German Ruano


German Giovanni Ruano González, popularly known as El Chino, is a former Guatemalan football defender who played the majority of his career for CSD Municipal in Guatemala's top division, and was also a member of the Guatemala national team.

Club career

Born in Guatemala City, Ruano, a right back of outstanding defensive and attacking skills, began his career with local side CD Suchitepéquez. In 1993, he was brought by coach Horacio Cordero to Municipal, where he would remain for the next 16 years, winning 12 league titles and five domestic cups, thus becoming one of the most honoured players in the history of the club. By 2008, he had become the second-longest serving active squad member after Juan Carlos Plata.
After finishing second on the 2008–2009 clausura tournament, Municipal did not renew his contract, and afterwards Ruano, who wore the number 17 on his shirt throughout his career, announced his retirement.

International career

Ruano made his debut for Guatemala in a December 1995 UNCAF Nations Cup match against Panama and went on to collect 57 caps in the next six years, appearing in a total 19 matches during the qualification processes to the World Cups of 1998 and 2002. He also played four matches at the 1996 CONCACAF Gold Cup and two matches at the 1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
His final international was a January 2001 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Costa Rica, a game which also marked the end of the international careers of national team stalwarts Jorge Rodas and Edgar Valencia.

Honours

;Club