Roberto Ríos

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

Roberto Ríos

175px 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
Position(s)	Centre back
Youth career
	Betis
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1990–1992	Betis B
1992–1997	Betis	114	(11)
1997–2002	Athletic Bilbao	78	(4)
Total		192	(15)
International career
1991	Spain U19	2	(0)
1993–1994	Spain U21	2	(0)
1996–1998	Spain	11	(0)
1996–1997	Basque Country	4	(0)
Managerial career
2010–2013	Betis (assistant)
2014	West Bromwich Albion (assistant)
2014–2016	Betis (assistant)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

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. 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. 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) as the Basque side finished runner-up in La Liga.

In January 2003, after spending the first months of the season without a club – he only played 27 games in his last three years at Athletic combined – Ríos rejected an offer from West Bromwich Albion after previously training with the Gary Megson-led club, stating "I don't want to fool anyone" about his chances of regaining full fitness. He retired aged 30, due to persistent injury problems.

Ríos returned to Betis in 2010, as part of newly appointed manager Pepe Mel's coaching staff.

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. 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.

Honours

Spain U21

• UEFA European Championship: Third-place 1994

External links

• Roberto Ríos profile at BDFutbol
• National team data
• Athletic Bilbao profile
• Betisweb stats and bio (Spanish)
• Roberto Ríos at National-Football-Teams.com
• Roberto Ríos – FIFA competition record

• El Betis supo marcar las diferencias en Sestao (Betis knew how to make a difference in Sestao); ABC, 14 September 1992 (Spanish)
• Ríos y el Athletic pasan a la historia (Ríos and Athletic make history); El Mundo, 20 July 1997 (Spanish)
• Fin de año con goleada (Routing to end the year); El Mundo, 22 December 1997 (Spanish)
• Rios snubs Baggies; BBC Sport, 21 January 2003
• Pepe Mel negocia con Chivas (Pepe Mel negotiates with Chivas); Diario AS, 27 September 2014 (Spanish)
• 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)
• La nueva España aguó la fiesta checa (New Spain crashed Czech party); La Vanguardia, 10 October 1996 (Spanish)
• Fallece a los 73 años Eusebio Ríos (Eusebio Ríos dies at the age of 73); Diario de Sevilla, 12 May 2008 (Spanish)