Fabian Ruiz Pena is one of the monumental figures in Spanish football history. The 28-year-old midfielder has been going through a meteoric rise in his professional career. The former Napoli man has established his name in the rich and competitive football world of his nation through his exquisite technique and skills in the attacking department of the Spanish national football team and his current club, Paris Saint-Germain. Despite facing a lot of challenges in his childhood, the star midfielder has shown tremendous development, composure and patience to build a legacy of his own against all odds.
Fabian Ruiz bio
- Full Name: Fabian Ruiz Pena
- Date of birth: April 3rd, 1996
- Place of Birth: Los Palacios y Villafranca, Sevilla, Spain
- Position: Midfielder
- Height: 1.89m
- Current Teams: Paris Saint-Germain, Spain National Football Team
- Jersey number: 8
Early Life of Fabian Ruiz
The story of Fabian Ruiz is an example of resilience, perseverance and consistency. Born in a very poor family, Ruiz experienced a lot of hard times in his childhood. His mother, Chari Pena, had to work overtime everyday to make ends meet. His introduction to football was orchestrated by his mother, who joined Real Betis club as a maintenance support staff to raise his three children – two boys and a daughter. Ruiz faced growth problems in his initial teenage days, but rose above them to find necessary courage to become a footballer, thanks to his mother and elder brother, who were the constant supporters in his bad phase.
The toddler, who used to love kicking football after coming from school everyday, started his journey at La Union de Palacios as a midfielder. After playing there for a few months, he attracted the Spanish top tier club, Real Betis. And from there there was no looking back for the talented teenager. Despite having a short body structure and strength issue, Ruiz was enrolled into the Real Betis youth academy as the youngest player in its history in 2004. He worked hard day and night to build a physique that made him look like a football playing person. At the age of 14, Ruiz grew taller by almost 32cm, which was surprising for him and his team. Under the serious care of the Betis youth coaching staff, the Spanish prodigy transformed himself into a perfect version of a box-to-box midfielder.
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Professional Club Football Chapter
Real Betis (2004-2018)
In his initial days at Real Betis youth academy, Ruiz was used as a false 9 after he showed immense strength in the attacking zone. His exquisite ball control, extraordinary vision and skills lifted his morale and made him believe in a better future.
Betis B (2014-2016)
In 2014, Fabian Ruiz was promoted to the B team of the La Liga Club. As a reserve player of the team, he made his appearances in 23 matches for Betis B team and clocked over 4 goals in all competitions. His attacking skills and passing range caught the eyes of the senior team management, and it was a matter of time for him to join the big boys’ game.
Debut for Betis Senior Team (2014-2018)
Ruiz’s career took a vital turn when he was handed his senior debut in 2015. It was like a fairy-tale for one of the most talented youngsters at that time in the whole of Spain. In his debut season, he couldn’t produce much, but his contribution in some of the matches was evident of his dazzling future. His first senior professional goals came in 2017 when he scored the opener against Gimnastic in a 3-1 Betis win.
Since then, the road was always upwards for the Spanish young footballer from Sevilla. For the lack of game time, he was sent to another Spanish club Elche, so that his skills and potential could be nurtured on a regular basis.
When he returned to Betis in 2017, with the last few months remaining in the calendar year of La Liga, he earned a regular spot in the then manager, Quique Setien’s set-up. And he didn’t waste much time to show his worth and pay off the coach’s trust. On September 25, Ruiz registered his first La Liga goal against Levante. The Serie A giants Napoli, who were in hunt of a midfielder, triggered his buyout clause and signed him in 2018. Ruiz left Spain after making 56 senior appearances, with 6 goals.
Napoli (2018-2022)
Ruiz joined the Serie A side on a five-year deal in 2018. He made his debut for them in a Champions League game against Red Star Belgrade and left an unwavering mark in his 90-minute playing time. In his four-year stay at Napoli, he played in 125 games and managed over 18 goals across all competitions.
Paris Saint-Germain (2022- present)
The name, Fabian Ruiz started to make headlines in the world when he was lured in by the French heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain in 2022 on a five year contract. He won the Ligue 1 title in his debut season, his first top division glory. He has spent almost two years in the French capital, having made more than 50 appearances.
| Club | Season | Apps | Goals |
| Real Betis B | 2014-16 | 23 | 4 |
| Real Betis | 2014-2018 | 56 | 4 |
| Elche (Loan) | 2017 | 18 | 1 |
| Napoli | 2018-22 | 125 | 19 |
| PSG | 2022-present | 48 | 5 |
International Career: Spain
Ruiz joined the Spanish national senior football team in 2019 under the keen watch of Luis Enrique. He made his debut against the Faroe Islands in a UEFA Euro qualifier. Since then, he has established himself as an important and necessary tool in the Spanish camp.
UEFA Euro 2024
In the current Euro 2024, Ruiz has already managed 2 goals and 2 assists in just 3 matches. In the first game against Croatia, he was the provider of Alvaro Morata’s opener. A few minutes later, he found the back of the net with an accurate finish to take the game out of the hands of the Croatians in the first half and won the player of the match title.
In the round of 16, Ruiz produced one of his best displays and managed a goal and an assist in a 4-1 victory over Georgia. As of now, he is one of the top contenders to win the Player of the Tournament award.
| Country | Years | Apps | Goals |
| Spain | 2019-present | 26 | 4 |
Fabian Ruiz’s Personal Life
Ruiz comes from a very humble background. His parents worked very hard to raise their children. He also has a girlfriend and a daughter.
Fabian Ruiz family
Mother: Chari Pena
Father: Ruiz Senior
Brother: Alejandro Ruiz
Sister: Yamila Ruiz
Fabian Ruiz Girlfriend
The Spanish superstar has a beautiful girlfriend named Catherine Ferrero. She is a social media sensation and is widely known as “Lulu pride.” She is also a fitness trainer and dietician. They have only one daughter, whose name is Daniela.
Fabian Ruiz’s Net Worth
According to Marca, the current net worth of Fabian Ruiz is around €10.5 million. The Spanish midfielder earns €9.10 million per year as a salary for his service at Paris Saint-Germain. He is also associated with the Adidas endorsement and has worn pro 1 version shoes since 2022.
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