Top 10 things you need to know about Bryan Ruiz

By Football Spy in Football Spy

Published 11:25 07/07/10

New Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson is in negotiations with FC Twente for Bryan Ruiz. But what do we know about the £13m-rated goal-scorer? Here's Football Spy with all the answers...

1) Bryan Ruiz Gonzalez was born on August 18, 1985, in San Jose, Costa Rica (presumably he could show the rest of the Liverpool squad the way there...).

2) His nickname in Holland is San Bryan del Twente. Not very catchy, we're sure you'll agree, but it's arguably preferable to the one he was first lumbered with in his homeland: 'la comadreja, or in English, 'the weasel' (earned on account of his speed and ability rather than any character defects, we hasten to add). Costa Rica fans have recently taken to calling Ruiz 'El Duende', or 'the elf', which isn't much better, it must be said.

3) He first came to prominence as an 18 year-old playing for Costa Rican top-flight side Alajuelense. A gifted forward capable of playing anywhere in the final third, Bryan bagged 24 goals from 80-odd appearances and also helped secure the 2004-05 league title.

4) He made his full international debut in 2005 and scored his first goal during the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup, against Honduras. Ruiz has become a fixture of the Costa Rica side ever since, winning over 30 caps and scoring a total of nine goals. He hit six during the 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign, although sadly it wasn't enough to book Costa Rica a place at the finals in South Africa.

5) He moved to Europe in the summer of 2006, joining Belgian side Gent. An instant hit, Ruiz chipped in another 26 goals during his three years there and regularly topped his team's scoring charts.

6) Here's a compilation of Ruiz's early days in Costa Rica and Belgium in which you can clearly see that the boy's a bit special. And, unfortunately, hear that the video's compiler has ears of the thickest cloth:

7) In July 2009 he moved to Schteeve McClaren's FC Twente side for the princely sum of €5m. Ruiz got off to a flier, bagging a goal on his debut in a 2-0 win at Sparta Rotterdam.

8) He enjoyed a dream first season in the Eredivisie. In one particular purple patch, Ruiz found the back of the net in 10 consecutive games. In March 2010, meanwhile, he exacted further punishment on Sparta Rotterdam, bagging a four-minute hat-trick (although the middle goal WAS a penalty...). And here it is, look:

9) He finished off his impressive Eredivisie entrance by helping FC Twente to win the league title. Ruiz's 24 goals from 34 league games brought him to the attention of Europe's top clubs which, of course, is where Liverpool come in.

10) And for any Liverpool fans feeling a tad uncertain about a possible Gerrard-and-Torres-less future, here's a highlights clip from last season that will have you drooling at the mouth, complete with an apposite soundtrack that will have you weeping with joy...