Celso Borges
Celso Borges Mora (American Spanish: [ˈselso ˈβoɾxes]; born 27 May 1988) is a Costa Rican professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for the Spanish club Deportivo La Coruña and the Costa Rica national team.
![]() Borges with AIK in 2015 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Celso Borges Mora | ||
Date of birth | 27 May 1988 | ||
Place of birth | San José, Costa Rica | ||
Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[1] | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Deportivo La Coruña | ||
Number | 8 | ||
Youth career | |||
Saprissa | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2006–2009 | Saprissa | 86 | (7) |
2009–2012 | Fredrikstad FK | 76 | (29) |
2012–2015 | AIK | 79 | (22) |
2015 | → Deportivo La Coruña (loan) | 17 | (3) |
2015–2018 | Deportivo La Coruña | 93 | (15) |
2018–2020 | Göztepe | 53 | (2) |
2020– | Deportivo La Coruña | 9 | (0) |
National team‡ | |||
2005 | Costa Rica U17 | 4 | (1) |
2007 | Costa Rica U20 | 3 | (0) |
2008– | Costa Rica | 131 | (23) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 12 January 2021 ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 13 November 2020 |
Early years
His father is Alexandre Guimarães,[2]Brazilian-born, Costa Rican-raised ex-footballer and coach. He was born in Costa Rica's capital city San José and during his highschool years he attended Sistema Educativo Saint Clare Highschool, where he also took part in the school's team and was taught everything about soccer by Costa Rican football legend don Juan Varela. 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.[3] 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.[4] In March 2011, Borges stated he would leave Fredrikstad during or after the 2011 season.[5]
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.[6]
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.[7] 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.[8]
International career
Borges has earned a total of 131 caps for the Costa Rica national football team, scoring 23 goals.[9] He has represented his country in 35 FIFA World Cup qualification matches[10] and at the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cup finals. He has also played at the 2011[11] and 2013 Copa Centroamericana,[12] as well as at the 2009,[13] 2011,[14] 2013,[15] 2015 and 2019 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.[10] Borges also participated in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup held in Canada.[10]
He made his debut for the Costa Rican senior team in a June 2008 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Grenada[9] 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 Los Ticos reach the 2014 finals by finishing second in the CONCACAF qualifying zone.[9]
In June 2014, Borges was named in Costa Rica's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.[16] 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.[17]
In May 2018 he was named in Costa Rica's 23 man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.[18]
Personal life
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."[19][20] Aside from his native Spanish, Borges can also speak English, Portuguese and Swedish.[21]
Borges is a heavy metal fan, citing Slipknot, Metallica, Dream Theater and Killswitch Engage as his favorite bands.[22] Having learned to play drums as a pastime, he covered System of a Down's "Toxicity" alongside Peruvian musician Kurt Dyer.[23]
Career statistics
Club
- As of 16 January 2020[24]
Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Saprissa | 2005–06 | Costa Rican Primera División | 2 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||
2006–07 | 35 | 2 | — | — | 35 | 2 | ||||
2007–08 | 25 | 0 | — | 6 | 1 | 31 | 1 | |||
2008–09 | 24 | 5 | — | 5 | 1 | 29 | 6 | |||
Total | 86 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 97 | 9 | ||
Fredrikstad FK | 2009 | Tippeligaen | 22 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 25 | 9 |
2010 | Adeccoligaen | 29 | 14 | 2 | 1 | — | 31 | 15 | ||
2011 | Tippeligaen | 25 | 8 | 5 | 7 | — | 30 | 15 | ||
Total | 76 | 29 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 86 | 39 | ||
AIK | 2012 | Allsvenskan | 29 | 8 | — | 12 | 1 | 41 | 9 | |
2013 | 24 | 8 | 3 | 0 | — | 27 | 8 | |||
2014 | 26 | 6 | – | 3 | 0 | 29 | 6 | |||
Total | 79 | 22 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 97 | 23 | ||
Deportivo La Coruña | 2015 | La Liga | 17 | 3 | — | 17 | 3 | |||
2015–16 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 24 | 3 | |||
2016–17 | 34 | 6 | 4 | 0 | — | 38 | 6 | |||
2017–18 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 18 | 3 | |||
Total | 93 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 97 | 15 | ||
Göztepe | 2018–19 | Süper Lig | 32 | 1 | 3 | 1 | - | 35 | 2 | |
2019–20 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | - | 10 | 0 | |||
Total | 38 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 2 | ||
Career total | 372 | 74 | 23 | 10 | 27 | 4 | 422 | 88 |
International
- As of 13 November 2020[25]
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
Costa Rica | 2008 | 7 | 2 |
2009 | 15 | 5 | |
2010 | 3 | 0 | |
2011 | 10 | 1 | |
2012 | 5 | 1 | |
2013 | 20 | 5 | |
2014 | 13 | 5 | |
2015 | 14 | 0 | |
2016 | 11 | 2 | |
2017 | 10 | 0 | |
2018 | 10 | 0 | |
2019 | 12 | 2 | |
2020 | 1 | 0 | |
Total | 131 | 23 |
International goals
- Scores and results list Costa Rica's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Borges goal (includes unofficials goals scored).[25]
No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 6 September 2008 | Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá, San José, Costa Rica | ![]() | 5–0 | 7–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
2. | 11 October 2008 | André Kamperveen Stadion, Paramaribo, Suriname | 2–0 | 4–1 | ||
3. | 3 June 2009 | Estádio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá, San José, Costa Rica | ![]() | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
4. | 6 June 2009 | Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, Trinidad and Tobago | ![]() | 2–1 | 3–2 | |
5. | 3–2 | |||||
6. | 7 July 2009 | Mapfre Stadium, Columbus, United States | ![]() | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
7. | 19 July 2009 | AT&T Stadium, Arlington, United States | ![]() | 1–0 | 5–1 | 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
8. | 21 January 2011 | Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City, Panama | ![]() | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2011 Copa Centroamericana |
9. | 16 October 2012 | Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica | ![]() | 6–0 | 7–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
10. | 20 January 2013 | ![]() | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2013 Copa Centroamericana | |
11. | 19 June 2013 | ![]() | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
12. | 14 August 2013 | Estadio Quisqueya, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | ![]() | 1–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
13. | 2–0 | |||||
14. | 6 September 2013 | Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica | ![]() | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
15. | 6 June 2014 | PPL Park, Chester, United States | ![]() | 1–1 | 1–1 | Friendly |
16. | 3 September 2014 | Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, Washington D.C., United States | ![]() | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2014 Copa Centroamericana |
17. | 7 September 2014 | Cotton Bowl, Dallas, United States | ![]() | 1–2 | 2–2 | |
18. | 14 October 2014 | Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South Korea | ![]() | 1–0 | 3–1 | Friendly |
19. | 2–1 | |||||
20. | 29 March 2016 | Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica | ![]() | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
21. | 11 June 2016 | NRG Stadium, Houston, United States | ![]() | 3–1 | 3–2 | Copa América Centenario |
22. | 16 June 2019 | Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica | ![]() | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
23. | 6 September 2019 | ![]() | 1–1 | 1–2 | Friendly |
References
- "2018 FIFA World Cup Russia – List of Players" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 4 June 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 August 2018. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
- "Celso Borges, new Tico idol". FIFA.com. 10 February 2009. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
- "Celso Borges". Saprissa. Archived from the original on 22 August 2008. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
- "Fredrikstad sign "young ballack"" (in Norwegian). VG.no. 18 January 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
- "Borges to leave FFK" (in Norwegian). TV2.no. 14 March 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
- "Bekräftat: AIK värvar landslagsstjärna" (in Swedish). aftonbladet.se. 1 January 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- "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.
- "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.
- "Celso BORGES". FIFA. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
- Celso Borges – FIFA competition record
- Copa Centroamericana 2011 (UNCAF Nations Cup) Archived 5 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine - RSSSF
- Copa Centroamericana 2013 (UNCAF Nations Cup) - RSSSF
- CONCACAF Championship, Gold Cup 2009 - Full Details Archived 26 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine - RSSSF
- CONCACAF Championship, Gold Cup 2011 - Full Details - RSSSF
- CONCACAF Championship, Gold Cup 2013 - Full Details - RSSSF
- "Costa Rica World Cup 2014 squad". The Telegraph. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
- "Costa Rica 1-1 Greece". BBC. 29 June 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
- https://www.goal.com/en/amp/news/costa-rica-names-23-man-world-cup-squad-featuring-keylor/1bw2iz8pkma5614bzushqyyo7g
- Torres, Diego (28 June 2014). "La fuerza de la educación". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 August 2017.
- Alfaro, Antonio (1 July 2016). "Celso Borges: 'Yo estaba decaído en espíritu y mis papás me hablaron'". La Nación (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 August 2017.
- Fonseca, Alejandro (15 June 2017). "Celso con acento español: 'No soy un juega de vivo'". Diario Extra (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 August 2017.
- Solano, Gabriela (27 January 2013). "Celso Borges: "Me atrae Scarlett Johansson"". Al Día (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 16 August 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
- "El talento oculto de Celso Borges". La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). 19 June 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
- "C. Borges". Soccerway. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
- "Celso Borges". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
External links
- Celso Borges at BDFutbol
- Celso Borges at National-Football-Teams.com
- Profile at Nacion.com (in Spanish)