Roberto Ríos

For Argentine senator, see Roberto Ríos (Argentine politician).
Roberto Ríos

Ríos in training with Betis
Personal information
Full name Roberto Ríos Patus
Date of birth (1971-10-08) 8 October 1971
Place of birth Bilbao, Spain
Height 1.92 m (6 ft 3 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Centre back
Youth career
Betis
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1990–1992 Betis B 23 (3)
1992–1997 Betis 114 (11)
1997–2002 Athletic Bilbao 78 (4)
Total 215 (18)
National team
1991 Spain U19 2 (0)
1993–1994 Spain U21 2 (0)
1996–1998 Spain 11 (0)
1996–1997 Basque Country 4 (0)
Teams managed
2010–2013 Betis (assistant)
2014 West Bromwich Albion (assistant)
2014–2016 Betis (assistant)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Ríos and the second or maternal family name is Patus.

Roberto Ríos Patus (born 8 October 1971 in Bilbao, Biscay) is a Spanish retired professional footballer who played as a central defender.

Club career

Although Basque-born, Ríos emerged through the youth system of Real Betis, making his professional debuts in the second division in the 1992–93 season.[1] He went on to contribute importantly in the Andalusians' promotion the following year – although appearing in only 19 matches he scored four times – and become a regular first-team member onwards.

In the 1997 summer, following rumours of a transfer to Manchester United earlier in February, Ríos was signed by Athletic Bilbao for 2 billion pesetas, a then-record for a national player.[2] In his first season, he netted twice in 32 contests (including once in a 5–1 home thrashing of CP Mérida, on 21 December 1997[3]) as the Basque side finished runner-up in La Liga.

After spending the first months of the 2002–03 campaign without a club and having played only played 27 games in his last three years at Athletic combined, Ríos trained with West Bromwich Albion. However, in January 2003 he rejected a contract offer from the Gary Megson-led team, stating "I don't want to fool anyone" about his chances of regaining full fitness.[4]

Ríos retired aged 30, due to persistent injury problems. He returned to Betis in 2010, as part of newly appointed manager Pepe Mel's coaching staff.[5][6]

International career

Ríos was capped 11 times by Spain, with his debut coming on 9 October 1996 in a 0–0 away draw to the Czech Republic for the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.[7] In spite of having appeared significantly during the campaign and coming from a solid club season with Athletic, he was overlooked for the final stages in France.

Personal life

Ríos' father, Eusebio, was also a footballer (and a defender). He too played most of his career at Betis, and later became a coach, also managing the team.[8]

Honours

Spain U21

References

  1. ↑ El Betis supo marcar las diferencias en Sestao (Betis knew how to make a difference in Sestao); ABC, 14 September 1992 (Spanish)
  2. ↑ Ríos y el Athletic pasan a la historia (Ríos and Athletic make history); El Mundo, 20 July 1997 (Spanish)
  3. ↑ Fin de año con goleada (Routing to end the year); El Mundo, 22 December 1997 (Spanish)
  4. ↑ Rios snubs Baggies; BBC Sport, 21 January 2003
  5. ↑ Pepe Mel negocia con Chivas (Pepe Mel negotiates with Chivas); Diario AS, 27 September 2014 (Spanish)
  6. ↑ Ríos: “No me veo como primer entrenador; mi intención es estar muchos años con Mel” (Ríos: “I do not see myself as head coach; I intend to spend many years with Mel”); ABC, 7 October 2015 (Spanish)
  7. ↑ La nueva España aguó la fiesta checa (New Spain crashed Czech party); La Vanguardia, 10 October 1996 (Spanish)
  8. ↑ Fallece a los 73 años Eusebio Ríos (Eusebio Ríos dies at the age of 73); Diario de Sevilla, 12 May 2008 (Spanish)
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