Francisco Calvo
FullnameFrancisco Javier Calvo Quesada[1]
Birth date8 July 1992 (age 34)
Birth placeSan José, Costa Rica
Height1.80 m[2]
PositionCentre-back
CurrentclubAl-Ettifaq
Clubnumber5
Youthyears 12005–2010
Youthclubs 1Saprissa
Collegeyears 12010
College 1San Jacinto Coyotes
Collegecaps 114
Collegegoals 15
Years 12011–2012
Clubs 1Herediano
Caps 123
Goals 11
Years 22012
Clubs 2Pérez Zeledón
Caps 221
Goals 25
Years 32013
Clubs 3Nordsjælland
Caps 33
Goals 30
Years 42013–2015
Clubs 4Herediano
Caps 449
Goals 46
Years 52015
Clubs 5→ Santos de Guápiles (loan)
Caps 521
Goals 55
Years 62015–2016
Clubs 6Saprissa
Caps 663
Goals 614
Years 72017–2019
Clubs 7Minnesota United
Caps 760
Goals 75
Years 82019–2021
Clubs 8Chicago Fire
Caps 862
Goals 85
Years 92022
Clubs 9San Jose Earthquakes
Caps 913
Goals 92
Years 102022–2023
Clubs 10Konyaspor
Caps 1048
Goals 103
Years 112024
Clubs 11Juárez
Caps 1117
Goals 111
Years 122024–2025
Clubs 12Hatayspor
Caps 1225
Goals 121
Years 132025–
Clubs 13Al-Ettifaq
Caps 1330
Goals 134
Nationalyears 12011
Nationalteam 1Costa Rica U20
Nationalcaps 14
Nationalgoals 11
Nationalyears 22011–
Nationalteam 2Costa Rica
Nationalcaps 2115
Nationalgoals 216
Pcupdate14 May 2026
Ntupdate22:47, 18 November 2025 (UTC)

Francisco Javier Calvo Quesada (fɾanˈθisko xaˈβjeɾ ˈkalβo keˈsaða; born 8 July 1992) is a Costa Rican professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Saudi Pro League club Al-Ettifaq and captains the Costa Rica national team.

Early life

After starting with Deportivo Saprissa as a youth player from 2005 to 2010, Calvo moved to the United States to study at San Jacinto College after getting a scholarship and played football at university level during that period.[3]

Club career

On his return to Costa Rica in 2011, Calvo played for Herediano before a stint at Pérez Zeledón where he scored 5 goals in 21 matches.[4] In January 2013 he moved abroad to play for then Danish champions Nordsjælland[5] but he returned to Herediano in summer 2013.[6] In January 2015, Calvo joined Santos de Guápiles as a loan.[7]

In late May 2015, Calvo joined Saprissa. In his first season with Saprissa, he appeared in 39 matches and scored five goals. The following season, he continued to be a set-piece threat as he scored 9 goals in 24 matches playing as a defender.

On 27 December 2016, Calvo joined Major League Soccer side Minnesota United FC.[8] In 2018, Calvo was selected as an MLS All-Star, becoming the first Minnesota United player in club history to receive the honor.[citation needed]

On 3 May 2019, Calvo was traded to Chicago Fire.[9] Following the 2021 season, Calvo's contract option was declined by Chicago.[10]

On 26 January 2022, Calvo signed as a free agent with San Jose Earthquakes.[11] On 5 March 2022, Calvo scored two late set piece goals for a ten-man San Jose team to salvage a 3–3 draw at home against the Columbus Crew. This performance led to him being named in the MLS Team of the Week.[12] He then moved to Konyaspor in the Turkish Süper Lig.

On 15 January 2024, Calvo signed with Juárez in Mexico.[13] On 31 March 2024, he notches his first goal for the club by scoring a header contributing a 2–1 win against Santos Laguna.

On 5 August 2025, Calvo joined Saudi Pro League club Al-Ettifaq.[14]

International career

On 29 May 2011, Calvo made his debut with the Costa Rica senior team in San José in a friendly game against Nigeria.[15] He was also part of the Costa Rica squad at the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Calvo was also a reserve call-up for Costa Rica at the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup,[16] and later impressed senior head coach Ricardo La Volpe to win him a call-up for the Costa Rica squad at the 2011 Copa América. He made his debut in the competition in a game against Colombia, which ended in a 1–0 loss, and played in a 2–0 win against Bolivia.[17] also he played Argentina in a 3–0 loss.

In May 2018, Calvo was named in Costa Rica's 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.[18] He later reprised the same role at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.[19]

On 15 October 2024, he featured in his 100th international match for Costa Rica in a 3–0 victory over Guatemala during the CONCACAF Nations League A.[20]

Career statistics

Club

[21]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Herediano2011–12Costa Rican Primera División231—3[a]0—261
Pérez Zeledón2012–13Costa Rican Primera División215———215
Nordsjælland2012–13Danish Superliga3000——30
Herediano2013–14Liga FPD293—1[a]0—303
2014–15Liga FPD203—4[a]1—244
Total7270081—808
Santos (loan)2014–15Liga FPD215———215
Saprissa2015–16Liga FPD395—4[a]0—435
2016–17Liga FPD249004[a]1—2810
Total63140081—7115
Minnesota United2017Major League Soccer27200——272
2018Major League Soccer26200——262
2019Major League Soccer71———71
Total60500——605
Chicago Fire2019Major League Soccer23300—1[b]0243
2020Major League Soccer221———221
2021Major League Soccer171———171
Total45400—10464
San Jose Earthquakes2022Major League Soccer13220——152
Konyaspor2022–23Süper Lig313204[c]0—373
2023–24Süper Lig17010——180
Total4833040—553
Juárez2023–24Liga MX14100——141
2024–25Liga MX3000——30
Total17100——171
Hatayspor2024–25Süper Lig25110——261
Al-Ettifaq2025–26Saudi Pro League30410——314
Career total41851702021044653
  1. ^ Appearance(s) in CONCACAF Champions League
  2. ^ Appearance(s) in Leagues Cup
  3. ^ Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa Conference League
  4. ^ Includes a non-FIFA friendly played against Catalonia, which is counted as an official match by the Costa Rican Football Federation.

International

[22]

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Costa Rica201130
201200
201300
201400
201580
201660
2017163
2018111
201962
202010
2021161
2022101
2023113
2024143
202513[d]2
Total11516
Scores and results list Costa Rica's goal tally first.[22]
List of international goals scored by Francisco Calvo
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
120 January 2017Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City, PanamaHonduras1–11–12017 Copa Centroamericana
213 June 2017Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa RicaTrinidad and Tobago1–02–12018 FIFA World Cup qualification
311 July 2017BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, United StatesCanada1–11–12017 CONCACAF Gold Cup
43 June 2018Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa RicaNorthern Ireland3–03–0Friendly
514 November 2019Ergilio Hato Stadium, Willemstad, CuraçaoCUW2–12–12019–20 CONCACAF Nations League A
617 November 2019Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá, San José, Costa RicaHaiti1–01–1
76 June 2021Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, United StatesHonduras2–22–22021 CONCACAF Nations League Finals
85 June 2022Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa RicaMTQ2–02–02022–23 CONCACAF Nations League A
94 July 2023Red Bull Arena, Harrison, United StatesMTQ2–16–42023 CONCACAF Gold Cup
108 September 2023St James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, EnglandSaudi Arabia1–03–1Friendly
1120 November 2023Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City, PanamaPanama1–31–32023–24 CONCACAF Nations League A
122 July 2024Q2 Stadium, Austin, United StatesParaguay1–02–12024 Copa América
135 September 2024Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa RicaGLP1–03–02024–25 CONCACAF Nations League A
1415 October 2024Guatemala3–03–0
1529 June 2025U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, United StatesUnited States1–02–2
2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup
1614 October 2025Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa RicaNicaragua4–14–12026 FIFA World Cup qualification
Last updated 29 June 2025

Honours

Individual

See also

References

  1. ^ "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Squad list: Costa Rica (CRC)". FIFA. 15 November 2022. p. 7. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  2. ^ "2018 FIFA World Cup Russia – List of Players". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 4 June 2018. Archived from the original on 19 June 2018. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  3. ^ "Francisco Calvo se abre su camino". Lanacion.com. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  4. ^ "Francisco Calvo statistics". Archived from the original on 23 May 2014. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Francisco Calvo firmó con el campeón danés". Lanacion.com. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  6. ^ "Francisco Calvo está cerca de regresar al Herediano". Lanacion.com. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  7. ^ "Francisco Calvo firmó con Saprissa a partir del Invierno 2015". Lanacion.com. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  8. ^ "MNUFC Signs Dynamic Defender Francisco Calvo". Minnesota United FC. 27 December 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  9. ^ "Minnesota United trades Francisco Calvo to Chicago for cash". Star Tribune. 3 May 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  10. ^ "Chicago Fire FC Announce 2021 Roster Decisions | Chicago Fire FC". Chicagofirefc.com
  11. ^ "NEWS: Earthquakes Sign Costa Rica National Team Defender Francisco Calvo | San Jose Earthquakes". Sjearthquakes.com. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  12. ^ "NEWS: Francisco Calvo Selected to MLS Team of the Week". Sjearthquakes.com. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  13. ^ "Francisco Calvo, refuerzo Bravo" [Francisco Calvo, Bravo reinforcement] (in Spanish). FC Juárez. 15 January 2024. Archived from the original on 2 February 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  14. ^ "الاتفاق يوقع رسمياً مع الكوستاريكي كالفو"
  15. ^ "San Jac star plays national soccer for Costa Rica". Houston Chronicle. Hearst Communications. 22 June 2011. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  16. ^ "Una nueva figura sustituirá a Gamboa | Federación Costarricense de Fútbol". Archived from the original on 5 July 2011. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  17. ^ [1] [dead link]
  18. ^ "Keylor Navas & six MLS players named in Costa Rica's 23-man World Cup squad". Goal.com. 14 May 2018. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  19. ^ "Suárez eligió a sus 26 jugadores para la aventura mundialista en Catar" [Suárez has selected his 26 players for the World Cup adventure in Qatar] (in Spanish). Costa Rican Football Federation. 3 November 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  20. ^ "Costa Rica vs. Guatemala: Francisco Calvo celebra su partido 100 con tremendo golazo" (in Spanish). El Mundo. 15 October 2024.
  21. ^
  22. ^
  23. ^ CONCACAF (7 June 2021). "Here is the Best XI of the Concacaf Nations League Finals". No. 1402064406738092034. Retrieved 7 June 2021.