Rubens Sambueza facts for kids
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Sambueza in 2016
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rubens Oscar Sambueza | ||
| Date of birth | 1 January 1984 | ||
| Place of birth | Mariano Moreno, Argentina | ||
| Height | 1.78 m | ||
| Playing position | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| River Plate | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2003–2009 | River Plate | 55 | (4) |
| 2007–2008 | → UNAM (loan) | 35 | (4) |
| 2008 | → Flamengo (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2009–2012 | Estudiantes Tecos | 86 | (9) |
| 2012–2016 | América | 155 | (21) |
| 2017–2018 | Toluca | 62 | (10) |
| 2019 | León | 14 | (1) |
| 2019–2020 | → Pachuca (loan) | 24 | (1) |
| 2020–2021 | Toluca | 54 | (8) |
| 2022 | Atlético San Luis | 27 | (1) |
| 2023 | Maipú | 29 | (6) |
| National team | |||
| 2001 | Argentina U17 | 1 | (0) |
| 2003–2004 | Argentina U20 | 11 | (2) |
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Rubens Oscar Sambueza, born on January 1, 1984, is a former professional football player from Argentina. He played as an attacking midfielder, which is a key position in the middle of the field. In October 2013, he also became a citizen of Mexico. His younger brother, Fabián, is also a professional football player.
Contents
Rubens Sambueza's Club Journey
Starting at River Plate
Rubens Sambueza started his football journey at River Plate in Argentina. He played in their youth teams before joining the main team. His first game was on November 30, 2003. He helped River Plate win the Clausura 2004 championship. During his time there, he played 49 games and scored three goals.
Playing for UNAM (Loan)
For the 2007–2008 season, Sambueza was loaned to UNAM Pumas in Mexico. He wore the number 11 jersey, which was also worn by the famous player Hugo Sánchez. He played his first game in the Liga MX against Guadalajara, which ended in a 1–1 tie.
He played 14 games that season, helping with two assists and scoring two goals. One important goal against Pachuca helped UNAM reach the playoffs. They eventually lost in the final. In the next season, he played 16 more games, scoring two goals and making four assists. After this, he went back to River Plate.
Time at Flamengo (Loan)
In August 2008, Rubens was loaned to Flamengo in Brazil for one year. He was given the number 10 shirt, which was a special number at the club. On August 31, he played his first game for Flamengo in a derby match against Fluminense, which ended in a 2–2 tie.
Moving to Estudiantes Tecos
In 2009, Sambueza returned to Mexico to play for Estudiantes Tecos. His first game for them was on August 2, 2009, in a 1–1 tie against Puebla. He played 15 games that season, making three assists but not scoring any goals.
He scored his first goal for Tecos in February 2010. It was a penalty kick in a 1–1 tie against his old team, UNAM. He became a regular player for Estudiantes Tecos. His last game for them was on April 16, 2012. He scored the only goal for Estudiantes in a 1–1 tie, but the team was moved down to the second division after 37 years in the top league.
Joining Club América
Success in 2012–13
On May 30, 2012, Sambueza joined América, a big club in Mexico. He reunited with his former coach, Miguel Herrera. His first game with América was on July 28, 2012, in a 4–2 win. He scored his first goal a week later in a 2–2 tie. He also scored in the next two games.
In his first season with América, he played 16 games, scored four goals, and made three assists. Fans even voted him the best midfielder for the club that season. In the Clausura 2013 season, he scored and assisted in the first game. He played 15 regular season matches, scoring two goals and making six assists. He also played in both final games against Cruz Azul. América won their eleventh league title, which was Sambueza's first league title in Mexico.
Exciting 2013–14 Season
On July 31, Sambueza helped with a goal in a 1–1 tie against León. A few days later, he had a great game, assisting a goal and scoring from a free-kick in a 3–0 win. He scored again in September in a 3–1 win and a 1–0 away win.
On October 5, he assisted the first goal in a 2–0 win against Guadalajara in the big "Súper Clásico" match. On October 26, he scored two goals in one game for the first time with América, helping them win 3–1. Fans voted him América's best player for the Apertura 2013 season.
Final Season with América (2016-2017)
In the Apertura Final, while América was leading 1–0, Sambueza received a second yellow card and was sent off. This meant both teams played with 10 players. América ended up losing the game in a penalty shootout. This was his last game for América, as he then moved to Toluca.
Rubens Sambueza's International Play
Rubens Sambueza played for Argentina's youth teams in important games. He never played for the senior Argentina national team. Later, when he became a Mexican citizen, the coach of the Mexico national football team wanted to call him up. However, he was not allowed to play for Mexico because he had already played for Argentina's youth national teams in official competitions.
Rubens Sambueza's Achievements
Rubens Sambueza won several titles and awards during his career:
- River Plate
* Primera División: Clausura 2004
- América
* Liga MX: Clausura 2013, Apertura 2014 * CONCACAF Champions League: 2014–15, 2015–16
- Individual Awards
* América Midfielder of the Tournament: Apertura 2012 * América Player of the Tournament: Apertura 2013 * CONCACAF Champions League Golden Ball: 2015–16 * Liga MX Balón de Oro: 2017–18 * Liga MX Player of the Month: January 2021 * Liga MX Best XI: Guardianes 2021 * Liga MX All-Star: 2021
See also
In Spanish: Rubens Sambueza para niños
