Santiago de la Riva Ruiz (17 November 1883 – 14 December 1955) was a Spanish sports leader who served as the president of RCD Espanyol on three separate occasions (1912–13, 1924–25 and 1930–31) for a total of 3 years at the helm of the club.
[5] Historian Joan Segura Palomares described him as giving "the image of what he was, a businessman, with a clear idea and entrepreneurial spirit".
[4] In the early 1920s, Espanyol was enduring one of the worst moments in its history due to an eviction order for the non-payment of the Camp del carrer Muntaner, Espanyol's football field at the time, but the la Riva brothers saved the entity from its disappearance by provided the money for the purchase of the lands and grounds in Can Ràbia for 170,000 pesetas (about 1,000 euros) in which the Sarrià Stadium was constructed and opened in 1923,[3] during Santiago's second term; however, the de facto president was his brother Genaro, and it can be said that the club was run between the two despite the fact that the chair of the presidency was occupied by Santiago.
[1] When his brother Genaro left the presidency in 1930, it was occupied by Santiago, whose mandate lasted a year until he was replaced by Javier de Salas in 1931.
[2][4] The brothers Victoriano and Santiago were partners of FC Barcelona in the 1912–13 season and then presided over the white-and-blue club in a total of 5 different stages.