Diego Rivas (footballer, born 1980)

Diego Rivas Gutiérrez (born 27 April 1980) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.

Not to be confused with the Spanish football goalkeeper Diego Rivas Rego.
For the Chilean fighter, see Diego Rivas (fighter).
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Rivas and the second or maternal family name is Gutiérrez.

Diego Rivas
Personal information
Full name Diego Rivas Gutiérrez
Date of birth (1980-04-27) 27 April 1980
Place of birth Ciudad Real, Spain
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Youth career
Atlético Madrid
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2000 Amorós 32 (0)
2000–2002 Atlético Madrid B 69 (3)
2002–2004 Atlético Madrid 3 (0)
2002–2003 → Getafe (loan) 32 (3)
2004–2006 Getafe 83 (0)
2006–2011 Real Sociedad 124 (3)
2007–2008 → Cádiz (loan) 20 (0)
2011–2013 Hércules 57 (0)
2013–2014 Eibar 24 (0)
2014–2015 Llagostera 20 (0)
2015–2016 Socuéllamos 30 (0)
2016–2018 Manchego 58 (3)
Total 552 (12)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He amassed totals of 364 matches and six goals across the two major levels of Spanish football, including 122 games and three goals in La Liga where he represented Atlético Madrid, Getafe and Real Sociedad (over five seasons).[1]

Club career

Born in Ciudad Real, Castilla–La Mancha, Rivas started playing as a senior in Atlético Madrid's reserves, but could never break into the first team. In the 2002–03 campaign, he served a loan at neighbouring Getafe CF in the Segunda División.[2]

Having returned to Atlético, Rivas was definitely waived and, in January 2004, had a second Getafe spell, still contributing 17 games to a first ever top-flight promotion.[3] He continued to be ever-present from 2004 to 2006, as the side achieved two consecutive ninth-place finishes in La Liga.

Rivas spent the first of the following two seasons with Real Sociedad, appearing irregularly as the Basques were relegated.[2] He was loaned to second-division Cádiz CF for 2007–08,[4] in another ill-fated campaign.[5]

Rivas excelled in the following second-tier seasons with Real Sociedad, rarely missing a match and helping the club to return to the top flight in his second year.[6] He featured in 32 games in 2010–11 (31 starts), scoring against his former team Atlético Madrid[7] and Sevilla FC, both fixtures ending in home losses,[8] with the club eventually retaining its status.

In late June 2011, the 31-year-old Rivas signed for Hércules CF in division two, agreeing on a 2+1 contract.[9] He played regularly during his spell in the Valencian Community, and on 9 August 2013 joined SD Eibar of the same league.[10]

Rivas made 20 starts during the campaign as the Armeros were promoted to the top division for the first time ever, being coached by his former Real Sociedad teammate Gaizka Garitano.[11] On 25 August 2014, he signed a one-year deal with UE Llagostera, newly promoted to the second tier.[12]

Rivas retired in May 2018 at age 38, after two seasons in the Tercera División with CD Manchego Ciudad Real.[13]

Personal life

Rivas' younger brother, Marcos, was also a footballer and a midfielder. He played almost exclusively in amateur football, his biggest achievement being appearing in 13 games for AD Alcorcón in the Segunda División B.[14]

After retiring, Rivas served as councillor for the People's Party in the Ciudad Real city hall.[2]

Honours

Real Sociedad

Eibar

References
  1. Calle y Diego Rivas, dos futbolistas de Primera en Tercera (Calle and Diego Rivas, two Primera footballers in Tercera); ABC, 21 March 2017 (in Spanish)
  2. Qué fue de… Diego Rivas: un currante del fútbol que fue concejal del PP (What happened to… Diego Rivas: football handyman who was a PP councillor); 20 minutos, 8 June 2018 (in Spanish)
  3. El Getafe homenajeará a la plantilla del primer ascenso a Primera de 2004 (Getafe will honour squad of first promotion to Primera from 2004); El Desmarque, 23 June 2017 (in Spanish)
  4. Diego Rivas: "No sé quién quiero que gane el partido" (Diego Rivas: "I don't know who I'd rather see win the match"); Diario de Cádiz, 8 May 2008 (in Spanish)
  5. Dramático descenso del Cádiz a Segunda B (Dramatic Cádiz relegation to Segunda B); Europa Sur, 16 June 2008 (in Spanish)
  6. El cielo de Primera vuelve a abrirse para la Real Sociedad (Primera heaven reopens for Real Sociedad); Marca, 13 June 2010 (in Spanish)
  7. Aguero and Forlan inspire Atletico triumph; ESPN Soccernet, 21 November 2010
  8. Kanoute bags brace in Sevilla comeback; ESPN Soccernet, 8 January 2011
  9. Diego Rivas se compromete con el Hércules (Diego Rivas commits to Hércules); Marca, 30 June 2011 (in Spanish)
  10. El Eibar ya tiene a su 'galáctico': el veterano Diego Rivas (Eibar already have their 'galactic': veteran Diego Rivas); Marca, 9 August 2013 (in Spanish)
  11. El Eibar no necesitó aclimatarse (Eibar needed no adjustment); El Diario Vasco, 2 June 2014 (in Spanish)
  12. Diego Rivas, nova incorporació del Llagostera (Diego Rivas, new Llagostera addition) Archived 26 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine; UE Llagostera, 25 August 2014 (in Catalan)
  13. La emoción de Diego Rivas: “Recordaré para siempre este día de mi retirada” (Diego Rivas is moved: "I'll remember this day of my retirement forever"); Lanza, 7 May 2018 (in Spanish)
  14. El Santa Ana incorpora a la plantilla a Marcos Rivas (Santa Ana add Marcos Rivas to squad); Futmadrid, 11 January 2013 (in Spanish)
  15. Griezmann, candidato a jugador revelación de Segunda por su excelente campaña (Griezmann, best newcomer candidate in Segunda for his excellent campaign); Marca, 24 June 2010 (in Spanish)
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