| Francisco Rufete | |
| Full Name: | Francisco Joaquín Pérez Rufete[1] |
| Birth Date: | 20 November 1976 |
| Birth Place: | Benejúzar, Spain |
| Height: | 1.77 m |
| Position: | Winger |
| Youthclubs1: | Atlético Benejúzar |
| Youthyears2: | 1992–1995 |
| Youthclubs2: | Barcelona |
| Years1: | 1995 |
| Caps1: | 12 |
| Goals1: | 3 |
| Years2: | 1995–1997 |
| Caps2: | 45 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 1996 |
| Caps3: | 1 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Years4: | 1997–1998 |
| Caps4: | 38 |
| Goals4: | 5 |
| Years5: | 1998–1999 |
| Caps5: | 0 |
| Goals5: | 0 |
| Years6: | 1999 |
| Clubs6: | → Málaga (loan) |
| Caps6: | 20 |
| Goals6: | 5 |
| Years7: | 1999–2001 |
| Caps7: | 65 |
| Goals7: | 9 |
| Years8: | 2001–2006 |
| Caps8: | 132 |
| Goals8: | 13 |
| Years9: | 2006–2009 |
| Caps9: | 57 |
| Goals9: | 1 |
| Years10: | 2009–2011 |
| Caps10: | 46 |
| Goals10: | 0 |
| Totalcaps: | 416 |
| Totalgoals: | 36 |
| Nationalyears1: | 1992–1993 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 19 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
| Nationalyears2: | 1994–1995 |
| Nationalcaps2: | 9 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 0 |
| Nationalyears3: | 2000 |
| Nationalcaps3: | 3 |
| Nationalgoals3: | 0 |
| Manageryears1: | 2018 |
| Managerclubs1: | Ibiza |
| Manageryears2: | 2020 |
| Managerclubs2: | Espanyol (interim) |
Francisco Joaquín Pérez Rufete (born 20 November 1976) is a Spanish former footballer, and a manager. He played predominantly as a right winger with good dribbling ability, also being a player with a good workrate.
He played with seven clubs during his professional career, including Barcelona (one game) and Valencia (two La Liga titles). Over 12 seasons, he amassed Spanish top-division totals of 269 matches and 23 goals.
Rufete was also an international for Spain.
Born in Benejúzar, Province of Alicante, Valencian Community, Rufete was a product of Barcelona's youth system. He appeared once for the first team, in 1995–96's final round, a 2–2 away draw against Deportivo de La Coruña on 26 May 1996,[2] and his first full professional season came in 1997–98 with Segunda División club Toledo.[3]
Rufete signed for Málaga in January 1999, after having started the campaign with Mallorca (no appearances).[3] He was instrumental, alongside Catanha and José María Movilla, in the side's promotion to La Liga (they were in the Segunda División B the previous season).[4]
After two exceptional individual seasons, Rufete moved to Valencia. Although almost never an undisputed starter, he contributed good overall performances and, on 14 March 2004, scored twice at Celta (2–0)[5] as the Che went on to win another domestic championship; he was already part of the title-winning squad of 2001–02.[6]
After Quique Sánchez Flores arrived at Valencia from Getafe, Rufete was released and joined Espanyol on a free transfer in July 2006.[7] He was constantly hampered by injuries in the 2007–08 campaign,[8] after having appeared in eleven UEFA Cup matches during the Catalans' run to the final in 2007.[9]
Rufete was released by Espanyol in mid-July 2009, moving close to home with Hércules on a two-year deal.[10] In his first season, aged 32/33, the veteran totalled nearly 2,000 minutes as the Alicante team returned to the top division after an absence of 13 years.[11]
Rufete earned three caps for the Spain national team in 2000, the first being in a 2–0 friendly win over Italy on 29 March in Barcelona. He came on as a substitute for Joseba Etxeberria at the hour-mark.[12]
Rufete was released by Hércules in late 2011 after the club decided not to renew his contract,[13] and retired from football shortly after. Two years later, he returned to Valencia after being appointed youth coordinator,[14] but switched to director of football after a few months.[15]
On 18 April 2018, Rufete was given his first managerial position at Ibiza of Tercera División.[16] His team missed out on promotion with a penalty shootout defeat to Atlético Levante in the play-off final on 24 June.[17]
Rufete returned to Espanyol as sporting director, and became their interim manager on 27 June 2020 when Abelardo Fernández was sacked from the last-placed club with six games to go.[18] The next day, in his first professional game in charge, his side lost by a single goal at home to Real Madrid;[19] he oversaw their first fall from the top flight since 1993.[20]
Rufete's son, also named Franciso, is also a professional footballer.[21]
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ibiza |  | 18 April 2018 | 6 July 2018 | [22] | ||||||||
| Espanyol (interim) | | 27 June 2020 | 20 July 2020 | [23] | ||||||||
| Total | — | |||||||||||
Málaga
Valencia
Espanyol
Spain U18