Oscar Ruggeri

Oscar Ruggeri

Ruggeri playing for Argentina during the 1986 World Cup.
Personal information
Full name	Oscar Alfredo Ruggeri
Date of birth	26 January 1962
Place of birth	Córdoba, Argentina
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position	Centre back
Youth career
1970–1980	Boca Juniors
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1980–1984	Boca Juniors	147	(11)
1985–1988	River Plate	81	(4)
1988–1989	Logroñés	34	(1)
1989–1990	Real Madrid	31	(2)
1990–1992	Vélez Sársfield	55	(5)
1992	Ancona	7	(1)
1992–1993	América	27	(4)
1994–1997	San Lorenzo	114	(12)
1997	Lanús	13	(2)
Total		517	(40)
National team
1983–1994[1]	Argentina	97	(7)
Teams managed
1998–2001	San Lorenzo
2001–2002	Guadalajara
2003	Tecos UAG
2003	Independiente
2003–2004	Elche
2004	América
2006	San Lorenzo
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Oscar Alfredo Ruggeri (born 26 January 1962) is a former footballer. Nicknamed "El Cabezón" ("The Big-Headed One"), Ruggeri is one of the most successful defenders ever to come out of Argentina.

Career

Ruggeri started his career at Boca Juniors, playing with Diego Maradona, with whom he won a league title in 1981. In 1985 he moved to rivals River Plate, where he won the Copa Libertadores, the Intercontinental Cup and another league title in 1986. In 1988 he left for Europe where he played for Spanish clubs Logroñes and Real Madrid, where he won yet another league championship. He also played for Vélez Sársfield, Ancona in Italy, América in Mexico, San Lorenzo and Lanús, where he ended his career.

During his career he represented his country in three World Cups, captaining Argentina in the final two games of the 1994 competition, after Diego Maradona was expelled from the tournament. Ruggeri was also a key piece in the Argentina teams that won the trophy in 1986 and lost the final to West-Germany in 1990. After losing to Romania in the 1994 tournament, Ruggeri retired from international football having played 97 international games, an Argentine record until it was surpassed by Diego Simeone.

Ruggeri played in 21 Copa América games, a national record he shares with José Salomón.

Career statistics

Season	Club	Games	Goals
1980	Boca Juniors	21	2
1981	Boca Juniors	31	1
1982	Boca Juniors	43	3
1983	Boca Juniors	19	1
1984	Boca Juniors	28	1
1985	Boca Juniors	13	1
1985~86	River Plate	35	1
1986~87	River Plate	18	1
1987~88	River Plate	28	2
1988~89	Logroñes	34	1
1989~90	Real Madrid	31	2
1990~91	Vélez Sársfield	31	1
1991~92	Vélez Sársfield	24	4
1992	Ancona	7	1
1992~93	América	27	4
1994	San Lorenzo	22	1
1995	San Lorenzo	35	3
1996	San Lorenzo	27	5
1997	San Lorenzo	17	1
1997	Lanús	13	2

Honours

Boca Juniors

• Argentine Primera División (1): 1981 Metropolitano

River Plate

• Argentine Primera División (1): 1985–86
• Copa Libertadores (1): 1986
• Intercontinental Cup (1): 1986
• Copa Interamericana (1): 1986

Real Madrid

• La Liga (1): 1989–90

San Lorenzo

• Argentine Primera División (1): 1995 Clausura

Argentina

• FIFA World Cup (1): 1986
  • Runner up: 1990
• Copa América (2): 1991, 1993
• FIFA Confederations Cup (1): 1992
• Artemio Franchi Trophy (1): 1993

Individual

• South American Team of the Year (2): 1986, 1991^[2]
• La Liga Foreign Player of the Year (1): 1989
• Footballer of the Year of Argentina (1): 1991
• South American Footballer of the Year (1): 1991
• Olimpia Award (1): 1991
• FIFA XI (1): 1991^[3]

References

1. "Oscar Alfredo Ruggeri – International Appearances". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
2. "South American Team of the Year". 16 January 2009. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
3. FIFA XI´s Matches - Full Info

External links

• sports Illustrated on Ruggeri
• (Spanish) Ruggeri's Player statistics
• (Spanish) Managerial statistics in the Argentine Primera
• (Spanish) Futbol Factory profile (Archived)