Luis Rioja
Spanish footballer (born 1993)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Luis Jesús Rioja González (born 16 October 1993) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a left winger and left back for Valencia CF.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Luis Jesús Rioja González | ||
| Date of birth | 16 October 1993 | ||
| Place of birth | Las Cabezas de San Juan, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Valencia | ||
| Number | 11 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1999–2012 | Cabecense | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2012–2013 | Cabecense | 35 | (4) |
| 2013–2014 | Real Madrid C | 33 | (0) |
| 2014–2017 | Celta B | 65 | (8) |
| 2017–2018 | Marbella | 46 | (5) |
| 2018–2019 | Almería | 39 | (4) |
| 2019–2024 | Alavés | 180 | (21) |
| 2024– | Valencia | 73 | (8) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 27 May 2026 | |||
Career
Rioja was born in Las Cabezas de San Juan, Seville, Andalusia, and was a CD Cabecense youth graduate. He made his senior debut on 2 September 2012, playing the last 22 minutes of a 2–0 Tercera División home win against Cádiz CF B.
Rioja scored his first senior goal on 18 November 2012, in a 4–0 home routing of Arcos CF, and finished the campaign with four goals in 35 appearances. On 27 June of the following year, he signed a three-year deal with Real Madrid and was assigned to the C-team in Segunda División B.[2]
On 27 July 2014, Rioja joined another reserve team, Celta de Vigo B in the third division.[3] On 4 January 2017, he moved to fellow league team Marbella FC.[4]
On 23 July 2018, Rioja agreed to a two-year contract with Segunda División side UD Almería.[5] He made his professional debut on 17 August, starting in a 1–0 away loss against Cádiz CF.[6]
Rioja scored his first professional goal on 26 August 2018, netting the opener in a 1–1 home draw against CD Tenerife.[7] He was a regular starter for the club during the campaign, contributing four goals in 39 appearances.
On 1 July 2019, Rioja signed a four-year deal with La Liga side Deportivo Alavés, as the club activated his release clause.[8] He made his debut in the league on 18 August, starting in a 1–0 home defeat of Levante UD.[9]
On 22 August 2024, Rioja signed a two-year contract with Valencia CF.[10]
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Cabecense | 2012–13 | Tercera División | 35 | 4 | — | — | 35 | 4 | ||
| Real Madrid C | 2013–14 | Segunda División B | 33 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 0 | ||
| Celta B | 2014–15 | Segunda División B | 28 | 4 | — | — | 28 | 4 | ||
| 2015–16 | 37 | 4 | — | — | 37 | 4 | ||||
| 2016–17 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 65 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 65 | 8 | ||
| Marbella | 2016–17 | Segunda División B | 16 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 0 | ||
| 2017–18 | 30 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 34 | 5 | ||
| Total | 46 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 50 | 5 | ||
| Almería | 2018–19 | Segunda División | 39 | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | 41 | 5 | |
| Alavés | 2019–20 | La Liga | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 29 | 0 | |
| 2020–21 | 35 | 4 | 1 | 1 | — | 36 | 5 | |||
| 2021–22 | 37 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | 39 | 2 | |||
| 2022–23 | Segunda División | 38 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 4[a] | 0 | 45 | 10 | |
| 2023–24 | La Liga | 37 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 5 | |
| 2024–25 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Total | 176 | 20 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 189 | 22 | ||
| Career total | 394 | 41 | 13 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 413 | 44 | ||
- Appearance(s) in Promotion Playoff