Full name Alexis Ruano Delgado Years Team Weight 62 kg Number 2 Height 1.69 m | Playing position Role Footballer Place of birth Malaga, Spain Name Alexis (footballer) Salary 11.5 million USD (2014) | |
Date of birth (1985-08-04) 4 August 1985 (age 30) Current teams Chile national football team (Midfielder, Forward), Arsenal F.C. (#17 / Forward) Parents Jose Delaigue, Gullermo Soto, Martina Sanchez Similar People Arturo Vidal, Mesut Ozil, Laia Grassi, Claudio Bravo, Eduardo Vargas Profiles | ||
Alexis Ruano Delgado (born 4 August 1985), known simply as Alexis, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Deportivo Alavés. Mainly a central defender, he can also operate as a full back.
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He amassed La Liga totals of 293 games and 16 goals during 14 seasons, representing in the competition Málaga, Getafe (two spells), Valencia, Sevilla and Alavés.
Málaga / Getafe
Born in Málaga, Alexis joined Getafe CF from Málaga CF for 2006–07, for €2.5 million. He had played for the Andalusia club for three years, after having spent as many with the B-team, two of those in the second division; he would first appear for the main squad of the latter on 15 February 2004, playing eight minutes in a 5–2 home win against RCD Espanyol.
Alexis scored the winning goal for Getafe against Real Madrid, in a 1–0 league home win on 14 October 2006, and was part of the league's best defence that season (only 33 goals in 38 games).
Valencia
In April 2007, Valencia signed Alexis to a €6.5 million deal at the Mestalla Stadium that ran until 2013, beating off competition from Real Madrid. After spending most of the campaign sidelined with a severe knee injury, he helped the team win the Copa del Rey, netting the second goal in a 3–1 win over former club Getafe in the final, after Juan Mata had scored the opener.
On 14 September 2008 Alexis, who started the season as Raúl Albiol centre-back partner, netted in a 2–2 draw at UD Almería, but also spent two months in the sidelines due to a pubalgia ailment. He appeared in 24 games in the following campaign, helping the Che to a third-place in La Liga and former side Málaga avoid relegation, as he headed home in the last-minute of the home fixture against CD Tenerife, which dropped down a level instead with that 0–1 loss.
Sevilla / Getafe return
On 24 August 2010, Alexis joined Sevilla FC for €5 million, signing a six-year contract with the Rojiblancos as a replacement for Arsenal-bound Sébastien Squillaci. He appeared in 21 league games in his first year (26 overall) as the team finished fifth and qualified to the UEFA Europa League.
In the third game of 2011–12 – his first – Alexis salvaged a point for Sevilla with an 86th-minute header away against Villarreal CF (2–2). He would only be fourth of fifth-choice stopper for new manager Marcelino García Toral, however; in late February 2012, even though the winter transfer window had already closed, he was allowed to join former club Getafe on loan until the end of the season, as the Madrid outskirts side was immerse in a deep injury crisis to its defensive sector. The move was extended for the entire 2012–13.
In the 2013 summer, Alexis agreed to a permanent four-year deal. He continued to be an undisputed starter when healthy, but missed several games due to suspension.
Beşiktaş
On 21 January 2016, aged 30, Alexis moved abroad for the first time, joining Beşiktaş J.K. in the Turkish Süper Lig for €2 million. After a 3–3 away draw against Akhisar Belediyespor on 23 April, his poor performance led to criticism and accusations of match fixing.
Alavés
On 29 July 2016, Alexis returned to Spain and its top tier, signing for newly promoted club Deportivo Alavés.