Tomás Ruiz and his last Junior World Cup with Los Leoncitos

Tomás Ruiz, captain of Los Leoncitos and player of Los Leones, will participate in his last Junior World Cup in India. Together with his brother Joaquín, with whom he also shares in Mitre, the club of his entire life, he wants to close this cycle with joy.

Both in his club and in the national team, Tomás always shared the field with his twin, Joaquín. From a very young age they chose the same passion and today the two are coming to the end of their career with Los Leoncitos. “It is always a pride to play with him, for the club and even more so for the national team. He advises me a lot and it also gives me a lot of security to have him behind me,” said. Joaco is the one who defends the goal in the San Martín club and in Juan Ignacio Gilardi’s team.

Among the qualities that stand out, in addition to being leaders on the court, both are very intelligent, Tomi when it comes to playing with the ball, and Joaco in the three suits: “He is very fast on his legs, he has a lot of head and he doesn’t care about anything, if he has to go out to the edge of the area he does it, and I love that,” he commented.

Despite his age, he is one of the most experienced on the team thanks to the filming he has with Los Leones, being one of the things he can contribute to the Junior group. It is incredible to imagine that at 21 years old he adds experience to the group, but it is his reality, and that also speaks of the quality of player he is. “The difference with Tomi from Malaysia is that this one is a little more confident. It was my first time wearing the Argentine shirt, and I think I feel more comfortable now”.

On Friday, November 28, they debut with Japan in another Jr. World Cup, in India, with a dream intact. “In the previous World Cup we didn’t do badly, but we still had a quota to pay. We have revenge and I think that makes us even more hungry to go all out. We are very confident and I think we are going to do very well.” In 2023 they passed the group stage but lost in the quarterfinals to Germany, who later became champions. With all the spice of being the last competition in this category, Tomás lives it very calmly: “I’m doing very well, trying to leave a grain of sand for those who come up,” finished.

Thanks to the personal growth and the maturity that is seen on the field, it is impossible not to be excited and that together with his teammates, they will seek to leave Argentina at the top of international hockey.