La Liga giants Atletico Madrid parted with €20 million to sign Italian wing-back Matteo Ruggeri from Atalanta last summer, handing the 23-year-old a long-term contract at the Metropolitano Stadium.
Ruggeri penned a deal running until 2030 upon arrival, but even Diego Simeone could not have foreseen the player’s meteoric rise in his first season on the Iberian Peninsula.
Indeed, the former Salernitana loanee has immediately established himself as a regular starter in the Argentine’s tactical set-up,
nailing down the left-back position as his own.
He has made 42 appearances for Los Colchoneros across all competitions this term, including 14 in the UEFA Champions League, where he helped the club reach the semi-finals for the first time since the 2016/17 season. Though he is still waiting for his first goal in the Atletico shirt, Ruggeri has tallied seven assists, most recently when he set up Alexander Sørloth in a crucial quarter-final first-leg win at Barcelona.
Complete defender
Ruggeri has made 22 La Liga appearances this season, with only five coming as a substitute. He has amassed 1,460 minutes in Spain’s top flight and helped Atlético keep six clean sheets in the league, accounting for 27 percent of his appearances.
To put his contributions into some context, Ruggeri has completed 36 successful tackles, averaging 2.22 per game. Furthermore, he has made 18 vital interceptions, winning 62 duels on the ground at an average of 3.82 per match. Ruggeri’s aerial prowess has not gone unnoticed either, with the ex-Atalanta defender averaging 1.23 aerial duels won per game.
Despite operating mostly as a left-back or a wing-back in Simeone’s 3-5-2 system, he has often shifted into central defensive areas to help form the back line. As such, it’s no wonder he has registered 52 clearances — an average of 3.2 per match.
For further perspective, Los Rojiblancos have lost two of their last three league fixtures without Ruggeri, with the sole exception coming in a 2-0 triumph at Valencia, which marked Simeone’s 1,000th game as a manager.
During his recent interview with Sky Sport Italia, Ruggeri acknowledged his defensive improvement under Simeone, and credited the 56-year-old for helping him advance his game.
Room for improvement
However, Ruggeri’s attacking output has left plenty to be desired so far. The Italian has proved an idle offensive threat without any goals scored in LaLiga to this point, though he has picked up three assists — the same total he registered in Serie A with Atalanta in 2024/25.
Still, he has attempted just four shots on goal, including two on target, generating an unenviable 0.36 xG throughout the 2025/26 campaign.
Ruggeri’s his overlapping runs down the left flank have added width to the team’s play and have become one of his key hallmarks. It’s also worth noting that he has tallied 68 crosses at a decent completion rate of 36.76 percent.
Ruggeri has dribbled past his markers 15 times, completing 0.92 dribbles per game. And he boasts 22 key passes, averaging 1.36 per match.
Unexpected competition
The recent emergence of homegrown starlet Julio Diaz is unlikely to dislodge Ruggeri from the starting role, but it could challenge him to maintain consistency and stay fully committed to his place in the side.
Considered among the club’s brightest prospects, the 21-year-old has impressed in the final stages of the season, showing maturity beyond his years.
Diaz’s sudden rise could still alter the dynamics of the position, increasing internal competition and placing greater pressure on Ruggeri. There are also reports suggesting that Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella is a transfer target for Atlético, a move that could suggest Ruggeri would play second fiddle next season if the move were to go through.
Meanwhile, the Italian ace’s promising first season in La Liga has failed to boost his international prospects, as Ruggeri has yet to make his senior debut for Italy.
However, it’s only a matter of time before he earns his maiden call-up, especially now that the Azzurri are preparing for a major overhaul.
