Victoriano de la Riva Ruiz (9 April 1878 – 16 January 1930) was a Spanish footballer who played as a forward for RCD Espanyol.
[1][2] He was one of the most important figures in the history of RCD Espanyol, both as a player and President of the club, serving as the latter on two separate occasions (1919–20, 1922–24).
[5] Riva began his football career at his hometown club Espanyol in 1903, at the age of 25, and together with Ángel Ponz, Gustavo Green, Emilio Sampere, and the three Joaquins (Escardó, Carril, and García), he was part of the team that won the first edition of the Catalan championship in 1903–04.
[7] 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.
[5][7] 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.