Former Fulham and Costa Rica star Bryan Ruiz has been invited to to help him start his coaching career.
The 38-year-old retired from playing last year after a great career which saw him play in Europe for the likes of Fulham, Sporting, FC Twente and Gent, while he won 147 caps for his country.
It was at Twente that he met Steve McClaren, with the pair surprisingly winning the Eredivisie title together in 2010.
Now a coach at Manchester United, McClaren and his boss have invited Ruiz along to the club to see if he wants to move into coaching, having already taken his first steps with Costa Rican side Alajuelense, where he started and finished his playing career.
‘I keep myself fit,’ Ruiz told Dutch publication De Telegraaf. ‘I go to the gym, I play tennis and padel.
‘The first six months after I stopped, I took completely time off and only spent time with my family. Now I have started as a trainer for the U17 of Deportivo Alajuelense.
‘To find out whether I am good at being a trainer and also whether I enjoy it enough. I have now received an invitation to come and see Steve McClaren and Erik ten Hag at Manchester United. Those are fun things to do.’
Ruiz played for his country from 2005-2022, scoring in that first year he pulled on an international shirt and in the last as he took his tally for Costa Rica to 29.
He scored some memorable goals during his four-year sting with Fulham, although his commitment and work effort was questioned at times, before he left for Sporting in 2015.
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