Rui Pedro Coimbra Chaves (born 11 September 1990), known as Ruca, is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a left-back.
Club career Born in Tondela, Viseu District, Ruca moved to S.C. Beira-Mar's youth system at the age of 16 from local Clube de Futebol Repesenses. After winning the second-division juniors championship in 2009, he signed with Gil Vicente FC.Ruca é pérola para o futuro (Ruca is a gem for the future); Record, 28 June 2009 (in Portuguese)
In his first season as a senior, Ruca was loaned to hometown's C.D. Tondela. He made his competitive debut against Amarante F.C. on 30 August 2009, in a match for the Taça de Portugal. He continued to be loaned the following years, to Vilaverdense FC, Oliveira de Frades (two spells) and again Tondela.II Divisão – Norte: Vieirinha e Hugo Costa reforçam Tondela (II Division – North: Vieirinha and Hugo Costa strengthen Tondela); Agente Desportivo, 29 August 2011 (in Portuguese)
Ruca joined yet another club in the third division in the summer of 2013, SC Mirandela.S.C. Mirandela: Moses chega esta semana e Ruca já treina (S.C. Mirandela: Moses arrives this week and Ruca is already training); Rádio Brigantia, 30 July 2013 (in Portuguese) He had been previously deployed as a left winger or attacking midfielder, but switched to left-back at his new team.Ruca, o avançado que virou lateral esquerdo de destaque (Ruca, the forward who turned into a prominent left-back); Zerozero, 12 March 2015 (in Portuguese)
On 1 July 2014, Ruca signed for C.D. Mafra as a free agent after his contract with Gil expired.Seniores: Ruca para lateral esquerdo (Seniors: Ruca for left-back); CD Mafra, 1 July 2014 (in Portuguese) Starting in all his league appearances, he contributed seven goals to help the side win the championship and subsequently promote to the Segunda Liga.Mafra é campeão do CNS (Mafra are CNS champions); Zerozero, 10 June 2015 (in Portuguese)
Ruca agreed to a two-year deal with Vitória F.C. from the Primeira Liga, on 11 June 2015.Ruca oficializado no Bonfim (Ruca made official at the Bonfim); Record, 11 June 2015 (in Portuguese) He scored on his debut in the competition on 16 August, putting the hosts ahead 2–0 in an eventual 2–2 draw against Boavista FC.Boavista empata em Setúbal após grande recuperação (Boavista draw in Setúbal after great comeback); Diário de Notícias, 16 August 2015 (in Portuguese)
On 30 August 2016, Ruca was linked to Cypriot club Apollon Limassol FC, but Vitória manager José Couceiro vetoed his departure due to lack of options in his position. On 30 December he left by mutual consent due to lack of playing time and, two days later, returned to Tondela.
Ruca continued to compete in the Portuguese second tier in the following seasons (a brief loan spell in the Cypriot First Division notwithstanding), representing Mafra, C.D. Feirense and F.C. Penafiel. He moved abroad again in July 2022, joining PFC Beroe Stara Zagora of the First Professional Football League (Bulgaria).
Ruca subsequently returned to Portugal, representing in the lower leagues Académica de Coimbra and SC São João de Ver.
Career statistics
+Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGil Vicente2009–10Liga de Honra00000000Tondela (loan)2009–10Segunda Divisão16310—173Vilaverdense (loan)2010–11AF Braga Divisão de Honra15000—150Oliveira Frades (loan)2010–11Terceira Divisão19700—197Tondela (loan)2011–12Segunda Divisão7021—91Oliveira Frades (loan)2012–13Terceira Divisão311700—3117Mirandela (loan)2013–14Campeonato de Portugal28200—282Mafra2014–15Campeonato de Portugal29720—317Vitória Setúbal2015–16Primeira Liga24130102812016–17Primeira Liga10002030Total2513030311Tondela2016–17Primeira Liga80000080Alki Oroklini (loan)2017–18Cypriot First Division13100—131Mafra2018–19LigaPro2841020314Feirense2019–20LigaPro17020102002020–21Liga Portugal 222020—240Total3904010440Penafiel2021–22Liga Portugal 22003120251Beroe2022–23First Professional Football League15020—170Académica2022–23Liga 35000—50São João Ver2023–24Campeonato de Portugal26100—261 Career totals324431828035045
Honours Vilaverdense Braga Football Association: 2010–11
Mafra Campeonato de Portugal: 2014–15
References
External links