Manuel Ruiz

Manuel Ruiz Pérez (born 3 December 1962 in Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz, Andalusia) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and the current manager of Real Balompédica Linense.

After playing youth football for UD Melilla and Atlético Sanluqueño CF, Ruiz signed for Xerez CD in 1979. Four years later he moved to La Liga with Real Zaragoza, making his competition debut on 4 December 1983 in a 0–0 draw at FC Barcelona.

During his four-year spell with the Aragonese, however, Ruiz only amassed nine league appearances combined, barred by Andoni Cedrún which would later become a legendary player for the club. In the 1985–86 season he featured prominently for Zaragoza's B-team in Segunda División, in an eventual relegation-ending campaign.

Before retiring, Ruiz also played professionally for Deportivo de La Coruña – no appearances whatsoever due to a serious injury– and Levante UD, suffering another second division relegation with the latter club.

In 1997, shortly after retiring, Ruiz started coaching, starting with his first senior team Xerez and helping the Andalusians return to the second level in 2001, after a three-year absence. Subsequently, he joined Bernd Schuster's coaching staff at the club (in six matches comprising two separate seasons, he would also manage the side as an interim coach).

In 2003 Schuster signed with FC Shakhtar Donetsk, and Ruiz was one of four coaches as Xerez finished ninth in level two. When the German returned to Spain to sign with Levante UD, Ruiz re-joined his coaching staff, continuing to work with him at his following clubs, Getafe CF and Real Madrid, until he was sacked from the latter in December 2008; amongst other tasks, he was charged with designing the teams' strategic set pieces.

Ruiz started his career as manager in 2011, being linked to AD Alcorcón and CE Sabadell FC in 2013. On 24 December 2015, he was named Real Balompédica Linense manager, replacing fired Rafael Escobar.

Zaragoza

• Copa del Rey: 1985–86