Marcel Ruiz (footballer)

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In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Ruiz and the second or maternal family name is Suárez.
Marcel Ruiz
Ruiz with Mexico in 2025
Personal information
Full name Marcel Alejandro Ruiz Suárez
Date of birth (2000-10-26) 26 October 2000 (age 24)
Place of birth Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Toluca
Number 14
Youth career
–2012 Toluca Premier
2012–2017 Querétaro
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2020 Querétaro 49 (6)
2020–2022 Tijuana 49 (2)
2022– Toluca 116 (12)
International career‡
2018 Mexico U20 2 (0)
2019–2021 Mexico U23 7 (0)
2023– Mexico 8 (0)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Mexico
CONCACAF Gold Cup
Winner 2025 United States–Canada
Pan American Games
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Lima Team
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 7 April 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of 6 July 2025

Marcel Alejandro Ruiz Suárez (born 26 October 2000) is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Liga MX club Toluca and the Mexico national team.

Early life

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Ruiz was born in Mérida, Yucatán, to a Mexican father and a Cuban mother.[1] He moved with his family to Querétaro, Querétaro at the age of four. There, he began playing football at a young age and joined a local soccer school named River Plate, inspired by the Argentine club of the same name. The academy would later become affiliated with Toluca Premier. With Toluca, Ruiz would compete in the Danone Nations Cup and the Liga Premier de México.[2]

His early performances eventually led to his recruitment into the youth system of Querétaro.

Club career

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Querétaro

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A product of the youth Querétaro team, Ruiz would make his senior debut in Liga MX on 21 July 2018 against Atlas, coming in at the 86th minute for Erbín Trejo, finishing the game in a 0–0 tie. On 22 August 2018, he would score his first goal for the team, winning the game against Club Universidad Nacional 1–0, becoming the youngest scorer of the season at the age of 17.[3] On 31 August 2018, he contributed two assists for Camilo Sanvezzo to score the first two goals against Morelia, winning 4–1.[4]

Tijuana

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In July 2020, Ruiz signed with Club Tijuana after the club’s owners, Grupo Caliente, sold Querétaro and transferred several of that team’s players – including the 19-year-old Ruiz – to Tijuana.[5][6] Ruiz made his debut for Tijuana in the Apertura 2020 and gradually became a regular squad member. Under new Tijuana coach Pablo Guede, Ruiz’s role evolved from the attacking midfielder position he had played at Querétaro to a deeper playmaking role in central midfield. Often paired with fellow ex-Querétaro teammate Jordi Cortizo, he operated as a deep-lying midfielder with responsibilities in building up attacks and distributing the ball, while also contributing defensively. Guede’s more progressive system relied on Ruiz’s vision and press-resistant passing to link play between defense and attack.[7]

Ruiz' impact with Tijuana was modest. Over two years with Xolos, he made 50 appearances in all competitions, scoring two goals and providing two assists. Notably, he scored his first goal for Tijuana on 25 February 2022, opening the scoring with a deflected shot in a 2–0 victory over reigning champions Atlas – a goal that also marked his first in Liga MX as a Xolos player.[8] Despite some opportunities in the starting lineup, Ruiz’s overall contributions remained limited, and he did not replicate the prolific form of his early Querétaro days.[9] By the Clausura 2021, he was struggling to secure playing time, featuring only 46 minutes in the first three matches, and he acknowledged the need to improve to earn a spot in the starting XI under coach Guede.[10]

Toluca

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In June 2022, Ruiz joined Toluca in an exchange that saw Alexis Canelo join Tijuana.[11] Coach Ignacio Ambríz had specifically requested Ruiz as part of an ambitious squad rebuild for the Apertura 2022, seeing the young midfielder as a key reinforcement.[12] The transfer was viewed as a fresh start for Ruiz after a challenging spell in Tijuana, and it indeed preceded a resurgence in his form with Toluca in subsequent seasons.[9]

Ruiz helped Toluca win the Clausura 2025 championship after defeating América in the finals with an aggregate score of 2–0, their first title in 15 years.[13]

On 16 August 2025, Ruiz captained Toluca in a Apertura 2025 match against UNAM Pumas, stepping into the armband in the absence of key senior figure Alexis Vega.[14]

International career

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Youth

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Ruiz was called up by Diego Ramírez to the under-20 team to participate in a training camp ahead of the 2018 CONCACAF U-20 Championship and matches against Brazil and Japan.[15] However, he did not make the final tournament squad, and ultimately earned only two caps at the under-20 level.

Ruiz was called up by Jaime Lozano to participate with the under-22 team at the 2019 Toulon Tournament,[16] where Mexico finished in third.[17] He was called up by Lozano again to participate at the 2019 Pan American Games,[18] with Mexico winning the third-place match.[19]

Senior

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In March 2023, Ruiz was called up by manager Diego Cocca for the 2022–23 CONCACAF Nations League,[20] and made his senior national team debut on 23 March 2023, in a 2–0 victory against Suriname.

Prior to that first senior call‑up, a rumor circulated widely in Guatemalan sports outlets during March 2022 suggesting that Ruiz possessed Guatemalan ancestry and was being evaluated by coach Luis Fernando Tena for a potential switch of allegiance.[21][22] The National Football Federation of Guatemala issued a brief clarification that no eligibility process had been initiated, and Ruiz himself denied the story in multiple interviews, noting that his family background is Mexican with Cuban roots.[23]

Style of play

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Ruíz is most often deployed as a central or defensive midfielder[24] and is noted for combining defensive solidity with precise distribution and tactical intelligence.[25] This balance allows him to perform effectively in both holding and box‑to‑box roles, and his consistent execution and positional awareness have earned him a reputation as one of the most reliable midfielders in Liga MX.

Defensively, Ruíz excels at reading the game and interrupting opposition attacks. He ranks among the league’s leaders in tackles per 90 minutes and shields the back line particularly well when Toluca operate with a double pivot.[26] In possession he favors simple, progressive combinations and usually completes more than 85% of roughly 50 passes per match.[27] He can also launch transitions with line‑breaking balls or wide switches under pressure. Observers often refer to him as a “midfield engine,” praising his composure, spatial awareness, and ability to control tempo from deeper areas.[28] While not a prolific goal‑scorer, Ruíz makes a significant creative contribution, displaying sharp timing and vision in the final third and being comfortable finding runners from deep and exploiting wide spaces.[29]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 13 May 2024[30]
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Querétaro 2018–19 Liga MX 28 2 7 0 — — 35 2
2019–20 21 4 4 0 — — 25 4
Total 49 6 11 0 — — 60 6
Tijuana 2019–20 Liga MX — 1 0 — — 1 0
2020–21 23 0 — — — 23 0
2021–22 26 2 — — — 26 2
Total 49 2 1 0 — — 50 2
Toluca 2022–23 Liga MX 40 5 — — — 40 5
2023–24 33 2 — 2[a] 0 4[b] 2 39 4
2024–25 0 0 — — — 0 0
Total 73 7 — 2 0 4 2 79 9
Career total 171 15 12 0 2 0 4 2 189 17
  1. ^ Appearances in CONCACAF Champions Cup
  2. ^ Appearances in Leagues Cup

International

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As of match played 6 July 2025[31]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Mexico 2023 1 0
2025 7 0
Total 8 0

Honours

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Toluca

Mexico U23

Mexico

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Consideran a Marcel la primera joya de la veta queretana". ESPNdeportes.com (in Spanish). 24 August 2018. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  2. ^ TolucaFC (18 October 2022). Casillero del Diablo: Marcel Ruiz. Retrieved 15 July 2025 – via YouTube.
  3. ^ "Queretaro's Marcel Ruiz, 17, becomes youngest scorer of Liga MX season". ESPN. 21 August 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  4. ^ "El yucateco Marcel Ruiz, a la selección nacional Sub 20". Arrobadeportes.com. 4 September 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  5. ^ https://vivaligamx.com/2020/06/18/xolos-de-tijuana-sign-plethora-talent/
  6. ^ "Tijuana aprovecha su último vínculo con Querétaro para reforzase de cara al Guard1anes 2020". ESPN.com.gt (in Spanish). 18 July 2020. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  7. ^ "Left Back Football". Left Back Football. 27 November 2020. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  8. ^ "Xolos gana el duelo rojinegro". Sitio Oficial del Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  9. ^ a b Total, Futbol (22 January 2023). "Toluca, el equipo con el que Marcel Ruíz renació su carrera". Futbol Total: Un juego auténtico lleno de nobleza y emoción. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  10. ^ "Marcel Ruiz lanza guiño a Chivas y América". ESPNdeportes.com (in Spanish). 28 January 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  11. ^ "Toluca: Oficializó el fichaje de Marcel Ruiz y debutó con gol en amistoso". www.record.com.mx (in Spanish). 22 June 2022. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  12. ^ "Toluca quiere a Marcel Ruiz y ofrece un intercambio de jugadores a Xolos que incluye a su capitán Alexis Canelo | TUDN Liga MX | TUDN". www.tudn.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  13. ^ https://www.espn.com/soccer/report/_/gameId/735813
  14. ^ "Alexis Vega Sits Out Toluca vs Pumas Clash". www.footboom1.com. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  15. ^ "Queretaro's Ruiz, 17, finds self in sudden spotlight". ESPN.com. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  16. ^ "Convocatoria Final de la SNM Sub 22 Para el Torneo Maurice Revello" (in Spanish). Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación, A.C. 23 May 2019.
  17. ^ "Mexico clinch third place in 2019 Toulon Tournament after win on penalty kicks". Fmfstateofmind.com. 15 June 2019.
  18. ^ "Football Men – Mexico Team Roster" (PDF). Lima 2019. 29 July 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  19. ^ "México rescató el Bronce en Panamericanos tras vencer a Uruguay con muchos apuros".
  20. ^ "Diego Cocca's first NT roster announced". fmfstateofmind.com. 2 March 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  21. ^ "Marcel Ruiz no es elegible para Selección de Guatemala: "No hay forma, nada es cierto"". ESPNdeportes.com (in Spanish). 28 July 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  22. ^ Mediotiempo, Editorial (15 July 2025). "Marcel Ruiz, en la mira de Luis Fernando Tena para jugar con Guatemala". Mediotiempo (in Mexican Spanish). Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  23. ^ "Marcel Ruíz sobre jugar en selección guatemalteca: "No es cierto, no sé quién inventó eso"". www.record.com.mx (in Spanish). 28 July 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  24. ^ "Marcel Ruíz - Most Played Positions". FootballCritic. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  25. ^ "Del museo al título, Marcel Ruiz lo hizo real". Escaparate! (in Spanish). 12 June 2025. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  26. ^ "Young Toluca Star Attracting European Interest". Viva Liga MX. 17 June 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  27. ^ "Marcel Ruiz Stats, Goals, Records, Assists, Cups and more". FBref.com. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  28. ^ Martínez, Enrique (6 April 2025). "Marcel Ruiz apunta a jugar en Europa e ir al Mundial con México". Grupo Milenio (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  29. ^ "El posible destino europeo para Marcel Ruíz". Sports Illustrated Fútbol (in European Spanish). 10 July 2025. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  30. ^ Marcel Ruiz at Soccerway
  31. ^ Marcel Ruiz at National-Football-Teams.com
  32. ^ "United States 1-2 Mexico: Mauricio Pochettino's side beaten in Gold Cup final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  33. ^ https://www.marca.com/mx/futbol/liga-mx/2025/05/28/6836831e46163ffe138b458e.html
  34. ^ https://www.mlssoccer.com/allstar/2025/news/2025-liga-mx-all-star-team-roster
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