-choice stopper for new manager Marcelino García Toral, however.[14] In late February 2012, even though the winter transfer window had already closed, he was allowed to join former club Getafe on loan until the end of the season, as the Madrid outskirts side was immerse in a deep injury crisis to their defensive sector.[15] The move was extended for the entire 2012–13.[16]

Alexis agreed to a permanent four-year deal in the summer of 2013.[17] He continued to be an undisputed starter when healthy, but missed several games due to suspension.[18][19]

Beşiktaş

On 21 January 2016, aged 30, Alexis moved abroad for the first time, joining Beşiktaş J.K. in the Turkish Süper Lig for €2 million.[20] After a 3–3 away draw against Akhisar Belediyespor on 23 April, his poor performance led to criticism and accusations of match fixing.[21][22]

Alavés

Alexis returned to Spain and its top tier on 29 July 2016, signing for newly promoted club Deportivo Alavés.[23] He scored twice[24][25] from 24 appearances in his first season, in an eventual ninth-place finish.[26]

Later years

Alexis moved abroad again on 22 June 2018, joining Al-Ahli in the Saudi Professional League on a two-year contract.[27] He returned to his country on 7 August 2019, however, agreeing to a two-year deal at newly promoted second division side Racing de Santander.[28]

Honours

Getafe

Valencia

Beşiktaş

Alavés

Spain

Individual

References
  1. "El Málaga resucita a lo grande y golea al Espanyol" [Málaga come back from the dead in style and rout Espanyol]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 15 February 2004. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  2. "Getafe hand Madrid first defeat". UEFA. 14 October 2006. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
  3. Giménez, J.; Furió, L. (22 March 2007). "Alexis jugará en el Valencia hasta 2013" [Alexis will play in Valencia until 2013]. Las Provincias (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  4. Colino, Carmen (27 March 2007). "Alexis fuerza para fichar por el Madrid" [Alexis puts pressure on to sign for Madrid]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  5. De la Rosa, José Antonio (17 May 2007). ""He firmado con el Valencia por los próximos seis años"" [I have signed with Valencia for the next six years]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  6. "Valencia get bad news on Alexis". UEFA. 5 November 2007. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  7. "Cup triumph salvages Valencia season". UEFA. 16 April 2008. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
  8. "Villa rescata al Valencia en Almería" [Villa rescues Valencia in Almería]. La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). 15 September 2008. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  9. "Fútbol.– Alexis (Valencia) ratifica su mejoría de una pubalgia y vuelve a entrenarse con el grupo" [Football.– Alexis (Valencia) confirms pubalgia improvement and returns to group training] (in Spanish). Europa Press. 11 February 2009. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  10. "Alexis sends Tenerife down". ESPN Soccernet. 16 May 2010. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
  11. "El malagueño Alexis salvó al Málaga y envió al Tenerife a Segunda" [Málaga's own Alexis saved Málaga and sent Tenerife to Segunda]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 16 May 2010. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  12. "Sevilla sign Alexis, Valencia lose Soldado". UEFA. 24 August 2010. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
  13. "Villarreal claim battling draw". ESPN Soccernet. 10 September 2011. Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
  14. Tur, Carlos (1 February 2012). "Alexis, una vuelta en el ostracismo" [Alexis, ostracised for half a season] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  15. Molina, F.J. (23 February 2012). "Alexis llega cedido al Getafe hasta junio" [Alexis arrives on loan to Getafe until June]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  16. "Alexis se marcha cedido de nuevo al Getafe" [Alexis goes on loan to Getafe again]. Marca (in Spanish). 1 July 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  17. "Alexis Ruano continuará en el Getafe cuatro temporadas" [Alexis Ruano will continue in Getafe four seasons]. Marca (in Spanish). 1 August 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  18. "'Toque' a Alexis" [Alexis 'wake up call'] (in Spanish). Al Cabo de la Calle. 30 October 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  19. Pérez, José Ignacio (29 December 2015). "Amarillas por palabras" [Yellow cards for words]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  20. Moreno, Pablo (21 January 2016). "Alexis se marcha al Besiktas a cambio de 2 millones" [Alexis leaves for Besiktas for 2 million]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  21. Anıklı, Mustafa (23 April 2016). "Alexis şike mi yaptı?" [Did Alexis pull this stunt?]. Milliyet (in Turkish). Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  22. "Beşiktaş taraftarindan Tolga Zengin ve Alexis Delgado isyani – Süper Lig Haberleri" [Beşiktaş fans in a rage over Tolga Zengin and Alexis Delgado – Süper Lig News] (in Turkish). Futbol Arena. 23 April 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  23. "Alexis Ruano, juego aéreo para la defensa del Deportivo Alavés" [Alexis Ruano, aerial play for Deportivo Alavés' defence] (in Spanish). Deportivo Alavés. 29 July 2016. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  24. Lekuona, Javier (4 December 2016). "Livaja iguala el gol de Alexis y acerca a Las Palmas a Europa" [Livaja counters Alexis' goal and nears Las Palmas to Europe]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  25. "Un Alavés lleno de suplentes hunde al Sporting" [Reserves-riddled Alavés sink Sporting] (in Spanish). Cadena COPE. 5 February 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  26. Jiménez Fernández de Retana, Iñaki (6 June 2017). "Resumen Alavés 2016/17: Pacheco termina como el cuarto portero menos goleado" [Alavés 2016/17 summary: Pacheco ends as fourth goalkeeper with least conceded goals] (in Spanish). Vavel. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  27. Lekuona, Javier (22 June 2018). "Alexis se compromete por dos temporadas con el Al-Ahli" [Alexis commits to Al-Ahli for two seasons]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  28. "Alexis Ruano, octavo refuerzo del Racing 2019/20" [Alexis Ruano, eight addition of Racing 2019/20] (in Spanish). Racing Santander. 7 August 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
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