Kenneth Vargas

Kenneth Vargas
Personal information
Full name	Kenneth Gerardo Vargas Vargas
Date of birth	17 April 2002 (age 22)
Place of birth	San José, Costa Rica
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Heart of Midlothian
Number	77
Youth career
0000–2020	Herediano
Senior career*
Years	Team
2020–2024	Herediano
2020–2022	→ Municipal Grecia (loan)
2023–2024	→ Heart of Midlothian (loan)
2024–	Heart of Midlothian
International career‡
2023–	Costa Rica U23
2023–	Costa Rica
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13 January 2025; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18 November 2024

Kenneth Gerardo Vargas Vargas (born 17 April 2002) is a Costa Rican professional footballer who plays as a forward for Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian.^[2]

Club career

Herediano and Grecia loan

Vargas played for Municipal Grecia on loan from C.S. Herediano. After returning to Herediano, he scored on his senior league debut for the club, against Grecia, on 15 January 2022.^[3] He went on to score 10 goals in 41 appearances in the Liga FPD, the Costa Rican first division, in 2022.^[4]

Heart of Midlothian

On 7 August 2023, Vargas joined Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian on a season-long loan deal from Herediano, with an option to purchase outright.^[5]

Vargas was permanently signed by Hearts on 26 March 2024 on a five-season contract.^[6]

International career

Capped at under-23 level,^[7] Vargas received his first call-up to the Costa Rica senior national team in 2021.^[8] In October 2022 he was again called up to the national team set-up but didn't make an appearance from the substitute bench.^[9]

Personal life

His father, also called Kenneth Vargas and nicknamed “Huevo”, was a professional footballer in Costa Rica who played as a striker. Kenneth Vargas Jnr is subsequently nicknamed “Huevito”.^[10]

Career statistics

Club

As of 22 January 2025^[2]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup		Continental		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Grecia (loan)	2020–21	Liga FPD	11	2	0	0	—		—		11	2
	2021–22	Liga FPD	17	3	0	0	—		—		17	3
	Total		28	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	28	5
Herediano	2021–22	Liga FPD	12	2	0	0	—		2^[a]	0	14	2
	2022–23	Liga FPD	33	10	8	2	3^[b]	0	8^[a]	0	52	12
	2023–24	Liga FPD	0	0	0	0	—		1^[c]	0	1	0
	Total		45	12	8	2	3	0	11	0	67	14
Heart of Midlothian (loan)	2023–24	Scottish Premiership	33	6	4	3	2^[d]	0	3^[e]	0	42	9
Heart of Midlothian	2024–25	Scottish Premiership	22	2	1	0	8^[f]	0	1^[e]	0	32	2
Career total			128	25	12	4	13	0	15	0	168	29

^ ^a ^b Appearance in the Liga FPD play-offs
^ Appearances in the CONCACAF League
^ Appearance in the Costa Rican Super Cup
^ Appearances in the UEFA Europa Conference League
^ ^a ^b Appearances in the Scottish League Cup
^ Appearances in the UEFA Europa League

International

As of match played 18 November 2024

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Costa Rica	2023	3	0
Costa Rica	2024	7	1
Total		10	1

Scores and results list Costa Rica's goal tally first.

List of international goals scored by Kenneth Vargas
No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	15 October 2024	Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica	Guatemala	2–0	3–0	2024–25 CONCACAF Nations League A

References

^ "Player profile".
^ ^a ^b "Kenneth Vargas". Soccerway. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
^ Masis, Florela (15 January 2022). "Kenneth Vargas gives value to his signing from the first game with Herediano". nacion.com. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
^ Anderson, Barry (27 July 2023). "Hearts in talks to sign Costa Rican striker Kenneth Vargas". Edinburugh News. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
^ "Welcome Kenneth Vargas! – Hearts". www.heartsfc.co.uk. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
^ "Vargas signs permanent deal – Hearts". www.heartsfc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
^ Anderson, Mark (27 July 2023). "Hearts working on deal for Costa Rican starlet Kenneth Vargas as talks continue over six-figure fee". Scotsman. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
^ "Kenneth Vargas se quedó sin habla al enterarse de su convocatoria". Everardoherrera.com. 27 August 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
^ Castillo, Luis Felipe (21 October 2022). "Kenneth Vargas works in search of scoring points to go to the World Cup with La Sele". Amprensa.com. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
^ Arraya, Fernando José (29 March 2021). "Kenneth Vargas joins the group of fathers and sons who scored in Primera". Teletica.com. Retrieved 26 July 2023.

[PO-11] Appearance in the Liga FPD play-offs

[12] Appearances in the CONCACAF League

[13] Appearance in the Costa Rican Super Cup

[14] Appearances in the UEFA Europa Conference League

[SLC-15] Appearances in the Scottish League Cup

[16] Appearances in the UEFA Europa League

[1] "Player profile".

[sw-2] "Kenneth Vargas". Soccerway. Retrieved 27 July 2023.

[3] Masis, Florela (15 January 2022). "Kenneth Vargas gives value to his signing from the first game with Herediano". nacion.com. Retrieved 27 July 2023.

[4] Anderson, Barry (27 July 2023). "Hearts in talks to sign Costa Rican striker Kenneth Vargas". Edinburugh News. Retrieved 27 July 2023.

[5] "Welcome Kenneth Vargas! – Hearts". www.heartsfc.co.uk. Retrieved 7 August 2023.

[6] "Vargas signs permanent deal – Hearts". www.heartsfc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 March 2024.

[7] Anderson, Mark (27 July 2023). "Hearts working on deal for Costa Rican starlet Kenneth Vargas as talks continue over six-figure fee". Scotsman. Retrieved 27 July 2023.

[8] "Kenneth Vargas se quedó sin habla al enterarse de su convocatoria". Everardoherrera.com. 27 August 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2023.

[9] Castillo, Luis Felipe (21 October 2022). "Kenneth Vargas works in search of scoring points to go to the World Cup with La Sele". Amprensa.com. Retrieved 26 July 2023.

[10] Arraya, Fernando José (29 March 2021). "Kenneth Vargas joins the group of fathers and sons who scored in Primera". Teletica.com. Retrieved 26 July 2023.

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