Walter_Centeno

Walter Centeno

Walter Centeno

Costa Rican footballer (born 1974)

Wálter Centeno Corea (born 6 October 1974) is a Costa Rican former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder and current manager of Guadalupe.

Quick Facts Personal information, Full name ...
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Centeno and the second or maternal family name is Corea.

He was a regular member of the Costa Rica national team and holds the record for appearances, having gained 137 caps (135 FIFA official caps) and scored 24 goals.

Club career

Saprissa

Nicknamed Paté, Centeno started his career at Saprissa, who loaned him out to Belén for whom he made his professional debut on 4 February 1995 against Alajuelense. He scored his first goal on 3 September 1995 for Belén against Turrialba.[3] He earned his nickname in his childhood due to his love for eating pate's.[4]

AEK Athens

After seven years at Saprissa Centeno had a short spell abroad when he moved to Greece to play for AEK Athens.[5] While playing for AEK, he participated in the UEFA Champions League Group Stage managing to score in the team's away home draws against Real Madrid at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu in the 2–2 draw and Roma at Stadio Olimpico in 1–1 draw, as they achieved the record of drawing all the matches of the group stage.[6] After one season, Centeno filed an appeal for debts of club to him and was released.[7]

Back at Saprissa

He returned to Saprissa, where he was named the best player of the 2003–04 Costa Rican season by the Costa Rican sports media, after scoring nine goals while orchestrating Saprissa's offense, helping the team to win the league.

With Saprissa, he won 10 national championships and one CONCACAF Champions Cup, winning the title with a 3–2 aggregate win over Mexico's UNAM Pumas in the final. He was part of the team that played the 2005 FIFA Club World Championship Toyota Cup,[8] where Saprissa finished third behind São Paulo and Liverpool. His appearance at this tournament was considered as outstanding by FIFA experts.

He retired in 2012, his final league match was on 5 May 2012 for Saprissa against Santos de Guápiles.[3] Saprissa retired the no. 8 shirt in his honour as well as definitely retiring the no. 10 shirt of Alonso Solís.[9]

Puerto Rico

In April 2013, Centeno came out of retirement to join Puerto Rican side Bayamón.[10]

International career

Centeno played his first game for the Costa Rica national football team on 27 September 1995 against Jamaica.[11] He has been a fixture for the team for the last thirteen years, playing in the Pan American Games held in Mar del Plata, Argentina, in 1995; the Copa América tournaments of 1997,[12] 2001[13] and 2004;[14] plus the FIFA World Cup in 2002 and 2006.[8] On 1 April 2009, he surpassed the record of caps for Costa Rica (held then by Luis Marín, 124 caps, 5 goals) as at 18 November 2009 he has 137 caps and 24 goals.[15] He was the captain of Costa Rica national football team for the last part of 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifications. Rodrigo Kenton, the appointed manager replacing the fired Hernan Medford, chose him for covering this important role in the team because of his experience, hardening and leadership. Centeno played his last game on the national team on 18 November 2009, where they tied 1–1, in which he scored. The game meant that Costa Rica will not be in World Cup 2010. Centeno's goal was his last with as an International player, and it also marked the last goal of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying stage.

Shortly after that game, he announced his quitting from national team.

Personal life

Centeno is a son of Benigno Centeno and Lidieth Corea and he is married to Vivian Gutiérrez with whom he has three children.

Career statistics

Scores and results list Costa Rica's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Centeno goal.
More information No., Date ...

Honours

Deportivo Saprissa

Costa Rica

Individual

See also

References

  1. [1]
    "2006 FIFA World Cup Germany: List of Players: Costa Rica" (PDF). FIFA. 21 March 2014. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2019.
  2. [2]
    "FIFA Club World Championship Japan 2005 – Official Rosters". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 4 December 2005. Archived from the original on 19 December 2005.
  3. [3]
    “Paté” Centeno se despidió de la afición junto con sus amigos - CRHoy (in Spanish)
  4. [4]
    Walter 'Paté' Centeno anunció su retiro - Mediotiempo (in Spanish)
  5. [5]
    Walter "Paté" Centeno jugó con el AEK de Atenas el año 2002. Archived 17 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine - Al Día (in Spanish)
  6. [6]
    "12/11/2003: Ολοκληρώνεται η αήττητη πορεία της ΑΕΚ στα 'αστέρια'". sport24.gr.
  7. [7]
    "Βάλτερ Σεντένο". kitrinomavro.gr.
  8. [8]
    Walter Centeno – FIFA competition record (archived)
  9. [9]
    Centeno escogerá a sus compañeros en juego de hoy - Nación (in Spanish)
  10. [10]
    Walter Centeno regresa al futbol con el Bayamón F. C. de Puerto Rico - Nación (in Spanish)
  11. [11]
    Walter Centeno quedó fuera de Copa de Oro por esguince (with bio) Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine - Nación (in Spanish)
  12. [12]
    Copa América 1997 - RSSSF
  13. [13]
    Copa América 2001[dead link] - RSSSF
  14. [14]
    Copa América 2004[dead link] - RSSSF
  15. [15]
    Mamrud, Roberto. "Walter Centeno Corea – Century of International Appearances". RSSSF. Retrieved 12 May 2009.
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