Celso Borges
FullnameCelso Borges Mora[1]
Birth date27 May 1988 (age 38)
Birth placeSan José, Costa Rica
Height1.82 m[2]
PositionMidfielder
CurrentclubAlajuelense
Clubnumber5
Youthclubs 1Saprissa
Years 12006–2009
Clubs 1Saprissa
Caps 186
Goals 17
Years 22009–2012
Clubs 2Fredrikstad FK
Caps 276
Goals 234
Years 32012–2015
Clubs 3AIK
Caps 379
Goals 326
Years 42015
Clubs 4→ Deportivo La Coruña (loan)
Caps 417
Goals 44
Years 52015–2018
Clubs 5Deportivo La Coruña
Caps 590
Goals 512
Years 62018–2020
Clubs 6Göztepe
Caps 653
Goals 62
Years 72020–2021
Clubs 7Deportivo La Coruña
Caps 715
Goals 72
Years 82021–
Clubs 8Alajuelense
Caps 8171
Goals 811
Nationalyears 12005
Nationalteam 1Costa Rica U17
Nationalcaps 14
Nationalgoals 11
Nationalyears 22007
Nationalteam 2Costa Rica U20
Nationalcaps 23
Nationalgoals 20
Nationalyears 32008–2025
Nationalteam 3Costa Rica
Nationalcaps 3164
Nationalgoals 327

Celso Borges Mora (born 27 May 1988) is a Costa Rican professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Liga FPD club Alajuelense. With 164 international appearances, he is the most capped player in Costa Rica's history.

Early years

His father is Alexandre Guimarães,[3] Brazilian-born, Costa Rican-raised ex-footballer and coach. He was born in Costa Rica's capital city San José and during his high school years, he attended Saint Clare High School, where he also took part in the school's team. His studies were often interrupted by his football training and playing outside the country.

Club career

Saprissa

At the age of 18, Borges made his professional debut for Saprissa on 15 January 2006.[4] He won five national championships with Saprissa.

Fredrikstad FK

On 18 January 2009, Fredrikstad FK sporting director Tor-Kristian Karlsen confirmed that Borges had signed for them, joining on 1 July when Borges's contract with Saprissa expired. Fredrikstad later agreed to pay 1 million kroner (€125,000 ) to Deportivo Saprissa so Borges could join the team immediately and play for Fredrikstad, when the season started on 14 April, against the former league champion Stabæk.[5] In March 2011, Borges stated he would leave Fredrikstad during or after the 2011 season.[6]

AIK

On 1 January 2012, it was confirmed that Borges, as a free agent, was to leave Fredrikstad FK signing a three-year contract with the Swedish football club AIK Stockholm.[7]

He received the vacant number 10 jersey, last worn by Martin Kayongo-Mutumba.

On 1 April 2012, Borges made his first match for AIK, in a match against Mjällby AIF. He got his first goal for the club in the next game, scoring the game-winning goal against Kalmar FF. During the first half of the season he was used as a striker by manager Andreas Alm. But after the summer vacation he dropped down and started playing as a central midfielder and subsequently was the team's first choice in central midfield. He finished the season ending up as the team's best goalscorer.

Deportivo La Coruña

On 14 January 2015, Borges joined Deportivo de La Coruña, signing with them until the end of the season, with an option of a two-year extension.[8] He scored twice in his first official appearance for Dépor, having started in a 1–2 away win against Rayo Vallecano on 30 January which also marked his La Liga debut.[9]

International career

Borges currently holds the appearance record for the Costa Rica national football team with 164 caps, scoring 27 goals.[10] He has represented his country in over 50 FIFA World Cup qualification matches[11] and at the 2014, 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup finals. He has also played at the 2011[12] and 2013 Copa Centroamericana,[13] as well as at the 2009,[14] 2011,[15] 2013,[16] 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cups, and the Copa América Centenario.

Borges played in the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship held in Peru, in which he scored a goal and was considered among the best players of the tournament. After the tournament he was picked as one of ten players to watch out for in the future.[11] Borges also participated in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup held in Canada.[11]

He made his debut for the Costa Rican senior team in a June 2008 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Grenada[10] and, in September of the same year, scored his first international goal against Suriname.

After featuring prominently during the team's unsuccessful 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign, Borges helped the team to a second-place finish at the 2011 Copa Centroamericana, as well as the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup later that year.[10]

In June 2014, Borges was named in Costa Rica's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.[17] During the round of 16, Borges was the first of five Costa Rican players to successfully convert his kick in a 5–3 penalty shootout win over Greece.[18]

In May 2018 he was named in Costa Rica's 23 man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.[19]

Personal life

Through his father, Borges was also a Brazilian national until 2017, when he relinquished his Brazilian nationality to become a Spanish citizen.[20]

Borges is usually considered one of the most educated players of the Costa Rica national football team. El País' Diego Torres described him as "the brain of Costa Rica" and "a gleaned midfielder with elegant diction", while La Nación's Antonio Alfaro called him "the exemplary Costa Rican player."[21][22] Aside from his native Spanish, Borges can also speak English, Portuguese and Swedish.[23]

A heavy metal fan, citing Slipknot, Metallica, Dream Theater and Killswitch Engage as his favorite bands,[24] Borges plays the drums, and has covered System of a Down's "Toxicity" alongside Peruvian musician Kurt Dyer.[25]

Career statistics

Club

[26]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Saprissa2005–06Costa Rican Primera División20———20
2006–07Costa Rican Primera División352———352
2007–08Costa Rican Primera División250—6[a]1—311
2008–09Costa Rican Primera División245—5[a]1—296
Total867—112—979
Fredrikstad FK2009Tippeligaen227211[b]1—259
2010Adeccoligaen291421——3115
2011Tippeligaen25857——3015
Total76299911—8639
AIK2012Allsvenskan298—12[b]1—419
2013Allsvenskan24830——278
2014Allsvenskan266—3[b]0—296
Total792230151—9723
Deportivo La Coruña (loan)2014–15La Liga173———173
Deportivo La Coruña2015–16La Liga243———243
2016–17La Liga34640——386
2017–18La Liga323———323
Total1071540——11115
Göztepe2018–19Süper Lig32131——352
2019–20Süper Lig21160——271
Total53291——623
Deportivo La Coruña2020–21Segunda División B15220—5[c]0222
Deportivo total1221760—5013317
Alajuelense2021–22Liga FPD212—1[d]0—222
2022–23Liga FPD342—10[e]1—443
2023–24Liga FPD420202[f]010[g]1561
2024–25Liga FPD455202[f]01[h]0505
2025–26Liga FPD292002010[i]0412
Total17111406022120310
Career total587883110445261688104
  1. ^ Appearance(s) in CONCACAF Champions League
  2. ^ Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
  3. ^ Appearances in Segunda División B play-offs
  4. ^ Appearance in CONCACAF League
  5. ^ One appearance in CONCACAF Champions Cup, nine appearances and one goal in CONCACAF League
  6. ^ Appearances in CONCACAF Champions Cup
  7. ^ Appearances in Central American Cup
  8. ^ Appearance in Supercopa de Costa Rica
  9. ^ One appearance in Supercopa de Costa Rica, seven appearances in Central American Cup

International

[27][28]

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Costa Rica200872
2009155
201030
2011101
201251
2013205
2014135
2015140
2016112
2017100
2018100
2019122
202010
2021153
2022121
202350
202510
Total16427
Scores and results list Costa Rica's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Borges goal (includes unofficial goals scored).[27]
List of international goals scored by Celso Borges
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.6 September 2008Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá, San José, Costa RicaSUR5–07–02010 FIFA World Cup qualification
2.11 October 2008André Kamperveen Stadion, Paramaribo, SurinameSUR2–04–12010 FIFA World Cup qualification
3.3 June 2009Estádio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá, San José, Costa RicaUnited States2–03–12010 FIFA World Cup qualification
4.6 June 2009Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, Trinidad and TobagoTrinidad and Tobago2–13–22010 FIFA World Cup qualification
5.3–2
6.7 July 2009Mapfre Stadium, Columbus, United StatesJamaica1–01–02009 CONCACAF Gold Cup
7.19 July 2009AT&T Stadium, Arlington, United StatesGuadeloupe1–05–12009 CONCACAF Gold Cup
8.21 January 2011Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City, PanamaPanama1–01–12011 Copa Centroamericana
9.16 October 2012Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa RicaGUY6–07–02014 FIFA World Cup qualification
10.20 January 2013Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa RicaNicaragua2–02–02013 Copa Centroamericana
11.19 June 2013Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa RicaPanama2–02–02014 FIFA World Cup qualification
12.14 August 2013Estadio Quisqueya, Santo Domingo, Dominican RepublicDominican Republic1–04–0Friendly
13.2–0
14.6 September 2013Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa RicaUnited States2–03–12014 FIFA World Cup qualification
15.6 June 2014PPL Park, Chester, United StatesIreland1–11–1Friendly
16.3 September 2014Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, Washington D.C., United StatesNicaragua1–03–02014 Copa Centroamericana
17.7 September 2014Cotton Bowl, Dallas, United StatesPanama1–22–22014 Copa Centroamericana
18.14 October 2014Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South KoreaSouth Korea1–03–1Friendly
19.2–1
20.29 March 2016Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa RicaJamaica1–03–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification
21.11 June 2016NRG Stadium, Houston, United StatesColombia3–13–2Copa América Centenario
22.16 June 2019Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa RicaNicaragua2–04–02019 CONCACAF Gold Cup
23.6 September 2019Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa RicaUruguay1–11–2Friendly
24.12 July 2021Exploria Stadium, Orlando, United StatesGLP3–13–12021 CONCACAF Gold Cup
25.16 July 2021Exploria Stadium, Orlando, United StatesSUR2–12–12021 CONCACAF Gold Cup
26.10 October 2021Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa RicaEl Salvador2–12–12022 FIFA World Cup qualification
27.24 March 2022Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa RicaCanada1–01–02022 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Deportivo Saprissa

Alajuelense

Costa Rica

Individual

See also

References

  1. ^ "FIFA World Cup Russia 2018: List of Players: Costa Rica". FIFA. 15 July 2018. p. 6. Archived 11 June 2019 at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ^ "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022: List of players: Costa Rica". FIFA. 15 November 2022. p. 7. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  3. ^ "Celso Borges, new Tico idol". FIFA.com. 10 February 2009. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
  4. ^ "Celso Borges". Saprissa. Archived from the original on 22 August 2008. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
  5. ^ "Fredrikstad sign "young ballack"" (in Norwegian). VG.no. 18 January 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
  6. ^ "Borges to leave FFK" (in Norwegian). TV2.no. 14 March 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
  7. ^ "Bekräftat: AIK värvar landslagsstjärna" (in Swedish). aftonbladet.se. 1 January 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  8. ^ "Celso Borges nuevo jugador del Deportivo" [Celso Borges new player of Deportivo] (in Spanish). Deportivo's official website. 14 January 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  9. ^ "Celso Borges da pura vida al Dépor en Vallecas (1-2)" [Celso Borges gives pure life to Depor in Vallecas (1-2)] (in Spanish). Deportivo's official website. 30 January 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  10. ^ "Celso BORGES". FIFA. Archived from the original on 16 June 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  11. ^
  12. ^ Copa Centroamericana 2011 (UNCAF Nations Cup) Archived 5 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine - RSSSF
  13. ^ Copa Centroamericana 2013 (UNCAF Nations Cup) - RSSSF
  14. ^ CONCACAF Championship, Gold Cup 2009 - Full Details Archived 26 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine - RSSSF
  15. ^ CONCACAF Championship, Gold Cup 2011 - Full Details[dead link] - RSSSF
  16. ^ CONCACAF Championship, Gold Cup 2013 - Full Details[dead link] - RSSSF
  17. ^ "Costa Rica World Cup 2014 squad". The Telegraph. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  18. ^ "Costa Rica 1-1 Greece". BBC. 29 June 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  19. ^ Arnold, Jon (14 May 2018). "Costa Rica national team World Cup squad: Oscar Ramirez names 23-man roster featuring Keylor Navas, six MLS players". Goal.com
  20. ^ "Celso Borges renunciará a nacionalidad brasileña para obtener la española" (in Spanish). Diario Digital Nuestro País. 8 February 2017. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  21. ^ Torres, Diego (28 June 2014). "La fuerza de la educación" (in Spanish). El País. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  22. ^ Alfaro, Antonio (1 July 2016). "Celso Borges: 'Yo estaba decaído en espíritu y mis papás me hablaron'" (in Spanish). La Nación. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  23. ^ Fonseca, Alejandro (15 June 2017). "Celso con acento español: 'No soy un juega de vivo'" (in Spanish). Diario Extra. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  24. ^ Solano, Gabriela (27 January 2013). "Celso Borges: "Me atrae Scarlett Johansson"" (in Spanish). Al Día. Archived from the original on 16 August 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
  25. ^ "El talento oculto de Celso Borges" (in es-ES). La Voz de Galicia. 19 June 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  26. ^ "C. Borges". Soccerway. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  27. ^ 26674
  28. ^ "Celso Borges - Century of International Appearances". RSSSF. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  29. ^ "Borges se une el Deportivo de la Coruña". Copa Oro. 6 June 2017. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  30. ^ "Turner, Funes Mori named to Best XI". CONCACAF. 3 August 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.