Walter Centeno

Template:Family name hatnote Wálter Centeno Corea (born 6 October 1974) is a Costa Rican former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder and current manager of Santos de Guapiles.

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.<ref name="Bio">“Paté” Centeno se despidió de la afición junto con sus amigos Template:Webarchive - CRHoy Template:In lang</ref> He earned his nickname in his childhood due to his love for eating pate's.<ref>Walter 'Paté' Centeno anunció su retiro Template:Webarchive - Mediotiempo Template:In lang</ref>

AEK Athens

After seven years at Saprissa Centeno had a short spell abroad when he moved to Greece to play for AEK Athens.<ref>Walter "Paté" Centeno jugó con el AEK de Atenas el año 2002. Template:Webarchive - Al Día Template:In lang</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> After one season, Centeno filed an appeal for debts of club to him and was released.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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,<ref name="FIFA" /> 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.<ref name="Bio" /> Saprissa retired the no. 8 shirt in his honour as well as definitely retiring the no. 10 shirt of Alonso Solís.<ref>Centeno escogerá a sus compañeros en juego de hoy Template:Webarchive - Nación Template:In lang</ref>

Puerto Rico

In April 2013, Centeno came out of retirement to join Puerto Rican side Bayamón.<ref>Walter Centeno regresa al futbol con el Bayamón F. C. de Puerto Rico Template:Webarchive - Nación Template:In lang</ref>

International career

Centeno played his first game for the Costa Rica national football team on 27 September 1995 against Jamaica.<ref>Walter Centeno quedó fuera de Copa de Oro por esguince (with bio) Template:Webarchive - Nación Template:In lang</ref> 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,<ref>Copa América 1997 Template:Webarchive - RSSSF</ref> 2001<ref>Copa América 2001Template:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore - RSSSF</ref> and 2004;<ref>Copa América 2004Template:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore - RSSSF</ref> plus the FIFA World Cup in 2002 and 2006.<ref name="FIFA">Template:FIFA player</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.

List of international goals scored by Walter Centeno

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	24 February 1999	San José, Costa Rica	Template:Fb		9–0	Friendly
2	25 November 1999	Alajuela, Costa Rica	Template:Fb		4–0	Friendly
3	1 July 2000	Alajuela, Costa Rica	Template:Fb		5–1	Friendly
4	30 May 2001	San Pedro Sula, Honduras	Template:Fb		2–1	2001 UNCAF Nations Cup
5	3 June 2001	San Pedro Sula, Honduras	Template:Fb		1–1	2001 UNCAF Nations Cup
6	26 January 2001	Miami, United States	Template:Fb		2–1	2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup
7	9 May 2002	San Salvador, El Salvador	Template:Fb		1–2	Friendly
8	13 February 2003	Panama City, Panama	Template:Fb		1–1	2003 UNCAF Nations Cup
9	16 July 2003	Boston, United States	Template:Fb		3–0	2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup
10	19 July 2003	Boston, United States	Template:Fb		5–2	2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup
11
12
13	12 January 2005	San José, Costa Rica	Template:Fb		3–3	Friendly
14	3 September 2005	Panama City, Panama	Template:Fb		3–1	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)
15	7 September 2005	San José, Costa Rica	Template:Fb		2–0	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)
16	6 June 2007	Miami, United States	Template:Fb		1–2	2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
17	9 June 2007	Miami, United States	Template:Fb		1–1	2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
18	11 June 2007	Miami, United States	Template:Fb		1–0	2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
19	17 October 2007	San José, Costa Rica	Template:Fb		1–1	Friendly
20	11 October 2008	Paramaribo, Suriname	Template:Fb		4–1	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)
21	1 April 2009	San José, Costa Rica	Template:Fb		1–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)
22	10 July 2009	Florida, United States	Template:Fb		2–2	2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup
23	10 October 2009	San José, Costa Rica	Template:Fb		4–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)
24	18 November 2009	Montevideo, Uruguay	Template:Fb		1–1	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)

Honours

Deportivo Saprissa

• Primera División de Costa Rica (10): 1997–98, 1998–99, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007 Apertura, 2008 Clausura-Invierno, Verano-Apertura 2008, Campeonato de Verano-Clausura 2010
• CONCACAF Champions' Cup: 2005
• Copa Interclubes UNCAF: 1998, 2003
• FIFA Club World Cup third place: 2005

Costa Rica

• CONCACAF Gold Cup: runner-up 2002
• UNCAF Nations Cup: 1999, 2003, 2007; runner-up 2001

Individual

• CONCACAF Gold Cup All-Tournament team: 2007
• CONCACAF Gold Cup Top scorer: 2003
• CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI: 2003

See also

• List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps

External links

• Template:NFT player