Jean Ruiz

Jean Ruiz
Born	(1998-04-06) April 6, 1998 France
Occupation	Professional footballer
Years active	2014–
Known for	Playing as centre-back or defensive midfielder for Pau FC

Jean Ruiz (born 6 April 1998) is a professional footballer from France who operates primarily as a centre-back or defensive midfielder. He currently represents Pau.

Ruiz was a member of the France national under-17 football team that secured the title at the 2015 UEFA European Under-17 Championship.

Early career

Ruiz's football development began at ASCA Wittelsheim when he was six years old. In 2011, he transitioned to US Wittenheim before entering the youth academy of FC Sochaux-Montbéliard in 2012.

At the age of 16, he made his first appearance for Sochaux's reserve side competing in the Championnat National 2. He played a role in Sochaux U19's triumph in the 2014-15 Coupe Gambardella, coming off the bench during the final. That same year, Ruiz contributed to France U17’s European Championship victory and earned selection for the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Ahead of the 2016–17 season, Ruiz signed his initial professional contract with Sochaux and soon after debuted professionally in a Coupe de la Ligue fixture. In June 2019, he transferred to Swiss outfit FC Sion.

Pau FC

At the outset of the 2022-2023 campaign, Ruiz returned to France by signing with Pau FC competing in Ligue 2. Initially serving as a backup to captain Antoine Batisse and experienced player Xavier Kouassi, Ruiz secured a starting position following Batisse's injury. Throughout the season, he featured in 39 matches, playing an instrumental role in securing Pau’s league status and establishing himself as a key squad member.

Despite receiving several offers during the offseason, Ruiz opted to remain with Pau for the 2023-2024 season, even as the club adopted a more transfer-oriented approach. Over his time at Pau, he has participated in 71 out of 76 possible Ligue 2 matches, netted three goals, and emerged as one of the team’s most dependable performers.

In June 2024, Ruiz committed to a two-year contract extension with Pau FC, extending his stay until 2026. This renewal was positively received by both club management and fans, recognizing him as Pau’s most frequently fielded outfield player during the previous season, where he appeared in 35 matches and scored three goals.

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Sochaux B	2014–15	Championnat de France Amateur	12	0	—		—		—		12	0
	2015–16	Championnat de France Amateur	18	0	—		—		—		18	0
	2016–17	Championnat de France Amateur	14	2	—		—		—		14	2
	2017–18	Championnat de France Amateur 2	13	0	—		—		—		13	0
	Total		57	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	57	2
Sochaux	2016–17	Ligue 2	9	0	1	0	3	0	—		13	0
	2017–18	Ligue 2	29	1	2	0	1	0	—		32	1
	2018–19	Ligue 2	10	0	2	0	2	0	—		14	0
	Total		48	1	5	0	6	0	0	0	59	1
FC Sion	2019–20	Swiss Super League	15	0	1	0	—		1	0	17	0
	2020–21	Swiss Super League	17	0	1	0	—		1	0	19	0
	2021–22	Swiss Super League	3	0						3	0
	Total		35	0	2	0	0	0	2	0	39	0
US Boulogne	2021–22	Championnat National	17	0						17	0
Pau FC	2022–23	Ligue 2	39	2	3	0	1	0				43	2
	2023–24	Ligue 2	37	1	1	0	1	0				39	1
	2024–25	Ligue 2	0	0						0	0
	Total		76	3	4	0	2	0	0	0	82	3
Career total			226	4	11	0	8	0	2	0	247	4

Achievements

• France U17
  • UEFA European Under-17 Championship: 2015