Ritvars Rugins

Ritvars Rugins (born 17 October 1989 in Tukums) is a Latvian footballer, currently playing for Riga FC in the Latvian Higher League and Latvia national football team.

Ritvars Rugins
Personal information
Full name Ritvars Rugins
Date of birth (1989-10-17) 17 October 1989
Place of birth Tukums, Latvian SSR, USSR
(now Republic of Latvia)
Height 172 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Riga
Number 8
Youth career
FK Tukums 2000
FK Ventspils-2
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2011 FK Ventspils 69 (9)
2012 Illichivets Mariupol 1 (0)
2012–2014 Skonto Riga 72 (5)
2015–2019 FK Ventspils 97 (6)
2019– Riga 41 (0)
National team‡
2008–2010 Latvia U-21 12 (1)
2010– Latvia 39 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 24 January 2021
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 23 March 2019

Club career

Early career and FK Ventspils

Ritvars Rugins started playing football at the age of 9 in his local club Tukums 2000. In 2007, he joined the Latvian Higher League club FK Ventspils. In 2008, he played his first league match for the team, it was his only appearance that season. In 2009, he played 14 games and scored twice. In 2010, he scored 3 goals in 22 games. Year 2011 saw him playing 29 matches and scoring 4 times. During that season Rugins was tried out in different positions, as the coach Sergei Podpaly faced a lack of defenders all season long. Ritvars usually plays as a midfielder, but periodically has also been part of the defensive and attacking lines, being described as a very universal player. Rugins is a three-time Latvian champion and has also won the Latvian Cup and Baltic League - each once respectively.

Illichivets Mariupol

On 9 January 2012 Rugins signed a contract with the Ukrainian Premier League club Illichivets Mariupol.[1] He made his league debut for the club on 10 March 2012, coming on as a substitute in the 72nd minute against Shakhtar Donetsk.[2]

Skonto Riga

In July 2012, Rugins returned to the Latvian Higher League, signing for Skonto Riga.[3]

Riga FC

Rugins signed with Riga FC on 7 January 2019.[4]

International career

Rugins played for Latvia U-21 until 2010, scoring once in 12 matches. He made his debut for the national team in a friendly match against China (0–1) on 17 November 2010.[5] As of August, 2012, Rugins has been capped 8 times for the national side.[6]

Honours

FK Ventspils
  • Latvian champion
    • 2008, 2011
  • Latvian Cup winner
    • 2011, 2017
  • Baltic League champion
    • 2010

Riga FC
  • Latvian champion
    • 2019, 2020

National team
  • Baltic Cup winner
    • 2014, 2018

References
  1. "Rugins pārceļas uz Ukrainas Premjerlīgas klubu "Illichivets"". sportacentrs.com. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  2. http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/legionari/10032012-gorksam_8_uzvara_pec_kartas_ruginam_20_mi
  3. http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/lmt_virsliga/27072012-gulbene_jelgava_un_rigas_daugava_pastipri
  4. "Ventspils" kapteinis Rugins pāriet uz "Riga", liepājnieku sastāvs zināms par 99%, sportacentrs.com, 7 January 2019
  5. "China 1–0 Latvia / Friendlies 2010". www.footballdatabase.eu. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  6. "Latvijas Futbola federācija". www.lff.lv. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
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