Celso Borges


Celso Borges Mora is a Costa Rican professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Liga FPD club Alajuelense. With 164 international appearances, he is the most capped player in Costa Rica's history.

Early years

His father is Alexandre Guimarães, Brazilian-born, Costa Rican-raised ex-footballer and coach. He was born in Costa Rica's capital city San José and during his high school years, he attended Saint Clare High School, where he also took part in the school's team. 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. 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 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. In March 2011, Borges stated he would leave Fredrikstad during or after the 2011 season.

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.
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. 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.

International career

Borges currently holds the appearance record for the Costa Rica national football team with 164 caps, scoring 27 goals. He has represented his country in over 50 FIFA World Cup qualification matches and at the 2014, 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup finals. He has also played at the 2011 and 2013 Copa Centroamericana, as well as at the 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023 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. Borges also participated in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup held in Canada.
He made his debut for the Costa Rican senior team in a June 2008 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Grenada and, in September of the same year, scored his first international goal against Suriname.
After featuring prominently during the team's unsuccessful 2018 [FIFA World Cup qualification - CONCACAF fourth round|2010 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign], Borges helped the team to a second-place finish at the 2011 Copa Centroamericana, as well as the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup later that year.
In June 2014, Borges was named in Costa Rica's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. 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.
In May 2018 he was named in Costa Rica's 23 man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Personal life

Through his father, Borges was also a Brazilian national until 2017, when he relinquished his Brazilian nationality to become a Spanish citizen.
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." Aside from his native Spanish, Borges can also speak English, Portuguese and Swedish.
A heavy metal fan, citing Slipknot, Metallica, Dream Theater and Killswitch Engage as his favorite bands, Borges plays the drums, and has covered System of a Down's "Toxicity" alongside Peruvian musician Kurt Dyer.

Career statistics

International

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.6 September 2008Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá, San José, Costa Rica5–07–02010 FIFA [World Cup qualification – CONCACAF third round|2010 FIFA World Cup qualification]
2.11 October 2008André Kamperveen Stadion, Paramaribo, Suriname2–04–12010 FIFA World Cup qualification
3.3 June 2009Estádio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá, San José, Costa Rica2–03–12010 FIFA World Cup qualification
4.6 June 2009Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, Trinidad and Tobago2–13–22010 FIFA World Cup qualification
5.6 June 2009Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, Trinidad and Tobago3–23–22010 FIFA World Cup qualification
6.7 July 2009Mapfre Stadium, Columbus, United States1–01–02009 CONCACAF Gold Cup
7.19 July 2009AT&T Stadium, Arlington, United States1–05–12009 CONCACAF Gold Cup
8.21 January 2011Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City, Panama1–01–12011 Copa Centroamericana
9.16 October 2012Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica6–07–02014 FIFA World Cup qualification
10.20 January 2013Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica2–02–02013 Copa Centroamericana
11.19 June 2013Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica2–02–02014 FIFA World Cup qualification
12.14 August 2013Estadio Quisqueya, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic1–04–0Friendly
13.14 August 2013Estadio Quisqueya, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic2–04–0Friendly
14.6 September 2013Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica2–03–12014 FIFA World Cup qualification
15.6 June 2014PPL Park, Chester, United States1–11–1Friendly
16.3 September 2014Robert F. [Kennedy Memorial Stadium], Washington D.C., United States1–03–02014 Copa Centroamericana
17.7 September 2014Cotton Bowl, Dallas, United States1–22–22014 Copa Centroamericana
18.14 October 2014Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South Korea1–03–1Friendly
19.14 October 2014Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South Korea2–13–1Friendly
20.29 March 2016Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica1–03–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification
21.11 June 2016NRG Stadium, Houston, United States3–13–2Copa América Centenario
22.16 June 2019Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica2–04–02019 CONCACAF Gold Cup
23.6 September 2019Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica1–11–2Friendly
24.12 July 2021Exploria Stadium, Orlando, United States3–13–12021 CONCACAF Gold Cup
25.16 July 2021Exploria Stadium, Orlando, United States2–12–12021 CONCACAF Gold Cup
26.10 October 2021Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica2–12–12022 FIFA World Cup qualification
27.24 March 2022Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica1–01–02022 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Deportivo Saprissa
Alajuelense
Costa Rica
Individual