Rubén Iván Martínez Andrade (born 22 June 1984), known simply as Rubén, is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Club career Born in Coristanco, Galicia, Rubén moved to FC Barcelona's youth academy in 1997, and reached the club's reserves five years later.Un clónico de Valdés para el marco culé (Valdés clone for culé goal); Diario AS, 21 December 2004 (in Spanish) As Turkey's Rüştü Reçber went on loan in the 2004–05 season he was handed the role of third choice in the first team, behind Víctor Valdés and Albert Jorquera.

On 18 December 2004, Rubén entered the pitch for Xavi after Valdés' dismissal in a 1–1 away draw against Valencia CF,El Barça salva un punto con un penalti inexistente (Barça rescue one point with invented penalty); El Mundo, 18 December 2004 (in Spanish) and kept his place for the subsequent 2–1 La Liga win over Levante UD.Eto'o fulmina a un Levante que no mereció perder (Eto'o obliterates Levante that did not deserve to lose); El Mundo, 21 December 2004 (in Spanish) After some more years in the B squad and an unassuming Segunda División loan at Racing de Ferrol (no games played, eventual relegation),El portero Rubén Martínez medita dejar el Racing (Goalkeeper Rubén Martínez thinking of leaving Racing); La Opinión A Coruña, 20 December 2007 (in Spanish) he was released by Barcelona, joining FC Cartagena in the Segunda División B and going on to be an undisputed starter during his spell, promoting in the first season and nearly repeating the feat in the second.El portero ex racinguista Rubén Martínez fue clave en el ascenso del Cartagena a Segunda División (Former Racing goalkeeper Rubén Martínez was key in Cartagena promotion to Segunda División); La Voz de Galicia, 30 May 2009 (in Spanish)El Cartagena deja en Huelva sus opciones de ascenso (Cartagena leave their options for promotion in Huelva); Marca, 13 June 2010 (in Spanish)

Rubén was sold to Málaga CF on 25 August 2010, for €1.35 million.Rubén, octavo fichaje del Málaga 2010/11 (Rubén, eighth Málaga signing for 2010/11); Málaga CF, 31 August 2010 (in Spanish) He made his competitive debut on 23 September, keeping a clean sheet in a 2–0 victory at Getafe CF.Away day joy for Malaga; ESPN Soccernet, 23 September 2010 However, in late December, he fractured his right wrist in training – his second major physical ailment whilst at the club – being sidelined for the rest of the campaignRubén estará entre dos y tres meses de baja tras romperse la muñeca (Rubén to miss two or three months after wrist fracture); Viva Fútbol, 1 January 2011 (in Spanish)La maldición en la portería continúa... ahora Rubén (Goal curse continues... now Rubén); La Opinión de Málaga, 2 January 2011 (in Spanish) and prompting the Andalusians to sign another goalkeeper in the winter transfer window, as Sergio Asenjo also suffered a severe injury (knee).El Málaga piensa en Caballero (Málaga thinking of Caballero); Diario Información, 9 January 2011 (in Spanish)

After a series of bad performances upon his recovery and also due to the managerial change at Málaga, Rubén lost his position to Willy Caballero, being further demoted to third choice after the club signed Carlos Kameni in January 2012.Jugará el tercer portero del Málaga debido a la expulsión de Kameni (Málaga's third goalkeeper will play after Kameni's ejection); El Diario Vasco, 14 April 2012 (in Spanish) He was loaned to fellow league side Rayo Vallecano for the 2012–13 season.Málaga oficializa la cesión de Rubén Martínez al Rayo Vallecano (Málaga make Rubén Martínez loan to Rayo Vallecano official); Goal, 18 July 2012 (in Spanish)

Rubén returned to the Campo de Fútbol de Vallecas on 23 July 2013, signing a permanent one-year contract.Rubén regresa al Rayo (Rubén returns to Rayo); Marca, 23 July 2013 (in Spanish) On 28 May of the following year, he moved to UD Almería in the same league on a one-year deal.Rubén, portero procedente del Rayo Vallecano, ficha por el Almería (Rubén, goalkeeper from Rayo Vallecano, signs for Almería); UD Almería, 28 May 2014 (in Spanish)

On 2 June 2015, after suffering relegation with the Andalusians, Rubén agreed to a three-year contract with Levante UD.El Levante UD llega a un principio de acuerdo con el portero Rubén Martínez (Levante UD reach agreement in principle with goalkeeper Rubén Martínez); Levante UD, 2 June 2015 (in Spanish) After again dropping down a tier, he joined Deportivo de La Coruña after cutting ties with the former.Rubén Martínez, nuevo portero del Deportivo (Rubén Martínez, new goalkeeper of Deportivo); Mundo Deportivo, 2 July 2016 (in Spanish)

Rubén was loaned to Belgian club R.S.C. Anderlecht in late January 2017, as Davy Roef moved in the opposite direction also on loan.Oficial: Davy Roef in, Rubén Martínez out, intercambio de cromos en las porterías de Dépor y (Official: Davy Roef in, Rubén Martínez out, exchange of cards in Dépor and Anderlecht's goals); Tercer Equipo, 24 January 2017 (in Spanish)Rubén Martínez Andrade to RSCA, Davy Roef to La Coruña; RSC Anderlecht, 25 January 2017 He played his first match on 16 February, in a 2–0 home defeat of FC Zenit Saint Petersburg in the round of 32 of the UEFA Europa League which was also his first ever appearance in European competition.RSCA convincingly beat Zenit (2–0); RSC Anderlecht, 16 February 2017

On 5 July 2018, Rubén signed with CA Osasuna of the second division.Osasuna refuerza su portería con Rubén Martínez (Osasuna bolster their goal with Rubén Martínez); CA Osasuna, 5 July 2018 (in Spanish) He made 35 appearances for the champions in his first season and, in the summer of 2020, after contributing 19 to a tenth-place finish, put pen to paper to a one-year extension.Osasuna amplía su vinculación con Rubén hasta el 2021 (Osasuna extend link with Rubén until 2021); CA Osasuna, 20 July 2020 (in Spanish)

On 9 July 2021, Rubén joined Cypriot First Division club AEK Larnaca FC on a one-year deal.Rubén Martínez ficha por el AEK Larnaca tras dejar Osasuna (Rubén Martínez signs for AEK Larnaca after leaving Osasuna); Diario de Navarra, 9 June 2021 (in Spanish)

International career Rubén won his only cap for the Spain under-21 team on 16 November 2004, replacing Asier Riesgo for the final 17 minutes of the 1–0 friendly win against England held in Alcalá de Henares.Inglaterra se rinde al talento de Iniesta y Cesc (England take a bow to talent of Iniesta and Cesc); El Mundo, 16 November 2004 (in Spanish)

Career statistics Club + Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational CupContinentalOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsBarcelona B2002–03Segunda División B10———102003–04Segunda División B100———1002004–05Segunda División B210———2102005–06Segunda División B330———3302006–07Segunda División B320———320Total970———970Barcelona2004–05La Liga201000—302006–07La Liga0000000000Total2010000030Racing Ferrol (loan)2007–08Segunda División0010——10Cartagena2008–09Segunda División B33000—303602009–10Segunda División40000——400Total73010—30770Málaga2010–11La Liga7010——802011–12La Liga4000——40Total11010——120Rayo Vallecano (loan)2012–13La Liga30010——310Rayo Vallecano2013–14La Liga34010——350Total64020——660Almería2014–15La Liga23000——230Levante2015–16La Liga15000——150Deportivo La Coruña2016–17La Liga0040——402017–18La Liga28000——280Total28040——320Anderlecht (loan)2016–17Belgian Pro League0000601070Osasuna2018–19Segunda División35000——3502019–20La Liga19000——1902020–21La Liga3010——40Total57010——580AEK Larnaca2021–22Cypriot First Division2000——20Career total372010060403920

Honours Barcelona La Liga: 2004–05

Anderlecht Belgian First Division A: 2016–17

Osasuna Segunda División: 2018–19Los goles del Osasuna campeón (The goals of champions Osasuna); Marca, 18 June 2019 (in Spanish)

Spain U23 Mediterranean Games: 2005

Spain U20 FIFA U-20 World Cup runner-up: 2003

References

External links