When he started for Segunda B side Olímpic de Xàtiva shy of his 37th birthday, he had previously played just two seasons in the Segunda B. His first had come shy of his 26th birthday; his second had come shy of his 30th.
He has played in just three leagues his entire life - the Preferente Valenciana, the Tercera Group 6 and the Segunda B Group 3. Yes, that's right, every club he has played for has been in the Valencian Community.
It all started at Acero, in the fifth tier in 1994, with whom he won promotion. After one season in the Tercera with the club, he moved to Valencia C for a season, and then to Burjassot for three seasons - all in the same tier. In 2000, Alzira, in the Segunda B, gave him a chance; however, despite being an undisputed first team player, the side were relegated and his Segunda B chances looked all but dashed - he would spend another season at Alzira, before signing for Alcoyano in the Tercera in 2002.
What followed was a second Segunda B shot - Alcoyano won promotion in 2004, and during the 2004-05 season Rifaterra was a regular in a team that overachieved and finished in 7th place. However, he was subsequently released, and the 30-year-old would go on to spend a few more years in the Tercera, with spells at Novelda (2005-07), Alzira (2007-08) and Onda (2008-09).
In 2009, Olímpic de Xàtiva had just been promoted to the Tercera, and Rifaterra signed for the Xàtiva natives. It would be a team he would represent for seven season, winning promotion to the Segunda B in 2011, and playing for the side until their relegation to the Tercera in 2016 - and he is now their second manager.
Between 2011 and 2016, he has captained the side, helped them overachieve in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 season, finishing 9th and 5th respectively, faced Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey in December 2013 and even held them to a goalless draw in the first leg at home. He has also become one of the oldest players to ever play in the Segunda B, and comes fourth in the all-time list (at 41 years and 224 days).
He is the oldest goal scorer in the Segunda B, ever - and, by extension, the oldest goalscorer in the top three tiers tallied together. At 41 years and 189 days, the midfielder scored a 75th penalty against L'Hospitalet, and then was sent off for a second yellow 13 minutes later.
Which sums him up, really. And it's unlikely that the record will be broken soon - he is miles ahead of second placed Sergio Villanueva, whose last goal in the Segunda B was scored at 39 years and 329 days...
He has played in just three leagues his entire life - the Preferente Valenciana, the Tercera Group 6 and the Segunda B Group 3. Yes, that's right, every club he has played for has been in the Valencian Community.
It all started at Acero, in the fifth tier in 1994, with whom he won promotion. After one season in the Tercera with the club, he moved to Valencia C for a season, and then to Burjassot for three seasons - all in the same tier. In 2000, Alzira, in the Segunda B, gave him a chance; however, despite being an undisputed first team player, the side were relegated and his Segunda B chances looked all but dashed - he would spend another season at Alzira, before signing for Alcoyano in the Tercera in 2002.
What followed was a second Segunda B shot - Alcoyano won promotion in 2004, and during the 2004-05 season Rifaterra was a regular in a team that overachieved and finished in 7th place. However, he was subsequently released, and the 30-year-old would go on to spend a few more years in the Tercera, with spells at Novelda (2005-07), Alzira (2007-08) and Onda (2008-09).
In 2009, Olímpic de Xàtiva had just been promoted to the Tercera, and Rifaterra signed for the Xàtiva natives. It would be a team he would represent for seven season, winning promotion to the Segunda B in 2011, and playing for the side until their relegation to the Tercera in 2016 - and he is now their second manager.
Between 2011 and 2016, he has captained the side, helped them overachieve in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 season, finishing 9th and 5th respectively, faced Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey in December 2013 and even held them to a goalless draw in the first leg at home. He has also become one of the oldest players to ever play in the Segunda B, and comes fourth in the all-time list (at 41 years and 224 days).
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| Eduardo Rifaterra battling for the ball against Isco |
He is the oldest goal scorer in the Segunda B, ever - and, by extension, the oldest goalscorer in the top three tiers tallied together. At 41 years and 189 days, the midfielder scored a 75th penalty against L'Hospitalet, and then was sent off for a second yellow 13 minutes later.
Which sums him up, really. And it's unlikely that the record will be broken soon - he is miles ahead of second placed Sergio Villanueva, whose last goal in the Segunda B was scored at 39 years and 329 days...
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