Fabián Ruiz: The Unsung Hero of Paris Saint-Germain | OneFootball

It has been 21 years since Fabián Ruiz Peña departed EF La Unión de Los Palacios and joined Real Betis’ academy. Since then, there have been plenty of widespread changes in world football; Paris Saint-Germain has established itself as France’s overpowering champions, D.C. United have gone from dominating MLS to descending to the league’s cellar, Manchester City and Juventus achieved unprecedented domestic dynasties in England and Italy, while other clubs like Atlético Madrid, Atalanta, and Bayer Leverkusen have established their names on the continental stage.

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As for Fabián, he’s gone from a fresh-faced eight-year-old boy to one of the most respected midfielders in the European game. Don’t believe me? Just ask Diadié Samassékou.

“Fabián Ruiz was my toughest opponent,” stated Samassékou in an exclusive PSG Talk interview. “I remember after we played Napoli, thinking, ‘Who is this player? You cannot press him, you cannot push him off the ball, you cannot do anything…he’s so strong and he moves a lot. I played against Marco Reus, Mario Götze, all these players, but for me, Ruiz was the most difficult opponent for me.”

Born in Los Palacios y Villafranca, Spain, Fabián spent a decade in Betis’ academy ranks before breaking into the first team and chipping in with six appearances as the Verdiblancos finished atop the 2014-15 Segunda División table, before playing 13 times in 2015-16. After being loaned out to second-tier Elche midway through the 2016-17 campaign, Fabián returned with a vengeance and established himself as a vital cog in midfield under new Betis manager Quique Setién, scoring three goals and six assists in 35 appearances across the 2017-18 season. It was enough to see Napoli trigger his €30 million buyout clause and sign him to a five-year contract.

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