Rolando Fonseca

Rolando Fonseca Jiménez (born 6 June 1974) is a retired Costa Rican footballer who played as a forward.

Rolando Fonseca
Fonseca (white) playing for Comunicaciones
Personal information
Full name Rolando Fonseca Jiménez
Date of birth (1974-06-06) 6 June 1974
Place of birth San José, Costa Rica
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Second striker
Striker
Youth career
Saprissa
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1989–1995 Saprissa 28 (33)
1996 Pachuca 27 (9)
1996 Independiente Medellín 12 (7)
1997 América de Cali 22 (0)
1997 Alajuelense 11 (2)
1998–2000 Comunicaciones 40 (44)
2000–2001 Saprissa 34 (18)
2001–2002 La Piedad 12 (5)
2002–2007 Alajuelense 117 (61)
2003 → Comunicaciones (loan) 23 (10)
2006 → Comunicaciones (loan) 17 (4)
2007 Municipal Liberia 15 (5)
2008–2011 Comunicaciones 79 (36)
2012 Carmelita 3 (0)
Total 440 (234)
National team‡
1992–2011 Costa Rica 113 (47)
2000 Costa Rica (futsal)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 11 April 2010
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 12 May 2010
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Fonseca and the second or maternal family name is Jiménez.

Nicknamed El Principito (The little prince)[1] and El Rolo,[2] Fonseca usually played just off the main striker and is renowned for his ability to create opportunities for his teammates and his fierce long shot.[3]

Fonseca is the Costa Rica national football team's all-time top goalscorer.[4]

Club career

Fonseca played for Comunicaciones in Guatemala, Independiente Medellín and América de Cali in Colombia, Pachuca and Pachuca in Mexico, as well as having home spells with Saprissa, Alajuelense and Municipal Liberia.

In Costa Rica, he played a total of 271 games, scoring over 100 goals, between the league's two best teams, Saprissa and Alajuelense. His debut was with Deportivo Saprissa, on 1 June 1991, against ASODELI, and scored his first goal against San Carlos on 28 August.[5] He also won Costa Rican championships in 1993–94, 1994–95 (Saprissa), and 1996–97, 2001–02, 2002–03 and 2004–05 (Alajuelense), adding three CONCACAF Champions' Cups in 1993, 1995 (Saprissa), and 2004 (Alajuelense).[6] Outside Costa Rica, Fonseca won league titles with Comunicaciones in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2008, and 2010, and with América de Cali in 1997.[6]

After solid performances with Alajuelense and the national team, Fonseca received offers in 2007 from China, Chile, Turkey and Major League Soccer, but finally settled, as co-owner, player and captain of Municipal Liberia.[7] Although he was having a great season, he left the project a few days before finishing the Apertura tournament, apparently due to personal issues and some differences with then co-owner Mario Sotela.[8] Rumors surfaced that Fonseca would return to Alajuelense, but they were all quickly discarded.

After failed negotiations with Brujas, Fonseca returned to Comunicaciones, a team he had already represented on two other spells, remaining as one of side's best imports ever. Fonseca retired in January 2011, but a year and seven months later, he made his return to professional football by joining Asociación Deportiva Carmelita on 19 August 2012.[9] After three matches with Carmelita, he was released in September 2012. Coach Orlando de León cited that Fonseca has been busy with his other activities besides football.[10]

International career

Fonseca has also been a fixture on the Costa Rica national team since 1992. He played in more than 100 internationals, and is currently the nation's all-time scorer, with 47 goals.[4]

Fonseca earned his first cap at the age of 17 on 27 May 1992, in a friendly match against Ecuador.[4] By November of that year, he appeared in a 1994 World Cup qualifier against St. Vincent and the Grenadines,[11] the first of his five World Cup qualifying campaigns for Costa Rica.[4][12] The following year saw Fonseca's first international goal, which came on 9 March in an UNCAF Nations Cup match against Panama.[4][13]

By late 1996, Fonseca had become a regular in the national team, playing four World Cup qualifiers in the fall.[4] He scored a hat trick against Honduras in the 1997 UNCAF Nations Cup,[14] the first of three in his international career.[4] He earned a call to the squad for the Copa América in Bolivia, but he appeared only in the first-round match against Mexico as the team lost all three group games.[15]

At the turn of the millennium, Fonseca was entering the highest-scoring stretch of his international career; he scored eight times for Costa Rica in 1999, six times in 2000, and twelve times in 2001.[4] During the same period, Costa Rica rose fast in CONCACAF, finishing in first place in World Cup qualifying.[16] At the 2001 Copa América, Fonseca appeared in all four matches and scored against Bolivia, as the Costa Ricans won their first-round group with a team that also included Paulo César Wanchope, Walter Centeno, and Hernán Medford.[17] Fonseca played in two games for the team at the 2002 World Cup, appearing in the first-round matches against China[18] and Brazil.[19]

Fonseca remained in the national team after the World Cup, playing in the 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup and scoring twice against the United States,[20] but he was limited to only one cap in 2004 and two in 2005.[4] He was excluded from the 2006 FIFA World Cup squad selected by Alexandre Guimarães.[21] Upon the appointment of former teammate Medford as national coach, however, Fonseca returned to the national team in early 2007.[22] He appeared only once for Costa Rica during the two-year span after the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup, but he was recalled late in 2009 for the last stages of World Cup qualifying by coach René Simões.[23] Fonseca played his final competitive international match in the intercontinental playoff match against Uruguay on 18 November 2009, coming off the bench for the last 26 minutes.[4][24]

His 47th and last international goal came against Chile, in a spectacular strike with his back to the goal, which also meant the number 1000 for Costa Rica in international matches.[25] The all-time top scorer in the UNCAF Nations Cup with 19 goals,[26] Fonseca was voted the tournament's best player in 1999, adding five goals.[27]

On 26 March 2011, Rolando Fonseca played on the first game of the new Costa Rican Estadio Nacional against China.[1] He substituted Álvaro Saborío in the 78th minute.[28] This was his last game with the Costa Rica national football team, as he retired from international play as Costa Rica's all-time leading scorer.

International goals
Scores and results list. Costa Rica's goal tally first.[29]
GoalDateVenueOpponentScoreCompetition
1.9 March 1993Honduras Panama2–01993 UNCAF Nations Cup
231 March 1993Medellín, Colombia Colombia1–3Friendly
323 June 1993San José, Costa Rica Panama3–1Friendly
41 December 1995San Salvador, El Salvador Belize2–11995 UNCAF Nations Cup
57 December 1995San Salvador, El Salvador Honduras1–11995 UNCAF Nations Cup
610 December 1995San Salvador, El Salvador El Salvador1–21995 UNCAF Nations Cup
723 April 1997Guatemala City, Guatemala Honduras4–01997 UNCAF Nations Cup
823 April 1997Guatemala City, Guatemala Honduras4–01997 UNCAF Nations Cup
923 April 1997Guatemala City, Guatemala Honduras4–01997 UNCAF Nations Cup
1027 April 1997Guatemala City, Guatemala Guatemala1–11997 UNCAF Nations Cup
1124 February 1999San José, Costa Rica Jamaica9–0Friendly
1224 February 1999San José, Costa Rica Jamaica9–0Friendly
1317 March 1999San José, Costa Rica Belize7–01999 UNCAF Nations Cup
1417 March 1999San José, Costa Rica Belize7–01999 UNCAF Nations Cup
1524 March 1999San José, Costa Rica Guatemala1–01999 UNCAF Nations Cup
1626 March 1999San José, Costa Rica Honduras1–21999 UNCAF Nations Cup
1728 March 1999San José, Costa Rica El Salvador4–01999 UNCAF Nations Cup
1818 August 1999Montevideo, Uruguay Uruguay4–5Friendly
191 July 2000San José, Costa Rica Panama5–1Friendly
201 July 2000San José, Costa Rica Panama5–1Friendly
211 July 2000San José, Costa Rica Panama5–1Friendly
2223 July 2000San José, Costa Rica United States2–1World Cup qualifier
233 September 2000San José, Costa Rica Barbados3–0World Cup qualifier
2415 November 2000Mazatenango, Guatemala Guatemala1–2World Cup qualifier
256 January 2001Miami, United States Guatemala5–2World Cup qualifier
266 January 2001Miami, United States Guatemala5–2World Cup qualifier
2728 February 2001San José, Costa Rica Honduras2–2World Cup qualifier
2819 April 2001Alajuela, Costa Rica Venezuela2–2Friendly
2923 May 2001San Pedro Sula, Honduras Belize4–02001 UNCAF Nations Cup
3023 May 2001San Pedro Sula, Honduras Belize4–02001 UNCAF Nations Cup
3123 May 2001San Pedro Sula, Honduras Belize4–02001 UNCAF Nations Cup
3216 June 2001Mexico DF, Mexico Mexico2–1World Cup qualifier
331 July 2001Tegucigalpa, Honduras Honduras3–2World Cup qualifier
3419 July 2001Medellín, Colombia Bolivia4–02001 Copa América
355 September 2001San José, Costa Rica United States2–0World Cup qualifier
365 September 2001San José, Costa Rica United States2–0World Cup qualifier
3717 January 2002Miami, United States Martinique2–02002 CONCACAF Gold Cup
3819 January 2002Miami, United States Trinidad and Tobago1–12002 CONCACAF Gold Cup
398 June 2003San José, Costa Rica Chile1–0Friendly
4026 July 2003Miami, United States United States2–32003 CONCACAF Gold Cup
4126 July 2003Miami, United States United States2–32003 CONCACAF Gold Cup
429 October 2004San José, Costa Rica Guatemala5–0World Cup qualifier
434 February 2007Alajuela, Costa Rica Trinidad and Tobago4–0Friendly
449 February 2007San Salvador, El Salvador Honduras3–12007 UNCAF Nations Cup
459 February 2007San Salvador, El Salvador Honduras3–12007 UNCAF Nations Cup
4616 February 2007San Salvador, El Salvador El Salvador2–02007 UNCAF Nations Cup
4728 March 2007Talca, Chile Chile1–1Friendly

Honours

References
  1. La Nación. "Nuevo Estadio Nacional: Joya del Deporte Costarricense", p. 30. 15 March 2011. Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  2. Calvo, Rodrigo. "Rolo llegó a los 20 títulos y superó los 360 goles". La Nación, 7 January 2009. Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  3. World Soccer. "Rolando Fonseca World Cup Profile". CNNSI.com, 12 March 2002. Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  4. Passo Alpuin, Luis Fernando. "Rolando Fonseca Jiménez – Century of International Appearances". RSSSF, 6 April 2011. Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  5. Calvo, Rodrigo. "El Buzón de Rodrigo". La Nación, 16 April 2001. Retrieved on 26 May 2001.
  6. Rodríguez, José Luis. "Rolando Fonseca ya tiene 22 títulos". La Nación, 21 December 2010. Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  7. Rivera, Arnoldo. "Rolando Fonseca confirma su incorporación a Liberia". La Nación, 26 June 2007. Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  8. Morales, Ingrid. "Rolando Fonseca fuera de Liberia Mía". La Nación, 21 November 2007. Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  9. Aguilar Arroyo, Yensy. "Rolando Fonseca entrenará mañana con Carmelita". Al Día, 19 August 2012. Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  10. Umaña, Johan. "Carmelita evalúa dar de baja a Rolando Fonseca". La Nación", 24 September 2012. Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  11. Owsianski, Jaroslaw. "International Matches 1992 – North and Central America and Caribbean". RSSSF, 2 February 2005. Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  12. FIFA. "FIFA Player Statistics: Rolando FONSECA". Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  13. Reyes, Macario. "UNCAF Tournament 1993". RSSSF, 2 June 2003. Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  14. Courtney, Barrie; Jönsson, Mikael; Morrison, Neil. "UNCAF Tournament 1997". RSSSF, 26 January 2003. Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  15. Tabeira, Martín. "Copa América 1997". RSSSF, 2 August 2007. Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  16. Stokkermans, Karel. "World Cup 2002 Qualifying". RSSSF, 26 November 2009. Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  17. Tabeira, Martín. "Copa América 2001". RSSSF, 31 May 2012. Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  18. FIFA. "Match Report – China PR – Costa Rica 0:2 (0:0)". 4 June 2002. Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  19. FIFA. "Match Report – Costa Rica – Brazil 2:5 (1:3)". 13 June 2002. Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  20. Saaid, Hamdan. "CONCACAF Championship, Gold Cup 2003 – Full Details". RSSSF, 6 December 2006. Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  21. ESPN. "Costa Rica's World Cup roster leads to criticism". 25 April 2006. Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  22. Rodríguez, José Luis. "Medford va con dos delanteros". La Nación, 31 January 2007. Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  23. FIFA. "Simoes: It's not impossible". 9 October 2009. Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  24. FIFA. "Match Report – Uruguay – Costa Rica 1:1 (0:0)". 18 November 2009. Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  25. La Nación. "Con un lujo de Fonseca, la Tricolor se plantó en Chile". 29 March 2007. Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  26. Goldberg, David. "Números de Rolo respaldan su talento". La Nación, 5 January 2011. Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  27. Soccer America. "International: Costa Rica wins UNCAF Cup". 29 March 1999. Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  28. Rivera, Arnoldo. "La Selección desentonó en el estreno de su nueva casa". La Nación, 27 March 2011. Retrieved on 26 May 2013.
  29. "Rolando Fonseca Jiménez - Century of International Appearances". www.rsssf.com.
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