Ricardo Peña (Costa Rican footballer)

Ricardo Allen Peña Gutiérrez (born 15 July 2004) is a Costa Rican footballer who currently plays as a midfielder for Fútbol Consultants and the Costa Rica national team.

Ricardo Peña
Personal information
Full name Ricardo Allen Peña Gutiérrez[1]
Date of birth (2004-07-15) 15 July 2004 (age 20)
Place of birth Limón, Costa Rica[1]
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Colorado Rapids 2
(on loan from Fútbol Consultants)
Number 42
Youth career
Limón
2019–2020 Fútbol Consultants
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020– Fútbol Consultants 0 (0)
2022–2023Real Betis C (loan) 4 (1)
2023Spartak Trnava (loan) 0 (0)
2023Malženice (loan) 2 (0)
2024–Colorado Rapids 2 (loan) 0 (0)
International career
2019 Costa Rica U15 1 (0)
Costa Rica U17
2022– Costa Rica U20 4 (0)
2023– Costa Rica U23 4 (0)
2023– Costa Rica 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17 December 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 11 August 2023

Club career

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Born in Limón, Peña joined the academy of Segunda División de Costa Rica side Fútbol Consultants at the age of fifteen.[2] Having made his debut at the age of sixteen, he trialled with German and Portuguese clubs Hannover 96 and Braga, respectively.[2]

In August 2022, having trialled with them earlier in the year, Peña joined Spanish side Real Betis on a two-year loan, alongside fellow Costa Rican Santiago van der Putten.[2] While van der Putten was immediately brought into the squad with no work permit issues due to his Dutch heritage, Peña had to wait to receive his visa.[3]

Throughout his first season in Spain, Peña featured mostly for the club's third team, Real Betis C, who were playing amateur football in the Spanish ninth division.[4] He featured once for the club's under-19 team, as they went on to win the national title.[5]

The following year, he joined Slovakian side Spartak Trnava, on a one-year loan deal with an option to buy.[6] He made his debut for the club on 3 August 2023, coming on as a substitute for Lukáš Štetina in a UEFA Europa Conference League qualification match against Latvian side Auda. However, a mistake by Peña allowed Auda's South Sudanese forward Manyumow Achol to take the ball and go on to score, though it was ultimately only a consolation as Spartak Trnava went on to win 4–1.[7]

International career

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Having represented Costa Rica at youth international level, Peña was called up to the senior squad for the first time in June 2023 for a friendly against Ecuador, following an injury to Youstin Salas.[8] Having made his debut in the 3–1 loss to Ecuador, he was a surprise inclusion in the Costa Rican squad for the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup.[9][10]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of 26 June 2023.[11][12]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Real Betis C (loan) 2022–23 Tercera Andaluza 4 1 0 0 4 1
Spartak Trnava (loan) 2023–24 1. liga 0 0 0 0 1[a] 0 0 0 1 0
Malženice (loan) 2023–24 2. liga 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Career total 6 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 7 1
Notes
  1. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League qualification

International

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As of 11 August 2023[13]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Costa Rica 2023 2 0
Total 2 0

References

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  1. ^ a b Ricardo Peña at WorldFootball.net
  2. ^ a b c "Ricardo Peña jugará a préstamo con el Real Betis" [Ricardo Peña will play on loan with Real Betis]. futbolconsultants.com (in Spanish). 25 August 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  3. ^ Alvarado, Sergio (23 August 2022). "Este es el plan del Betis para Santiago Van Der Putten y Ricardo Peña" [This is Betis' plan for Santiago Van Der Putten and Ricardo Peña]. lateja.cr (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  4. ^ Fonseca Cabalceta, Joseph (29 November 2022). "Santiago Van der Putten y Ricardo Peña viven realidades muy distintas en el Real Betis" [Santiago Van der Putten and Ricardo Peña live very different realities at Real Betis]. hoyeneldeportecr.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Santiago van der Putten y Ricardo Peña campeones con el Betis de España" [Santiago van der Putten and Ricardo Peña champions with Betis from Spain]. everardoherrera.com (in Spanish). 7 May 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  6. ^ "Spartak Trnava so zaujímavou posilou. Do klubu prichádza kostarický reprezentant" [Spartak Trnava with an interesting reinforcement. A Costa Rican representative is coming to the club]. sportnew.sme.sk (in Slovak). 19 July 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  7. ^ "Spartak nedal súperovi v odvete žiadnu šancu. V 3. predkole EKL narazí na poľský klub" [Spartak did not give the opponent any chance in retaliation. In the 3rd preliminary round of the EKL, they will face a Polish club]. sport24.pluska.sk (in Slovak). 3 August 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  8. ^ "Costa Rica viajó para amistoso con Ecuador" [Costa Rica traveled for a friendly with Ecuador]. benditofutbol.com (in Spanish). 13 June 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  9. ^ Monge Matamoros, Alejandro (12 June 2023). "El desconocido jugador de Costa Rica que estará en Copa Oro sin haber debutado en primera división" [The unknown player from Costa Rica who will be in the Gold Cup without having debuted in the first division]. espn.co.cr (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  10. ^ Rocca, Pablo (13 June 2023). "Ricardo Peña: la gran promesa que jugará la Copa Oro con Costa Rica sin debutar en su equipo" [Ricardo Peña: the great promise that will play the Gold Cup with Costa Rica without making his team debut]. futbolcentroamerica.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  11. ^ Ricardo Peña at LaPreferente.com (in Spanish)
  12. ^ Ricardo Peña at Soccerway
  13. ^ Ricardo Peña at National-Football-Teams.com