The Journey Continues: Ryan Belboda Gets His Second Shot at Spanish Football

Some stories don't end at the final whistle. For Ryan Belboda, the best chapter is still being written.

A Bermudian midfielder who has grown up within the UK football system, Ryan arrived at SST's Winter Showcase in January with one goal in mind: to make an impression. He did exactly that. A standout performer across the event, Ryan caught the attention of the scouts and clubs in attendance and earned himself something that very few players walk away from a showcase with, a trial at a La Liga 2 side.

Leganes C and the Proof of Concept

Ryan was invited to train with CD Leganés C, the U21 setup of the La Liga 2 club, for a two-week trial period. It was a significant test and one that answered the most important question for any player crossing into European football for the first time: does your game translate?

For Ryan, the answer was clear. His qualities showed up at that level. His ability to compete, contribute, and hold his own in one of the most demanding youth environments in Spanish football proved that his ceiling is high and his profile is one that belongs in this system.

A full-time contract did not come from that trial. But what it provided was something equally valuable, concrete evidence that Ryan Belboda can play in Spain, and the conviction from SST that the journey was far from over.

The Relationship That Keeps Working

Since the Leganés trial, we have stayed in constant contact with Ryan. That is not by accident. It is by design.

The showcase is where opportunities begin, not where they end. When we identify a player with the qualities and the character to succeed in Spanish football, the commitment goes well beyond the duration of the event. For Ryan, that commitment has now produced a second opportunity, and this one carries even more weight.

The New Opportunity: CF Benidorm

Ryan has now been given the chance to trial with CF Benidorm's first team, a club currently fighting for promotion to the Tercera División, the first national level of Spanish football. Operating within a full-time professional structure and co-owned by David Villa, the legendary ex-Barcelona and Spanish national team striker. CF Benidorm are a club with serious ambition and the infrastructure to match it.

This is a first team trial. Not a development setup, not a youth category. A genuine opportunity to secure a longer-term playing contract at a club pushing for the next level of Spanish football.

For a player of Ryan's profile, the fit is compelling. A technically capable, competitive midfielder who has already proven he can handle the demands of the Spanish game, stepping into an environment built around promotion momentum and professional standards.

SST co-founder James Dawes spoke on what this opportunity means:

"I'm delighted to be able to provide this type of opportunity for Ryan again at a forward-thinking football club that's currently fighting for promotion to the first national level here in Spain. Ryan is a player that we believe in a lot and has a really high ceiling. He's just looking for the opportunity to get his foot in the door somewhere, and we know that he'll be a success. For us, the showcases are just an initial opportunity for the players to earn recognition in the moment or during the short duration of the event. But if we do see qualities in a player that we believe give us the confidence that he's going to be able to be a success here in Spain, we'll always go above and beyond to try and create these opportunities for our players."

What Ryan's Story Represents

Ryan Belboda's journey is one of the clearest examples of what our model is designed to do. A standout showcase performance opened a door. A high-level trial proved the quality was real. A continued relationship ensured the story kept moving forward.

Not every path to professional football in Spain is linear. But for the players we believe in, the path doesn’t end.

Interested in following the same path? The Summer Showcase 2026 is our next opportunity for players who are serious about a Spanish pathway. Places are screened individually and allocated by age group. If you want to understand whether this is the right fit, the first step is simply finding out more.

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