Jesé facts for kids
Jesé playing for Paris Saint-Germain in 2019
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jesé Rodríguez Ruiz | ||
| Date of birth | 26 February 1993 | ||
| Place of birth | Las Palmas, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Winger, forward | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
Las Palmas | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2003–2005 | El Pilar | ||
| 2005–2007 | Huracán | ||
| 2007–2011 | Real Madrid | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2011–2013 | Real Madrid B | 77 | (30) |
| 2011–2016 | Real Madrid | 63 | (13) |
| 2016–2020 | Paris Saint-Germain | 12 | (1) |
| 2017 | → Las Palmas (loan) | 16 | (3) |
| 2017–2018 | → Stoke City (loan) | 13 | (1) |
| 2019 | → Real Betis (loan) | 14 | (2) |
| 2019–2020 | → Sporting CP (loan) | 12 | (1) |
| 2021–2022 | Las Palmas | 57 | (13) |
| 2022–2023 | Ankaragücü | 14 | (2) |
| 2023 | Sampdoria | 11 | (1) |
| 2023 | Coritiba | 6 | (1) |
| 2024–2025 | Johor Darul Ta'zim | 13 | (4) |
| 2025– | Las Palmas | 0 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2009 | Spain U16 | 3 | (1) |
| 2010 | Spain U17 | 7 | (1) |
| 2011 | Spain U18 | 2 | (1) |
| 2010–2012 | Spain U19 | 11 | (6) |
| 2013 | Spain U20 | 8 | (5) |
| 2013–2014 | Spain U21 | 5 | (2) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 27 June 2025 | |||
Jesé Rodríguez Ruiz (born February 26, 1993) is a Spanish professional footballer. He plays as a winger or forward for UD Las Palmas.
Jesé started his career at Real Madrid, one of Spain's biggest clubs. He played 94 games for their main team and scored 18 goals. While at Real Madrid, he won two Champions League titles. He also won a La Liga title, the FIFA Club World Cup, and the Copa del Rey. His time there was affected by a serious knee injury in 2014.
In 2016, Jesé moved to Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain. He later played on loan for several clubs. These included his hometown club Las Palmas, Premier League team Stoke City, Real Betis, and Primeira Liga club Sporting CP. After leaving Paris Saint-Germain, he rejoined Las Palmas permanently. He also played for MKE Ankaragücü, U.C. Sampdoria, Coritiba Foot Ball Club, and Johor Darul Ta'zim before returning to Las Palmas for a third time.
Jesé also played for Spain's national youth teams. He played for teams from under-16 to under-21. He was part of the Spain U19 team that won the 2012 UEFA European Under-19 Championship. He was also the top goalscorer in that tournament.
Outside of football, Jesé is a musician. He is known by his stage name Jey M. He used to be in a two-person reggaeton band.
Contents
Club Football Journey
Starting at Real Madrid
Early Days and Youth Teams
Jesé was born in Las Palmas, Canary Islands. He began playing football with a local team called Huracán in 2005. Before that, he played for a team called El Pilar. His great playing skills caught the attention of big Spanish clubs. These included Espanyol, Mallorca, and Barcelona. But Jesé chose to join Real Madrid's youth system in 2007 when he was 14.
He made his first senior appearance for Real Madrid Castilla (Real Madrid's reserve team) in January 2011. This was in a 5–0 win against Universidad de Las Palmas. His performance, including an assist, led to comparisons with Cristiano Ronaldo. Jesé spent most of that season with Real Madrid's top youth team. His good performance earned him a permanent spot on the Castilla team.
Joining the First Team (2011–2013)
In July 2011, Jesé was chosen by Real Madrid's first-team manager, José Mourinho. He joined the team for their pre-season tour in the United States. He played his first non-competitive game against Los Angeles Galaxy. He came on as a substitute and scored in a 5–1 win. He then returned to the Castilla team. He scored his first goal for them in October 2011 against La Roda.
Jesé made his official senior team debut in December 2011. This was in a Copa del Rey match. He replaced Ronaldo for the last 15 minutes of a 2–0 win. After the game, Jesé said he dedicated his debut to his family. He made his first La Liga appearance in March 2012. He again replaced Ronaldo in a 5–1 win over Real Sociedad. That season, Jesé played 39 games and scored 10 goals for Castilla. The Castilla team won the Segunda División B championship. The main Real Madrid team also won the La Liga title that year.
The next season, Jesé wanted more chances to play for the main team. His agent said they might look for other options if he wasn't given more playing time. In February 2013, Jesé said he felt he was good enough to play more. He also said he learned from Mourinho but that Mourinho preferred famous players. The club chairman and B-team coach supported Jesé but advised him to control his emotions.
Despite not playing much for the first team, Jesé continued to do well for Castilla. In June 2013, he broke the record for most goals in a single season for the reserve team. He scored 22 goals in 38 games. This earned him the Zarra Trophy for the top Spanish goalscorer in the league.
Rising Influence, Injury, and Later Years (2013–2016)
In 2013, there were rumors that Jesé might leave Real Madrid. But the club's director said he would stay. Jesé then signed a new four-year contract. This deal was worth over €1 million a year. It also had a €200 million release clause.
Jesé made his Champions League debut in October 2013. He came on as a substitute in a 4–0 win. He scored his first goal for Real Madrid in his first El Clásico game in October. This was in a 2–1 loss to Barcelona. He had a good period of form between late 2013 and March 2014. He scored important goals in league and cup games.
However, on March 18, 2014, Jesé suffered a serious injury. He tore a ligament in his right knee during a Champions League game. This injury kept him out for the rest of the season. He finished the season with 5 goals and 4 assists in 18 league games. In total, he scored 8 goals in 31 matches. Real Madrid went on to win the Copa Del Rey and Champions League trophies that season.
After nine months, Jesé returned from his injury in December 2014. He scored a goal in a Copa del Rey match. He later said that the injury was a tough time but helped him learn and grow as a player. He was part of the team that won the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup in Japan. Jesé struggled to get back into the main team after his injury. He started only 3 of his 23 games that season. By the end of the season, it was reported he was thinking about leaving the club.
Jesé decided to stay for the 2015–16 season. He wanted to earn a spot in the first team. But he faced strong competition and played limited minutes. Despite this, he scored 6 goals and made 8 assists. He was often used as a backup player in the team's successful 2015–16 UEFA Champions League campaign.
This was Jesé's last season at Real Madrid. He had one year left on his contract. He then agreed to join Paris Saint-Germain. He played 63 league games for Real Madrid during his ten years there. He scored 13 goals in those games. In total, he played 96 games and scored 18 goals for the club. He left with two Champions League titles, one La Liga title, one Copa Del Rey, and one Club World Cup.
Time at Paris Saint-Germain
On August 8, 2016, Jesé joined French club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). He signed a five-year deal. The transfer fee was reported to be €25 million. He made his debut on August 13. He came on as a substitute in a 1–0 win. Jesé later had to miss some games due to appendicitis. After returning, he scored his first goal for PSG in November. This was from a penalty kick in a 2–0 win.
Jesé found it hard to settle in Paris. By the end of the year, he had only started one league game. His manager suggested he might leave the club to find his form again.
Loan to Las Palmas (2017)
On January 31, 2017, Jesé joined Las Palmas on loan. He stayed there until the end of the season. The club chairman said Jesé took a big pay cut to play for his hometown club. He was presented to 9,000 fans at the Estadio de Gran Canaria. He promised to help the club qualify for European football. He played his first game for them on February 6.
On March 1, Jesé returned to the Santiago Bernabéu to play against Real Madrid. He said he was grateful to Real Madrid. He also said his knee injury was why he didn't become a bigger star there. He started the match, which ended in a 3–3 draw. Four days later, he scored his first goals for Las Palmas. He scored two goals in a 5–2 win. He played 16 games for Las Palmas and scored three goals. Las Palmas decided not to sign him permanently. This was due to his performance and high salary.
Loan to Stoke City (2017–2018)
On August 16, 2017, Jesé joined Premier League club Stoke City on loan. He played for the 2017–18 season. He made his debut on August 19 and scored the only goal in a 1–0 win against Arsenal. In December 2017, Jesé left the stadium early during a match. This was after his manager used all substitutes and he was left on the bench. He was disciplined by the club. He then missed several games to visit his son, who was born prematurely.
He returned to play in February 2018. He won a penalty kick in a match. However, his teammate took the penalty instead of him. Jesé was later given compassionate leave again for his son's second operation. But he did not return to training after that. His loan spell ended on May 1. He scored one goal in 13 games for Stoke. The club was later relegated from the Premier League.
Return to PSG and Loan to Betis (2018–2019)
After returning to PSG, Jesé wanted to fight for a spot on the team. But he was left out of the pre-season tour. He also had to train alone. In January 2019, he had lost 7 kg and was working with a personal trainer. He made his only appearance for PSG that season on January 23.
On January 29, Jesé joined Real Betis on loan. He reunited with his former Las Palmas manager there. He made his debut on February 7 in a cup draw. The next week, he made his Europa League debut. He assisted a goal in a 3–3 draw. His first goal for Betis came on March 10. He scored the only goal in a 1–0 win. He scored twice in 18 games. Betis did not sign him permanently.
Loan to Sporting CP (2019–2020)
On September 2, 2019, Jesé joined Portuguese club Sporting CP on loan. He scored his first goal for them in October. This was in a 3–1 win.
At the end of the 2019–20 season, Jesé received a Ligue 1 medal. He had played only one minute in a league match for PSG that season.
Contract Termination (2020–2021)
Jesé did not stay at Sporting CP. He went back to PSG. On September 10, 2020, he played for PSG again in a 1–0 loss. He made his final appearance for PSG in October.
On December 6, PSG announced that Jesé's contract was ended by agreement. This was due to off-field issues.
Second Time at Las Palmas
On February 1, 2021, Jesé returned to Las Palmas. He played for the rest of the season. He had a great game on April 1. He scored a goal and assisted another in a 6–1 win.
Playing for Ankaragücü
Jesé joined Turkish club Ankaragücü on August 4, 2022. He signed a one-year deal. He made his first game four days later. He came on as a substitute in a 0–0 draw. On November 8, Jesé scored two goals in a cup game. His contract was ended by agreement in January 2023.
Time at Sampdoria
On February 10, 2023, Jesé joined Italian club Sampdoria. He signed a contract until the end of the season. He scored his first goal for them on April 16. This was in a 1–1 league draw.
Playing for Coritiba
On September 6, 2023, Jesé joined Brazilian club Coritiba. He signed a contract until the end of the year. He scored his first goal for the club on November 26. This was in a 2–1 loss.
Joining Johor Darul Ta'zim
After 10 months without a club, Jesé joined Malaysian club Johor Darul Ta'zim on October 5, 2024. He made his club debut on October 22 in a Champions League Elite match. He then made his league debut on November 1 in a 4–0 win. On November 30, he scored his first goal for the club in a cup game. On February 5, 2025, he scored his first league goal. On February 18, Jesé scored his first AFC Champions League Elite goal. His club won 5–2 and qualified for the next round. He won the league title and the league cup in his first season with JDT.
Third Time at Las Palmas
On July 24, 2025, Jesé returned to Las Palmas. He signed a one-year contract.
International Career
Playing for Spain's Youth Teams
Jesé played for Spain's national youth teams. He represented his country at all levels from under-16 to under-21. This was between 2009 and 2014.
In 2010, he played for the Spain under-17 team. They were runners-up in the 2010 UEFA European Football Championship. Jesé scored one goal in that tournament. Two years later, Jesé scored five goals for Spain's victorious 2012 European Under-19 Championship team. This included three goals against Portugal. He also scored the winning goal in the final against Greece. Jesé won the Golden Boot award as the top goalscorer.
The next year, Jesé scored five more goals for the Spain under-20 team. This was at the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Spain was knocked out in the quarter-finals. But Jesé still won the Bronze Boot award as the tournament's third top goalscorer.
In February 2014, Spain's senior team manager, Vicente del Bosque, said Jesé was in his plans for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. However, Jesé's chances ended in March when he tore his knee ligament. This injury also made him miss a key qualification game for the 2015 European U-21 Championship. Spain lost that game and did not qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
How Jesé Plays Football
Jesé can play in many attacking positions. He can be an attacking midfielder, a second striker, or a centre-forward. His favorite position is on the wing. When he played for Castilla, he often played as a "false 9." This meant he played like a forward but also dropped back to help. He could also switch sides because he is good with both feet.
In 2013, Zinedine Zidane admired Jesé's direct style of play and his goal-scoring ability. When Jesé joined Real Madrid's first team, manager Carlo Ancelotti played him as a winger. From this position, he could cut inside to create chances and score goals. People often compared him to his teammate Cristiano Ronaldo. This was because of their similar playing styles. Jesé has good technical skills, close control of the ball, speed, and dribbling abilities. Jesé liked being compared to Ronaldo. In an interview, he named Ronaldo as his favorite player.
Personal Life
Jesé's parents are Pascual Rodríguez and María Ruiz. When he joined Real Madrid at 14, he promised his father he would help him retire. The day after Jesé signed his first professional contract, his father was able to retire. Jesé has his parents' names tattooed on his hands. In 2014, he bought them a house in Gran Canaria.
Jesé has four sons: Jesé Jr. (born 2012), Neizan (born 2016), Nyan (born 2017), and Kenai (born 2019). He also has one daughter, Aylén (2020). His third son, Nyan, was born early in 2017 and had some health issues.
In 2014, Jesé had to be rescued from a fire in his apartment building. This happened just a week after his knee injury.
Besides football, Jesé is a musician. In March 2014, he formed a Spanish reggaeton band called Big Flow with his friend DJ Nuno. They released two songs online. In November of that year, the group broke up. Jesé announced he would start a solo music career in 2015 under the name 'Jey M.' In 2018, he released a song called La Prueba (The Proof). He wanted to donate money from the song to research diseases like congenital hyperinsulinism.
In December 2020, Jesé ended his contract with Paris Saint-Germain. This was due to off-field issues.
Honours
Real Madrid
- La Liga: 2011–12
- Copa del Rey: 2013–14
- UEFA Champions League: 2013–14, 2015–16
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2014
Real Madrid Castilla
- Segunda División B: 2011–12
Paris Saint-Germain
- Ligue 1: 2019–20
- Coupe de la Ligue: 2016–17
- Coupe de France runner-up: 2018–19
Johor Darul Ta'zim
- Malaysia Super League: 2024–25
- Malaysia Cup: 2024–25
Spain U19
- UEFA European Under-19 Championship: 2012
Spain U17
- UEFA European Under-17 Championship: Runner-up 2010
Individual
- UEFA European Under-17 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2010
- UEFA European Under-19 Championship: Golden Boot 2012
- UEFA European Under-19 Championship: 2012
- Segunda División: Zarra Trophy 2013
- FIFA U-20 World Cup: Bronze Boot 2013
See also
In Spanish: Jesé Rodríguez para niños
