Óscar Montalbán Ramos (born 17 May 1976), known as Rubio, is a Spanish former footballer who played as a central defender, and is a manager.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Óscar Montalbán Ramos | ||
| Date of birth | 17 May 1976 | ||
| Place of birth | Madrid, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1994–1997 | Alcalá | ||
| 1997–1998 | Mallorca B | 20 | (0) |
| 1998–1999 | Real Madrid B | 27 | (0) |
| 1999 | Real Madrid | 0 | (0) |
| 1999 | → Mérida (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2000 | Toledo | 20 | (0) |
| 2000–2001 | Farense | 12 | (0) |
| 2001–2005 | Livingston | 123 | (6) |
| 2005–2006 | Rayo Vallecano | 19 | (2) |
| 2006–2009 | Galáctico Pegaso | ||
| Total | 221 | (8) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2012–2014 | Carabanchel | ||
| 2016 | Complutense | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Club career
editSpain
editAfter playing several years in the lower leagues, Rubio signed with Real Madrid in 1998, spending the vast majority of his spell in the Segunda División B with the reserves. He made his only appearance for the first team in the 1998–99 edition of the Copa del Rey, against Valencia CF: after a 6–0 away loss, he featured in the second leg, an insufficient 2–1 win.[1]
Rubio was loaned to CP Mérida for 1999–2000, failing to appear in a single match. In January 2000, he was released by Madrid and joined CD Toledo also of Segunda División[2]– both clubs would be relegated at the end of the season, the former due to financial irregularities.
Livingston
editRubio spent his first year in top-flight football with Portugal's S.C. Farense, playing less than half of the Primeira Liga games as his team finished in 13th position. He signed for Scottish Premier League side Livingston in July 2001,[3] going on to make a total of 148 official appearances for them over the next four years and score eight goals.[4]
In the 2001–02 campaign, Rubio appeared in 33 matches as the Livi Lions finished in a best-ever third place, with the subsequent qualification for the UEFA Cup.[5] He then made history by becoming the first ever Livingston player to score in a European competition, when he netted a header in the club's first game, a 1–1 draw at FC Vaduz (eventual away goals rule qualification).[6] He contributed to the team's victorious run in the Scottish League Cup in 2003–04, including starting and finishing the final against Hibernian.[7]
Later years
editRubio left Livingston in July 2005[8] and moved back to his country, spending one season in the third tier with Rayo Vallecano. He retired in 2009 at the age of 33 after three years with amateurs Galáctico Pegaso, also in his native Madrid.
References
edit- ^ Palacios, Eduardo (17 June 1999). "El Madrid sólo se anota dos 'juegos'" [Madrid can only get two 'games']. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- ^ Muntané, Eduard (12 January 2000). "El Córdoba, líder en refuerzos" [Córdoba, leaders in signings]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- ^ "Livingston make 17 signings". BBC Sport. 4 July 2001. Retrieved 5 September 2009.
- ^ "LIVINGSTON : 1974/75 – 2007/08". Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database. Retrieved 5 September 2009.
- ^ "Livingston clinch third place". BBC Sport. 12 May 2002. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- ^ "Livi off to good start". BBC Sport. 13 August 2002. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
- ^ "Hibernian 0 Livingston 2". Sporting Life. 14 March 2004. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
- ^ "Rubio bids fond farewell to Livi". BBC Sport. 8 July 2005. Retrieved 5 September 2009.
