Northern NSW Football product Ruby Jones has signed a two-year professional contract with Spanish club Levante UD, marking another milestone for one of the region's most promising young footballers.
The striker will play in Spain's LaLiga 2 as Levante pushes for promotion back to Liga F next season.
Jones' journey started with Macquarie Football club Belmont FC before she joined the Emerging Jets program in under-13s. She continued her development through the Newcastle Jets Academy, where she established herself as one of the leading young players in NSW.
Jones also represented NNSWF at the Emerging Matildas Championships (formerly the National Youth Championships) as a member of the under-16 girls team in 2023.
She won the NPL NSW reserve grade Golden Boot and earned the NPL NSW coaches' Most Valuable Player award in 2023 and 2024. During that period, Jones scored 30 goals in reserve grade while also breaking into senior football and scoring at National Premier League level.
Her performances earned wider recognition, with the Sydney Morning Herald naming her among Australia's emerging junior footballers to watch. Jones also represented Australian Schools on a tour of the United States that included the prestigious Dallas Cup.
Jones then took the next step in her development by moving to Spain, where she has spent the last two seasons with CE Europa in Barcelona. She helped the club finish runner-up to FC Barcelona in her first season before securing third place behind the Spanish giants in her second campaign. She also finished equal third in the league's golden boot race.
Her consistent performances attracted the attention of Levante UD, which has now rewarded the Hunter product with her first professional contract.
Jones' signing highlights the strength of NNSWF's player development pathway, with another local talent progressing from grassroots football through the Emerging Jets and Jets Academy before earning an opportunity in the professional game overseas.
NNSWF Technical Director Ryan Doidge said Jones' signing was a testament to her dedication and the strength of the region's development pathway.
"Ruby has worked incredibly hard to earn this opportunity and has continued to challenge herself at every stage of her journey, from grassroots football in northern NSW to testing herself in Spain," Doidge said.
"She's a great example of what can be achieved through determination and enthusiasm to keep learning. We're proud to see another Northern NSW Football player earn a professional contract and have no doubt she'll embrace this next challenge with Levante UD."