.jpg) Baraja asElche manager in 2016 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rubén Baraja Vegas[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1975-07-11)11 July 1975 (age 50)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Valladolid, Spain[1] | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Central midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Valladolid | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1993–1995 | Valladolid B | 46 | (11) |
| 1993–1996 | Valladolid | 41 | (2) |
| 1996–1999 | Atlético Madrid B | 79 | (20) |
| 1999–2000 | Atlético Madrid | 34 | (4) |
| 2000–2010 | Valencia | 263 | (41) |
| Total | 463 | (78) | |
| International career | |||
| 1993 | Spain U18 | 3 | (1) |
| 2000–2005 | Spain | 43 | (7) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2011 | Atlético Madrid (assistant) | ||
| 2013–2015 | Valencia (youth) | ||
| 2013 | Valencia B (interim) | ||
| 2015–2016 | Elche | ||
| 2016–2017 | Rayo Vallecano | ||
| 2017–2018 | Sporting Gijón | ||
| 2019–2020 | Tenerife | ||
| 2020 | Zaragoza | ||
| 2023–2024 | Valencia | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Rubén Baraja Vegas (Spanish pronunciation:[ruˈβembaˈɾaxa]; born 11 July 1975) is a Spanish retiredfootballer, currently amanager.
A completecentral midfielder with good tackling, technique, and offensive qualities, together with accurate passing and goalscoring ability,[2][3] he played mostly forValencia during a 17-year professional career, being an essential figure in five of the club's major titles, which included twoLa Liga championships.[4]
Baraja was also a consistent part of theSpain national team for five years, appearing in oneWorld Cup and oneEuropean Championship and winning 43caps. He began work as a head coach in 2015 and was hired by Valencia eight years later.
Born inValladolid,Castile and León, Baraja started his career at localReal Valladolid before moving toAtlético Madrid, where he would spend two and a half seasons withthe reserves, first appearing with the first team on 7 February 1999 by playing the second half of a 2–1 away defeat againstSalamanca.[5] In1998–99, with the B's in theSegunda División, he scored a career-best eleven goals.[6]
When Atlético was relegated at the end of1999–2000, Baraja left the club in a 2,000 millionpesetas transfer tothat year'sUEFA Champions League finalistsValencia,[7] who were looking to strengthen their central midfield following the sale of first-team playersGerard andJavier Farinós. In hisfirst season, he was a key element in theChe'sChampions League run, as they were beaten inthe final for the second year running, this time losing in apenalty shootout toBayern Munich, with the player scoring on his attempt.[8]
2001–02 would see Baraja's first trophy win, where his goals late in the campaign helped Valencia to their firstLa Liga title in 31 years – he finished as team top scorer in the league, netting seven in only 17 league games after recovering from a knee injury.[9][10] 2003–04 was another big year, winning both thedomestic championship (with eight league goals from him)as well as theUEFA Cup, beatingMarseille 2–0 inthe final.[11]
In2006–07, Baraja only made 14 league appearances, as Valencia finished fourth, and continued to be constantly bothered by physical problems in the following years. After two respectable seasons, often partnering longtime central midfield partnerDavid Albelda,[12] he was again greatly troubled by injuries in the2009–10 campaign, featuring in only 18 matches (two complete).
Baraja closed his chapter at theMestalla Stadium after one full decade on 16 May 2010, receiving homages before and after the 1–0 home win overTenerife and being replaced to astanding ovation in the 89th minute.[13] The 35-year-old announced his retirement shortly after, having appeared in 338 top-flight games over 15 seasons and scored 47 goals.[14]
Baraja made his debut forSpain on 7 October 2000, in the2002 FIFA World Cupqualification 2–0 defeat ofIsrael.[15] Consequently, he was picked for the final stages, where the team reached the quarter-finals before being sent out by co-hostsSouth Korea on penalties, though the player, as the year before with Valencia, once again scored on his attempt; he scored from a header during regulation time, but saw his goal disallowed for alleged shirt pulling and pushing in the Korean penalty area.[16][17][18]
Baraja also took part in the disappointingUEFA Euro 2004 tournament,[19] where Spain was eliminated in the group stage by eventual finalistsPortugal andGreece.[20][21] He was left out of the2006 World Cup squad,[22] as his club presence was also diminished due to recurrent injuries.[23][24][25]
In June 2011, Baraja returned to former team Atlético Madrid as part of newly appointed managerGregorio Manzano's staff.[26] In the summer of 2013, he returned to main club Valencia, first coaching the youths.[27]
On 22 December 2013, Baraja tookinterim charge ofthe reserves in theSegunda División B, asNico Estévez was doing the same for the first team, and achieved a 2–1 win atSant Andreu.[28][29]
Baraja was appointed manager ofElche,newly relegated to the second tier, on 12 July 2015.[30] On 6 June of the following year, he resigned after failing to agree new terms.[31]
On 8 November 2016, Baraja took the reins at fellow second-divisionRayo Vallecano.[32] After only three wins from 13 games, he was sacked on 20 February 2017, as they sat a point above the relegation places.[33]
Baraja was appointed atSporting de Gijón on 12 December 2017.[34] Towards the end ofthe season, he received a four-match ban and a €3,005 fine for preventingBarcelona B'sSergi Palencia from taking a throw-in;[35] this included the first game ofthe play-offs, in which eventual champions Valladolid eliminated theAsturians 5–2 on aggregate in the semi-finals.[36]
On 18 November 2018, Baraja was dismissed after losing theAsturian derby againstReal Oviedo, leaving the team in 14th position with a streak of only one win from 11 matches.[37] In December of the following year, he became coach of Tenerife in the same league,[38] managing toavoid relegation, but still left on 20 July 2020.[39]
Baraja replacedVíctor Fernández at the helm ofReal Zaragoza on 20 August 2020.[40] He was relieved of his duties on 9 November, after a poor start tothe season.[41]
On 14 February 2023, Baraja returned to his former club Valencia as head coach, taking over a team that had slipped from 14th to 18th since the dismissal ofGennaro Gattuso; long-time teammateCarlos Marchena was part of his coaching team.[42] His first top-flight game as a manager came six days later, in a 1–0 loss atGetafe,[43] and a 1–1 draw atReal Betis secured survival by a two-point margin on thefinal day.[44] He then renewed his contract for two more years.[45]
On 23 December 2024, having achieved only two wins duringthe season, Baraja was sacked.[46][47]
Baraja's younger brother,Javier, was also a professional footballer. Adefender, he too graduated at Valladolid, and went on to spend most of his senior career there.[48]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Valladolid B | 1993–94 | Segunda División B | 20 | 8 | — | — | — | 20 | 8 | |||
| 1994–95 | Segunda División B | 26 | 3 | — | — | — | 26 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 46 | 11 | — | — | — | 46 | 11 | |||||
| Valladolid | 1993–94 | La Liga | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | 5 | 1 | |||
| 1994–95 | La Liga | 9 | 0 | — | — | — | 9 | 0 | ||||
| 1995–96 | La Liga | 27 | 1 | — | — | — | 27 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 41 | 2 | — | — | — | 41 | 2 | |||||
| Atlético Madrid B | 1996–97 | Segunda División | 22 | 1 | — | — | — | 22 | 1 | |||
| 1997–98 | Segunda División | 32 | 8 | — | — | — | 32 | 8 | ||||
| 1998–99 | Segunda División | 25 | 11 | — | — | — | 25 | 11 | ||||
| Total | 79 | 20 | — | — | — | 79 | 20 | |||||
| Atlético Madrid | 1998–99 | La Liga | 8 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | — | 14 | 1 | |
| 1999–2000 | La Liga | 26 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 6[a] | 2 | — | 37 | 7 | ||
| Total | 34 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 8 | 2 | — | 51 | 8 | |||
| Valencia | 2000–01 | La Liga | 35 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 15[b] | 2 | — | 52 | 7 | |
| 2001–02 | La Liga | 17 | 7 | — | 1[a] | 0 | — | 18 | 7 | |||
| 2002–03 | La Liga | 35 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 12[b] | 4 | 2[c] | 0 | 50 | 9 | |
| 2003–04 | La Liga | 35 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 11[b] | 2 | — | 52 | 12 | ||
| 2004–05 | La Liga | 25 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 8[d] | 1 | 3[e] | 1 | 38 | 9 | |
| 2005–06 | La Liga | 31 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1[f] | 0 | — | 34 | 4 | ||
| 2006–07 | La Liga | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3[b] | 0 | — | 18 | 1 | ||
| 2007–08 | La Liga | 25 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 3[b] | 0 | — | 36 | 3 | ||
| 2008–09 | La Liga | 28 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4[a] | 1 | 2[c] | 0 | 38 | 5 | |
| 2009–10 | La Liga | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8[a] | 0 | — | 28 | 0 | ||
| Total | 263 | 41 | 28 | 5 | 66 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 364 | 57 | ||
| Career total | 463 | 78 | 37 | 7 | 74 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 581 | 98 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 2000 | 3 | 1 |
| 2001 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2002 | 10 | 3 | |
| 2003 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 12 | 2 | |
| 2005 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 43 | 7 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 October 2000 | Ernst Happel,Vienna, Austria |  Austria | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2002 World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 25 April 2001 | Nuevo Arcángel,Córdoba, Spain |  Japan | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 3 | 17 April 2002 | Windsor Park,Belfast, Northern Ireland |  Northern Ireland | 2–0 | 5–0 | Friendly |
| 4 | 12 October 2002 | Carlos Belmonte,Albacete, Spain | Northern Ireland | 1–0 | 3–0 | Euro 2004 qualification |
| 5 | 3–0 | |||||
| 6 | 18 February 2004 | Lluís Companys,Barcelona, Spain |  Peru | 2–1 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 7 | 5 June 2004 | Alfonso Pérez,Getafe, Spain |  Andorra | 2–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | Ref | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | |||||
| Valencia B (interim) |  | 15 December 2013 | 22 December 2013 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 100.00 | [51] |
| Elche | | 12 July 2015 | 6 June 2016 | 43 | 13 | 19 | 11 | 43 | 49 | −6 | 030.23 | [52] |
| Rayo Vallecano | | 8 November 2016 | 20 February 2017 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 14 | −2 | 023.08 | [53] |
| Sporting Gijón | | 12 December 2017 | 18 November 2018 | 43 | 20 | 9 | 14 | 59 | 42 | +17 | 046.51 | [54] |
| Tenerife | | 2 December 2019 | 20 July 2020 | 28 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 38 | 27 | +11 | 042.86 | [55] |
| Zaragoza | | 20 August 2020 | 9 November 2020 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 9 | +0 | 020.00 | [56] |
| Valencia | | 14 February 2023 | 23 December 2024 | 78 | 26 | 20 | 32 | 82 | 95 | −13 | 033.33 | [57] |
| Total | 216 | 77 | 65 | 74 | 245 | 237 | +8 | 035.65 | — | |||
Valencia
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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