Rubén Darío Insúa

Insúa was born in Buenos Aires. He played most of his career in the Argentine top league. He was part of the Independiente team that won the 1988–89 Primera title. He also played for Barcelona in Ecuador and Deportivo Cali in Colombia, and had a spell with Spanish side UD Las Palmas.

As a player, Insúa was regarded as a swift midfielder with an excellent touch and a penchant for scoring from free kicks. These qualities earned him his nicknames "el Poeta del Gol" (the Goal Poet) and "el Poeta del Futbol" (the Football Poet). Although he was primarily an attacking midfielder, he was also capable of playing as a striker.

Insúa coached for Ecuador's Barcelona to a national title in 1997, and the Copa Libertadores finals in 1998. He coached San Lorenzo de Almagro to the Copa Sudamericana 2002 title. Insúa coached Ecuador's Deportivo Quito to the 2009 Campeonato Ecuatoriano de Fútbol Serie A title. On 1 October 2010, Insúa reached a verbal agreement with Barcelona's president Eduardo Maruri to return and coach the club, which had won its last national title in 1997. On 25 March 2011, he was fired from Barcelona and replaced with Alex Aguinaga. Insúa was Deportivo Cali's manager since approximately October 2011 until 4 March 2012. He was the head coach of Argentine football club San Lorenzo de Almagro from end of 2023 to April 2024, when he was fired for poor results.

Player

San Lorenzo

Primera B: 1982 Independiente

Primera División: 1988–89 Barcelona Sporting Club

Serie A: 1991

Manager

Barcelona Sporting Club

Serie A: 1997 San Lorenzo

Copa Sudamericana: 2002 Deportivo Quito

Serie A: 2009