*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 09:37, 21 March 2022 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 13 October 2021
Álvaro Alberto Saborío Chacón (Spanish pronunciation:[ˈalβaɾosaβoˈɾi.o]; born 25 March 1982) is a Costa Rican former professional footballer, who played as a forward. Saborío originally retired in 2017 but returned months later.[2]
Saborio began his professional career with Saprissa in his native Costa Rica.[5] He made his Costa Rican Primera División debut against Limonense on 8 August 2001.[4] Saborío was the leading goal-scorer of the 2003–2004 Costa Rican season, finishing the year with 25 goals, five above Whayne Wilson.
His performances in Switzerland reportedly caught the eye of Stoke City's manager Tony Pulis who aimed to sign him in the summer of 2009, however he instead joined Bristol City on loan.
Bristol City
Saborío played his first game for Bristol City in a Championship match on 13 September against Coventry City making an impact by setting up fellow striker Nicky Maynard. Saborío also picked up his first yellow card in English football as the match ended in a 1–1 draw.[6] Saborio scored his first goal for Bristol City in their 1–1 draw with Scunthorpe United.[7]
He left Bristol City, and his contract was terminated with FC Sion in February 2010 so that he could return to Costa Rica.
Real Salt Lake
Saborío at a "Meet the Players" event for Real Salt Lake in 2010
Saborío signed with Major League Soccer club Real Salt Lake in March 2010.[8] He made a huge impact in his first season in Salt Lake: RSL boasted the highest-scoring offense in MLS in 2010 (45 goals); Saborío led the way with a team-high 12 tallies. For his efforts, he earned the MLS Newcomer of the Year award.[9] He also starred for the club in the CONCACAF Champions League tournament, scoring eight goals as Real Salt Lake advanced to the championship round.
After a successful first season at the club, Saborío was made Salt Lake's first ever Designated Player, signing a four-year contract with the club on 1 December 2010.[10]
Saborío became the club's all-time leading scorer, and their key target man. As of 5 May 2012, Saborío had scored 38 goals across all competitions, eight of them coming from CONCACAF Champions League play.
On 18 November 2013 Saborío was named FutbolMLS.com's Latino del Año.[11]
Saborío scored a goal in the 52nd minute of the 2013 MLS Cup on 7 December. His goal was equalized by Aurélien Collin in the 76th minute. He later missed his penalty kick when the game went into a penalty kick shoutout, in which Sporting Kansas City won.
Saborío re-signed with United on 17 November 2015.[15]
On 14 November 2016, Saborío announced that he was to leave United after two seasons.[16] He played 31 games, scored 10 goals, and contributed 10 assists for D.C. United.[17]
Deportivo Saprissa
On 10 January 2017, Saborío signed a one-year contract with Deportivo Saprissa. On 9 February 2017, Saborío announced his retirement due to conflicts with Saprissa fans.[2]
San Carlos
Saborío was a leading figure in San Carlos' double championship: first in the second division, and once in the first division, they won the Torneo de Clausura for the 2018-2019 season.
International career
Saborío was an important player for the Costa Rica national team at numerous levels. He represented the U-23 team at the 2004 Olympics,[18] scoring the qualifying goal that took them there, and subsequently started three of four games for the team, scoring a goal against Portugal.
Saborío made his senior debut for Costa Rica in an October 2002 friendly match against Ecuador and has, as of October 2021, earned a total of 112 caps, scoring 36 goals,[19] placing him third at his country's all-time goalscorers list behind Rolando Fonseca and Paulo Wanchope.
Saborío, better known as Pipe, has been notably recognized for his accomplishments with Deportivo Saprissa, and the high number of goals he scored in a short period. But after a year at the club his Costa Rican coach got a hold of him and he took part in the 2006 FIFA World Cup.[18] He was mostly a substitute for the side, behind Rónald Gómez and former Manchestet City forward Paulo Wanchope. He also scored the first goal ever in the Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica, in the inaugural match against China. Saborío was at the centre of much controversy in the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, criticized heavily for his misses, including two penalty kicks in the quarterfinals against Honduras, and for a training pitch incident where he allegedly kicked a ball at a child who was in the stands.[20]
Saborío scored eight times in Costa Rica's successful 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign, including a hat-trick in a 4–0 away win over Guyana on 12 June 2012,[21] and a further two goals on 16 October in a 7–0 win over the same opponents.[22] On 12 May 2014, Saborío was named to Costa Rica's 30-man preliminary roster for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.[23] However, on 29 May, the Costa Rican Football Federation confirmed that Saborío had broken the fifth metatarsal bone in his left foot during a training session with the national team and would subsequently miss the World Cup.[24]
A son of former Costa Rica international Álvaro Grant MacDonald and Marlene Saborío,[26] Saborío can speak four languages: Portuguese, Spanish, French and English.[27]
Saborío holds a U.S. green card which qualifies him as a domestic player for MLS roster purposes.[28]
Career statistics
Club
As of 30 July 2021
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
^Madrigal, Luis Alberto (18 April 2011). "Final con "Saborio" especial" [Final with "Saborio" special] (in Spanish). El Porvenir. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
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