Carlos Alvarado (footballer, born 1927)
Carlos Alvarado Villalobos was a Costa Rican footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He also represented the Costa Rica national team at international level.
Club career
Known as "Aguilucho", he was born in Santa Bárbara, Heredia, Alvarado played as a goalkeeper. He began his career with Alajuelense, making his Costa Rican Primera División debut in 1945. Alvarado spent most of his career with Alajuelense, winning six Primera División titles in the process. There, he earned the nickname "Aguilucho" for the aggressive manner in which he attacked opponents trying to score. He would play 159 league games for Liga.Alvarado began playing professional football with Mexican Primera División side América in 1947. He returned to Alajuelense after one season, and would spend three months in Colombia with América de Cali during 1950.
In a 1951 match against the Boca Juniors, Alvarado blocked a critical penalty shot in the 90th minute. Costa Rican president Otilio Ulate Blanco gave Alvarado his watch, which he stopped at the moment Alvarado blocked the shot.
During his career, Alvarado turned down offers to play for Italy's Genoa and Argentina's Boca Juniors.