# Sergio Rico
**Sergio Rico** (Sergio Rico González, born 1993 in Seville, Spain) is a Spanish professional goalkeeper who came through the [Sevilla FC](https://www.edgepedia.org/sevilla-fc) academy, won the [UEFA Europa League](https://www.edgepedia.org/uefa-europa-league) twice with the club, and later played for Fulham, Paris Saint-Germain, RCD Mallorca, and Al-Gharafa in Qatar. He was capped once by Spain.[1](https://www.transfermarkt.us/sergio-rico/profil/spieler/207302) • [2](https://en.news.psg.fr/press-releases/first-team/sergio-rico-joins-paris-saint-germain)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name, born | Sergio Rico González, 1993, Seville, Spain; 1.96 m, right-footed goalkeeper[1](https://www.transfermarkt.us/sergio-rico/profil/spieler/207302) |
| Youth career | Sevilla FC academy from 2006 to 2011[1](https://www.transfermarkt.us/sergio-rico/profil/spieler/207302) |
| Sevilla record | La Liga debut 9 September 2014 against Getafe at age 21; 170 appearances; Europa League titles in 2015 and 2016[2](https://en.news.psg.fr/press-releases/first-team/sergio-rico-joins-paris-saint-germain) |
| Fulham loan | 2018-19 season, 32 matches in all, 29 of them in the Premier League[2](https://en.news.psg.fr/press-releases/first-team/sergio-rico-joins-paris-saint-germain) |
| PSG | Joined on loan in 2019, then a permanent transfer; the ninth Spanish player in the club's history and its first Spanish goalkeeper[3](https://sevillafc.es/en/actualidad/noticias/sergio-rico-psg-permanent-move) • [2](https://en.news.psg.fr/press-releases/first-team/sergio-rico-joins-paris-saint-germain) |
| Spain | International debut in 2016; one senior cap[3](https://sevillafc.es/en/actualidad/noticias/sergio-rico-psg-permanent-move) • [1](https://www.transfermarkt.us/sergio-rico/profil/spieler/207302) |
| 2023 accident | Struck by a loose horse at El Rocío on 28 May 2023; spent 82 days in hospital[4](https://los40.com/2023/08/18/sergio-rico-sale-del-hospital-82-dias-despues-de-su-grave-accidente-me-siento-muy-feliz/) |
| Return to play | Debuted for Al-Gharafa in October 2024, nearly 500 days after the accident[5](https://cadenaser.com/nacional/2024/10/03/sergio-rico-vuelve-a-los-terrenos-de-juego-casi-500-dias-despues-miro-hacia-atras-y-me-parece-un-milagro-cadena-ser/) |
## Sevilla and the two Europa Leagues
Rico was formed entirely at Sevilla, entering the club's academy in 2006 and staying through 2011 before progressing to the first team.[1](https://www.transfermarkt.us/sergio-rico/profil/spieler/207302) He debuted in [La Liga](https://www.edgepedia.org/la-liga) on 9 September 2014 against Getafe, at 21 years of age in the 2014-15 season, and went on to make 170 appearances for the Andalusian club.[2](https://en.news.psg.fr/press-releases/first-team/sergio-rico-joins-paris-saint-germain) In his first two complete seasons he was part of the Sevilla sides that won the UEFA Europa League in 2015 and 2016.[2](https://en.news.psg.fr/press-releases/first-team/sergio-rico-joins-paris-saint-germain)
His rapid rise drew attention to Sevilla's goalkeeper production line. In 2016 the club's academy director Pablo Blanco described Rico and fellow graduate David Soria as two home-grown keepers shaping the team's present and future, noting that Rico was the more reserved of the two but equally secure.[6](https://as.com/futbol/2016/04/28/uefa/1461845757_079857.html) That same season Rico played eight matches and 720 minutes for Sevilla in the [UEFA Champions League](https://www.edgepedia.org/uefa-champions-league).[7](https://es.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/uefaorg/General/02/49/98/04/2499804_DOWNLOAD.pdf) He earned his first Spain call-up and made his international debut in 2016.[3](https://sevillafc.es/en/actualidad/noticias/sergio-rico-psg-permanent-move)
## Fulham and Paris Saint-Germain
In June 2018 Sevilla had Rico and David Soria as its two first-team goalkeepers; that summer Rico was loaned out while Soria was sold to Getafe.[8](https://as.com/futbol/primera/una-porteria-totalmente-nueva-por-segunda-vez-en-este-siglo-f202606-n/) Rico signed for Fulham on 9 August 2018, transfer deadline day, on a season-long loan, and played 32 matches in all competitions, 29 of them in the Premier League.[2](https://en.news.psg.fr/press-releases/first-team/sergio-rico-joins-paris-saint-germain)
PSG took him on a one-year loan for the 2019-20 season.[9](https://en.psg.fr/teams/first-team/squad/sergio-rico) When PSG announced his arrival, the club noted that he was the ninth Spanish player in its history and the first Spanish goalkeeper.[2](https://en.news.psg.fr/press-releases/first-team/sergio-rico-joins-paris-saint-germain) After that loan season, Sevilla and PSG agreed a permanent transfer.[3](https://sevillafc.es/en/actualidad/noticias/sergio-rico-psg-permanent-move) In Paris he served largely as a deputy, competing for the position with established internationals such as [Keylor Navas](https://www.edgepedia.org/keylor-navas) and [Gianluigi Donnarumma](https://www.edgepedia.org/gianluigi-donnarumma); he later described that competition as facing the best goalkeepers, and said his level had improved in every respect during his time at the club.[10](https://as.com/futbol/champions/a-raya-solo-se-le-puede-decir-ole-tu-f202605-n/)
In January 2022 PSG loaned him to [RCD Mallorca](https://www.edgepedia.org/rcd-mallorca) for the remainder of the season, with the 28-year-old registered under LaLiga regulations to help the club in its fight against relegation.[11](https://www.rcdmallorca.es/en/news/sergio-rico-joins-rcd-mallorca-on-loan-from-paris-saint-germain)
## The 2023 riding accident
On 28 May 2023, days after PSG had clinched the [Ligue 1](https://www.edgepedia.org/ligue-1) title, Rico traveled to [El Rocío](https://www.edgepedia.org/el-rocio) in [Andalusia](https://www.edgepedia.org/andalusia) to join a family pilgrimage. Near the hermitage he was struck by a loose horse that had collided with a mule cart, suffering a serious head injury. He was flown by helicopter to the Hospital Virgen del Rocío in Seville and placed in an induced coma.[4](https://los40.com/2023/08/18/sergio-rico-sale-del-hospital-82-dias-despues-de-su-grave-accidente-me-siento-muy-feliz/) • [5](https://cadenaser.com/nacional/2024/10/03/sergio-rico-vuelve-a-los-terrenos-de-juego-casi-500-dias-despues-miro-hacia-atras-y-me-parece-un-milagro-cadena-ser/) His family described the event as a serious mishap in which he was struck by a loose horse.[12](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66110401)
The recovery was long and closely followed in Spain and France. On 5 July 2023, more than a month after the accident, he was moved out of intensive care onto a hospital ward to continue medical and nursing care with a new team of specialists.[12](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66110401) Reports on the length of his coma differ: Cadena SER put the induced coma at more than 22 days,[5](https://cadenaser.com/nacional/2024/10/03/sergio-rico-vuelve-a-los-terrenos-de-juego-casi-500-dias-despues-miro-hacia-atras-y-me-parece-un-milagro-cadena-ser/) while AS reported 26 days in coma.[13](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/desperte-del-coma-diciendo-puedo-volver-a-jugar-n/) He left the hospital on 18 August 2023, 82 days after the accident, saying he felt very happy.[4](https://los40.com/2023/08/18/sergio-rico-sale-del-hospital-82-dias-despues-de-su-grave-accidente-me-siento-muy-feliz/) In a September 2023 interview with PSG he said he did not remember the moment of the accident or the days he spent in a coma, and that his only objective was to play football again.[14](https://en.psg.fr/teams/first-team/content/sergio-rico-my-only-objective-is-to-play-football-again-interview-psg-paris-saint-germain-20232024)
## Return to play and later career
Rico returned to competitive football with the Qatari club Al-Gharafa, debuting in October 2024, roughly a year and a half and nearly 500 days after the accident. He described looking back and feeling it had been a miracle.[5](https://cadenaser.com/nacional/2024/10/03/sergio-rico-vuelve-a-los-terrenos-de-juego-casi-500-dias-despues-miro-hacia-atras-y-me-parece-un-milagro-cadena-ser/) In later interviews he said he had recovered fully, training and doing more sport than while playing, with medical tests showing no difference from before the accident, and that PSG coach [Luis Enrique](https://www.edgepedia.org/luis-enrique) had supported the final phase of his recovery.[10](https://as.com/futbol/champions/a-raya-solo-se-le-puede-decir-ole-tu-f202605-n/)
He left Al-Gharafa in July 2026 and has been without a club since.[1](https://www.transfermarkt.us/sergio-rico/profil/spieler/207302) In September 2026, AS reported that Juventus had made contact with the free-agent goalkeeper as it weighed options after an injury to its newly signed keeper Grabara; sporting director Frederic Massara had previously tried to sign Rico for Milan. A move to Italy would add a fourth league, after Spain, England, and France, to his career.[15](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/la-juve-contacta-con-sergio-rico-f202609-n/)
## References
1. [Sergio Rico – Player profile, Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.us/sergio-rico/profil/spieler/207302)
2. [Sergio Rico joins Paris Saint-Germain, PSG press release](https://en.news.psg.fr/press-releases/first-team/sergio-rico-joins-paris-saint-germain)
3. [Sergio Rico joins Paris Saint-Germain on a permanent deal, Sevilla FC](https://sevillafc.es/en/actualidad/noticias/sergio-rico-psg-permanent-move)
4. [Sergio Rico sale del hospital 82 días después de su grave accidente, Los40](https://los40.com/2023/08/18/sergio-rico-sale-del-hospital-82-dias-despues-de-su-grave-accidente-me-siento-muy-feliz/)
5. [Sergio Rico vuelve a los terrenos de juego casi 500 días después, Cadena SER](https://cadenaser.com/nacional/2024/10/03/sergio-rico-vuelve-a-los-terrenos-de-juego-casi-500-dias-despues-miro-hacia-atras-y-me-parece-un-milagro-cadena-ser/)
6. [Lviv vive otro duelo de porteros sevillistas, AS](https://as.com/futbol/2016/04/28/uefa/1461845757_079857.html)
7. [2016/17 UEFA Champions League technical report, UEFA](https://es.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/uefaorg/General/02/49/98/04/2499804_DOWNLOAD.pdf)
8. [Una portería totalmente nueva por segunda vez en este siglo, AS](https://as.com/futbol/primera/una-porteria-totalmente-nueva-por-segunda-vez-en-este-siglo-f202606-n/)
9. [Sergio Rico, Paris Saint-Germain squad page](https://en.psg.fr/teams/first-team/squad/sergio-rico)
10. [Sergio Rico: "A Raya sólo se le puede decir: '¡Ole tú!'", AS](https://as.com/futbol/champions/a-raya-solo-se-le-puede-decir-ole-tu-f202605-n/)
11. [Sergio Rico joins RCD Mallorca on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, RCD Mallorca](https://www.rcdmallorca.es/en/news/sergio-rico-joins-rcd-mallorca-on-loan-from-paris-saint-germain)
12. [Sergio Rico: Paris St-Germain goalkeeper out of intensive care after riding accident, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66110401)
13. ["Desperté del coma diciendo...: '¿Podré volver a jugar?'", AS](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/desperte-del-coma-diciendo-puedo-volver-a-jugar-n/)
14. [Sergio Rico: "My only objective is to play football again", PSG](https://en.psg.fr/teams/first-team/content/sergio-rico-my-only-objective-is-to-play-football-again-interview-psg-paris-saint-germain-20232024)
15. [La Juve contacta con Sergio Rico, AS](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/la-juve-contacta-con-sergio-rico-f202609-n/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of continental Europe › Spanish footballers born before 1995 › Spanish footballers born 1990–1994*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license