Puntarenas F.C.

Puntarenas
Full namePuntarenas Fútbol Club
Nickname(s)Areneros
Chuchequeros
Naranjas
Porteños
Tiburones
Fuerza Naranja
Founded30 June 2004; 19 years ago (2004-06-30)
GroundEstadio Lito Pérez
Capacity4,105
ChairmanSilvia Bolaños
ManagerDiego Vásquez
LeagueLiga Promerica
Clausura 202310°
WebsiteClub website

Puntarenas Fútbol Club S.A.D. is a Costa Rican football club, currently competing in the Primera División de Costa Rica.

The team plays its home games in the Estadio Municipal de Puntarenas Miguel Ángel "Lito" Pérez Treacy nicknamed "La Olla Mágica" ("The Magic Cauldron") in Puntarenas Centro, Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica, known by that name because of the high temperatures of the zone and the unstopping support from the fans along the games.

History[edit]

A.D. Municipal Puntarenas[edit]

The club was founded in June 2004,[1] by Adrián Castro Velásquez and Eduardo Li Sánchez and is basically a spinoff of the A.D. Municipal Puntarenas club, founded on January 9, 1952[2] which until 2001 had spent 34 seasons in the Primera División (UNAFUT). Municipal Puntarenas debuted in the Primera División on 19 April 1964[2] and won their first and only division title in the 1986–87 season against Alajuelense,[3] they also finished second three more times. In 2002 Municipal Puntarenas was relegated to Liga de Ascenso, Segunda División (LIASCE) and in 2009 to third division Primera División de Liga Nacional de Futbol Aficionado (LINAFA).

A.D. Sánta Barbara franchise purchased[edit]

Municipal Puntarenas's relegation in 2001 and Municipal Osa's descent in 2003 left Puntarenas Province without a Primera División club[1] so Li and Castro purchased the franchise of A.D. Santa Bárbara[4] to restore the province's presence in the top tier.[5]

Santa Bárbara had made their debut in the Primera in the 1997–98 season with 4th place being their best league result.[6]

Puntarenas F.C.[edit]

Puntarenas F.C. counts with the supporter group "Estação La Samba Primeira" that brings cheers and music to the local games. Puntarenas F.C. played its first game on August 22, 2004, in Estadio Miguel "Lito" Pérez, beating Belén 2–1. They became one of the best teams in the Primera División, being in the first 3 places in their first 3 years as a new team, starting a rivalry with Saprissa and Alajuelense, the most successful teams in the country. According to IFFHS Club World Ranking, Puntarenas F.C. ranked 342 (285) in the World in 2007, making them one of the best squads in Costa Rica and in the UNCAF region.

On July 4, 2007, Eduardo Li Sánchez resigned as team owner and President to take over the reins of Federación Costarricense de Fútbol (FEDEFUTBOL) as president.[7] Owner and Vice President Adrián Castro Velásquez became the club's new president and sole proprietor.

On December 9, 2008, it was announced that Alejandro Márquez, owner of Mexican second division football club Atlético Celaya had bought 50 percent of the shares of Puntarenas F.C.[8] making it the second Costa Rican team with Mexican interest. Márquez was elected vice president.

On February 16, 2009, Adrián Castro Velásquez was assassinated as he left his house in Miramar de Montes de Oro en route to Puntarenas Centro, by a pair of hitman on a motorbike[9] to settle a business dispute. As a result of Castro's tragic death, his wife María Alejandra Ordóñez Lucovich took over[1] his half of the club's shares. The board of directors elected Adrian's son Marcelo Enrique Castro as second Vice President and Víctor Herrera as president.

On June 27, 2009, it was reported that Alejandro Márquez defaulted on his contract with the club.[10] Alejandra Ordóñez took full ownership, control of all club assets and the Presidency.[11]

In 2009, Score One Soccer became equity partner of Puntarenas F.C. and was also granted a 10-year contract by Municipalidad de Puntarenas to operate Estadio Miguel "Lito" Pérez.

In April 2014, Puntarenas were relegated to the Second Division.[12]

In May 2022, Puntarenas beat Carmelita 3-0 on aggregate to win the second division and ascend to Costa Rica’s top flight for the first time since 2014.

Honours[edit]

Stadium[edit]

The stadium belongs to the municipality of Puntarenas and is used by the teams of the Liga Gatorade de Ascenso, Puntarenas Fútbol Club and Marineros de Puntarenas, in addition to the Third Division team, the Puntarenas San Luis Fútbol Club.

The stadium is being upgraded with lighting. The Municipality of Puntarenas plans to have the best lighting in all of Central America. According to the Ministry of Health, the recommended capacity is 4,105 spectators:

North or Shadow Grandstand: 1680 people

South Grandstand: 825 people

East Grandstand: 800 people

West Grandstand: 800 people

It has natural grass but the company Score One Soccer, which has shares of the Puntarenas Fútbol Club and will manage the stadium for 10 years, will remodel it. The dressing rooms and press areas of the stadium have already been remodeled. It is located 200 m. west of the Courts of Justice, on Avenida Centenario. Downtown Puntarenas.

Current squad[edit]

As of 22 January, 2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Costa Rica CRC Luis Torres
2 DF Costa Rica CRC Marco Gutiérrez
3 DF Costa Rica CRC Randall Cordero
4 DF Panama PAN Jean Carlos Sánchez (on loan from Universitario)
6 DF Costa Rica CRC Jaikel Medina
7 FW Costa Rica CRC Keylor Ramírez
8 MF Costa Rica CRC Rashir Parkins (on loan from Alajuelense)
9 FW Panama PAN Ansony Frías
10 MF Costa Rica CRC Raheem Cole
11 MF Costa Rica CRC Barlon Sequeira
12 DF Costa Rica CRC Asdrúbal Gibbons (Captain)
13 GK Costa Rica CRC Miguel Ajú (on loan from Alajuelense)
No. Pos. Nation Player
14 MF Costa Rica CRC Pablo Herrera
15 DF Costa Rica CRC Krisler Villalobos
17 MF Costa Rica CRC Jostin Tellería
20 MF Colombia COL Santiago Cantillo
21 MF Costa Rica CRC Doryan Rodríguez (on loan from Alajuelense)
22 FW Nicaragua NCA Brayan López
25 MF Costa Rica CRC Amferny Sinclair
26 MF Costa Rica CRC Andrey Mora
27 FW Costa Rica CRC Keyder Bernard
28 FW Costa Rica CRC Julen Cordero
58 MF Mexico MEX Luis Franco
60 MF Costa Rica CRC José Eduardo Leiva
DF Costa Rica CRC Junior Delgado

A.D.M. Puntarenas[edit]

Players from Asociación Deportiva Municipal Puntarenas who won championship (1986-1987).

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
18 GK Costa Rica CRC Jorge Arturo Hidalgo
21 GK Costa Rica CRC Bismarck Duarte
31 GK Costa Rica CRC Hermidio Barrantes
DF Costa Rica CRC Alfredo “Diablo” Contreras
DF Costa Rica CRC Ricardo “Sardina” García
DF Costa Rica CRC Jorge Badilla
DF Costa Rica CRC Marvin Bustos
DF Costa Rica CRC Carlos Morales
DF Costa Rica CRC Carlos Nicanor Toppings
DF Costa Rica CRC Sergio Angulo
DF Costa Rica CRC Adolfo "El Coyolito" Rojas
DF Costa Rica CRC Marvin Huertas
DF Brazil BRA Carlo Iranil Carvalho Do Nascimento
MF Costa Rica CRC Sandro Alfaro
MF Costa Rica CRC Carlos Alberto “El Pistoncillo” Velásquez
No. Pos. Nation Player
23 MF Costa Rica CRC Luis Enrique Galagarza
MF Costa Rica CRC Juan Carlos Aguirre
MF Costa Rica CRC Rodolfo Ramírez Binns
1 MF Costa Rica CRC Francisco Arias
10 MF Costa Rica CRC Juan Carlos Díaz
MF Costa Rica CRC Tomás Eduardo “El Pistón” Velásquez
4 MF Brazil BRA Kleber Ponce
9 FW Costa Rica CRC Leonidas “Leoni” Flores
FW Costa Rica CRC Gilberto Rhoden
FW Costa Rica CRC Didier Morales
FW Costa Rica CRC Roberto Stevanovich
FW Costa Rica CRC Danilo Anderson
FW Costa Rica CRC Donaldo Vega
FW Costa Rica CRC Franklin "El Chino" Vargas

See also[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]