Rúben Lima

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Rocha and the second or paternal family name is Lima.
Rúben Lima
Personal information
Full name Rúben Alexandre Rocha Lima[1]
Date of birth (1989-10-03) 3 October 1989[1]
Place of birth Lisbon, Portugal[1]
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position Left-back
Youth career
1997–1999 Tenente Valdez
1999–2000 Palmense
2000–2007 Benfica
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2010 Benfica 0 (0)
2007–2009 → Aves (loan) 32 (1)
2009–2010 → Vitória Setúbal (loan) 24 (0)
2010–2011 Beira-Mar 6 (0)
2011–2013 Hajduk Split 44 (0)
2013–2016 Dinamo Zagreb 16 (0)
2014 → Rijeka (loan) 2 (0)
2014 Dinamo Zagreb B 6 (1)
2016–2017 União Madeira 39 (0)
2017–2019 Moreirense 53 (0)
2020–2021 B-SAD 44 (0)
2021–2024 Famalicão 25 (2)
2024–2025 Estrela Amadora 38 (0)
International career
2005–2006 Portugal U17 12 (0)
2006–2007 Portugal U18 8 (0)
2007–2008 Portugal U19 12 (1)
2008–2010 Portugal U21 13 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 3 June 2025

Rúben Alexandre Rocha Lima (born 3 October 1989) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a left-back.

Club career

Portugal

A product of his hometown club Benfica's youth system, Lisbon-born Lima was promoted to the first team for the 2007–08 season. In January 2008, however, he and teammates Miguel Vítor and Romeu Ribeiro were loaned to Aves in the Segunda Liga,[2] with the move being extended for the entirety of the following campaign.[3]

Lima moved to Vitória de Setúbal for 2009–10, also on loan.[4] He made his Primeira Liga debut on 17 August 2009, playing the full 90 minutes in a 0–0 home draw against Vitória de Guimarães.[5] He appeared in 24 of the league's 30 games (22 starts), as the Sadinos barely avoided relegation.[6]

After his contract with Benfica ended, Lima signed for Beira-Mar, recently returned to the top division.[7]

Hajduk Split

In June 2011, Lima moved abroad for the first time in his career, joining Hajduk Split in the Croatian Football League. He quickly became first-choice at his new club.[8]

Under the management of Krasimir Balakov, Lima was a first-team regular in the 2011–12 season.[9] He made his debut in the UEFA Europa League on 28 July 2011, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 away loss to Stoke City in the third qualifying round.[10]

Dinamo Zagreb

On 24 July 2013, Lima signed a four-year contract with Hajduk Split's fierce rivals, Dinamo Zagreb, for an undisclosed fee.[11] He spent the second part of the campaign on loan at Rijeka also in the Croatian top flight; additionally, he experienced economic problems at Dinamo and was demoted to their reserves.[8]

Return to Portugal

Lima returned to Portugal and its main division on 27 January 2016, on a two-and-a-half-year deal at União da Madeira.[12] He featured rarely in his first season under Luís Norton de Matos in an eventual relegation, but was an indisputed starter in the following for the third-placed side.[8]

From 2017 to 2025, Lima played in the top tier, representing Moreirense, B-SAD,[13] Famalicão and Estrela da Amadora.[14] He scored his first goal in the competition on 9 January 2022 aged 32, as a member of the third of those clubs in a 2–2 away draw against Braga.[15][16]

International career

Lima earned 45 caps for Portugal at youth level.[17] He made his debut for the under-21s on 14 October 2008, in a 1–0 friendly home loss to Ukraine in Vila Nova de Gaia.[18]

Career statistics

As of 1 June 2014[19]
Club Season League Cup League Cup Europe Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Benfica 2007–08 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 0
Aves 2007–08 12 0 0 0 0 0 - 12 0
2008–09 20 1 3 1 2 0 - 25 2
Vitória Setúbal 2009–10 24 0 1 0 1 0 - 26 0
Beira-Mar 2010–11 6 0 3 0 1 0 - 10 0
Portugal 62 1 7 1 4 0 - 73 2
Hajduk Split 2011–12 23 0 4 0 - 2 0 29 0
2012–13 22 0 6 0 - - 28 0
Hajduk Total 45 0 10 0 - 2 0 57 0
Dinamo Zagreb 2013–14 16 0 5 0 - 5 0 26 0
Career Total 123 1 22 1 4 0 7 0 130 2

Honours

Hajduk Split

Dinamo Zagreb

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Rúben Lima" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  2. ^ Simões, S. (11 December 2007). "Presidente satisfeito com reforços encarnados" [President happy with red additions]. Record (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 14 June 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  3. ^ "Trio emprestado ao Desportivo das Aves" [Three loaned to Desportivo das Aves]. Record (in Portuguese). 16 July 2008. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  4. ^ Costa, Luís Octávio (7 September 2009). "FC Porto e Benfica, reis dos empréstimos na Liga portuguesa" [FC Porto and Benfica, loan kings in Portuguese League]. Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  5. ^ "Pupilo fez tudo para ganhar ao 'prof'" [Student did his best to beat 'teach']. Correio da Manhã (in Portuguese). 18 August 2009. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  6. ^ "Dia de decisões ou não" [Decisions or indecisions day]. Record (in Portuguese). 2 May 2010. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  7. ^ "Jaime é a novidade para o jogo com o FC Porto" [Jaime is the novelty for match with FC Porto]. Público (in Portuguese). 21 August 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  8. ^ a b c Simões de Abreu, Alexandra (1 August 2021). ""Na Croácia, a nossa claque foi expulsa e ameaçou-nos: se jogássemos sem eles, teríamos dissabores. Só se ouviam tiros e explosões na rua"" ["In Croatia, our ultras were sent off and threatened us: if we played without them, we would have a problem. We could hear nothing but gunshots and things blowing up in the street"]. Expresso (in Portuguese). Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  9. ^ Andrade, Maria (9 December 2011). "Ruben Lima na Croácia: ex-águia brilha em território de leão" [Ruben Lima in Croatia: former eagle shines in lion territory] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  10. ^ Percy, John (28 July 2011). "Stoke City 1 Hajduk Split 0: match report". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  11. ^ "Ruben Lima assina pelo Dínamo Zagreb" [Ruben Lima signs for Dinamo Zagreb] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 25 July 2013. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  12. ^ "União da Madeira reforça a lateral esquerda com Rúben Lima" [União da Madeira strengthen left-back slot with Rúben Lima] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 27 January 2016. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  13. ^ "Defesas Rúben Lima e Bruno Silva assinam pelo Moreirense" [Defenders Rúben Lima and Bruno Silva sign for Moreirense]. Record (in Portuguese). 8 June 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  14. ^ "Rúben Lima deixa Famalicão e reforça Estrela da Amadora" [Rúben Lima leaves Famalicão and bolsters Estrela da Amadora]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 31 January 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  15. ^ "Sporting de Braga e Famalicão empatam a dois golos" [Sporting de Braga and Famalicão draw two-all]. Jornal da Madeira (in Portuguese). 9 January 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  16. ^ Ferreira, Bruno José (9 January 2022). "Sp. Braga-Famalicão, 2–2 (destaques)" [Sp. Braga-Famalicão, 2–2 (highlights)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  17. ^ "Rúben Lima reforça União da Madeira" [Rúben Lima bolsters União da Madeira] (in Portuguese). RTP Madeira. 8 August 2016. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  18. ^ "Sub-21 perdem particular com Ucrânia" [Under-21s lose friendly with Ukraine] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 14 October 2008. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  19. ^ Rúben Lima at Soccerway
  20. ^ Soares da Silva, Eduardo (18 December 2018). ""Eu já venci uma Taça". Qual é o clube em prova que tem mais jogadores que podem dizê-lo?" ["I have already won a Cup". Which is the club still in competition that has more players who can say so?] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  21. ^ "Dínamo Zagreb, de Rúben Lima e Ivo Pinto, celebra nono título croata consecutivo" [Dinamo Zagreb, of Rúben Lima and Ivo Pinto, celebrate ninth Croatian title in a row] (in Portuguese). Visão. 22 April 2014. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
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