1. Overview
Ruben Aguilar (born April 26, 1993) is a French professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Lens. Throughout his career, he has played for several notable French clubs, including AJ Auxerre, Montpellier HSC, and AS Monaco FC, progressing through various divisions before establishing himself in Ligue 1. He has also received a call-up to the France national football team.
2. Early Life
Ruben Aguilar was born on April 26, 1993, in Grenoble, Isère, France. His family background includes a French mother and a Spanish father. He stands at 68 in (172 cm) and weighs 157 lb (71 kg).
3. Club Career
Ruben Aguilar's professional football career began in the French lower leagues, gradually moving up to play for prominent clubs in Ligue 2 and Ligue 1, contributing significantly to each team's defense.
3.1. Early Career
Aguilar began his senior career with Saint-Étienne B, the reserve team of AS Saint-Étienne, playing in the CFA. He was with the team from 2011 to 2013, making 39 appearances and scoring 1 goal. Following his time at Saint-Étienne B, he moved to Grenoble, where he played in the CFA for the 2013-14 season, appearing in 16 matches without scoring.
3.2. Auxerre
In 2014, Aguilar joined Auxerre. He made his Ligue 2 debut on August 1, 2014, in a 2-0 home victory against Le Havre. He became a regular feature in Auxerre's defense, playing 30 league matches during the 2016-17 season. He also made one appearance for Auxerre B in the CFA during the 2015-16 season.
3.3. Montpellier
In May 2017, Aguilar transferred to Montpellier, marking his progression to Ligue 1. He played for Montpellier for two seasons, from 2017 to 2019, where he became a key player in the club's top-flight campaigns.
3.4. Monaco
On August 6, 2019, Aguilar signed a five-year contract with Monaco. During his tenure at Monaco, he continued to play as a right-back, contributing to the team's performances in domestic competitions like Ligue 1, as well as European tournaments such as the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.
3.5. Lens
Ruben Aguilar joined Lens in 2023. He continues to play as a right-back, contributing to the team's defense and attacking plays in Ligue 1 and any other competitions Lens participates in.
4. International Career
Ruben Aguilar received his first call-up to the France national football team on November 9, 2020. This was a significant milestone, as he had not previously played for France at any youth international level. He made one appearance for the senior national team in 2020.
5. Personal Life
Ruben Aguilar was born in Grenoble, France, to a French mother and a Spanish father. A notable incident in his personal life involved a mistaken call-up to the Bolivia national football team. This occurred due to an erroneous entry in a Football Manager video game database, which incorrectly suggested he had Bolivian descent. Despite the call-up, Aguilar has no connection to Bolivia, and the invitation was later withdrawn.
6. Career Statistics
Comprehensive statistical data on Ruben Aguilar's professional football career, broken down by club and international appearances, showcases his consistent involvement across various competitions.
6.1. Club Statistics
| Club | Season | League | Coupe de France | Coupe de la Ligue | Europe | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Saint-Étienne B | 2011-12 | CFA | 15 | 1 | - | - | - | 15 | 1 | |||
| 2012-13 | CFA | 24 | 0 | - | - | - | 24 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 39 | 1 | - | - | - | 39 | 1 | |||||
| Grenoble | 2013-14 | CFA | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 16 | 0 | ||
| Auxerre | 2014-15 | Ligue 2 | 29 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | - | 38 | 0 | |
| 2015-16 | Ligue 2 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 22 | 0 | ||
| 2016-17 | Ligue 2 | 30 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | 35 | 1 | ||
| Total | 81 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 0 | - | 95 | 1 | |||
| Auxerre B | 2015-16 | CFA | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | |||
| Montpellier | 2017-18 | Ligue 1 | 31 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | - | 38 | 0 | |
| 2018-19 | Ligue 1 | 29 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 30 | 1 | ||
| Total | 60 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | - | 68 | 1 | |||
| Monaco | 2019-20 | Ligue 1 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | - | 23 | 1 | |
| 2020-21 | Ligue 1 | 33 | 1 | 5 | 1 | - | - | 38 | 2 | |||
| 2021-22 | Ligue 1 | 28 | 0 | 3 | 0 | - | 8 | 0 | 39 | 0 | ||
| 2022-23 | Ligue 1 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | 23 | 0 | ||
| Total | 100 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 123 | 3 | ||
| Lens | 2023-24 | Ligue 1 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | 28 | 1 | |
| 2024-25 | Ligue 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | ||
| Total | 33 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | 36 | 1 | |||
| Career total | 330 | 4 | 26 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 378 | 7 | ||
6.2. International Statistics
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 2020 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 1 | 0 | |