 | |||
| Full name | Club Deportivo Luis Ángel Firpo | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicknames |
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| Short name | Firpo | ||
| Founded | September 17, 1923; 102 years ago (September 17, 1923) | ||
| Ground | Estadio Sergio Torres | ||
| Capacity | 10,000 | ||
| Chairman |  Ricardo Palacios Salmerón | ||
| Manager |  Marvin Solano | ||
| League | Primera División | ||
| 2025 Clausura | Overall: 2nd Playoffs: Quarter-Final | ||
| Website | www | ||
Club Deportivo Luis Ángel Firpo (often abbreviated toFirpo) is aprofessional football club based inUsulután,El Salvador, that currently plays in thePrimera División de El Salvador.[1]
Founded asTecún Umán in 1923, it was soon renamed in honor of Argentine boxerLuis Ángel Firpo, who became the firstLatin American tofight for the heavyweight championship, knockingJack Dempsey out of the ring on September 14, 1923.[2]
Firpo has played at their home ground,Estadio Sergio Torres, since 1930.[3][4] The team's mascot is the bull, a reference to Firpo, who was known as the Wild Bull of the Pampas. The club's traditional kit colours are white and red, blue is also used but it is less predominant. The colours were adopted from the Argentine sideSan Lorenzo de Almagro.
Some of the most prominent players from El Salvador, includingMauricio Cienfuegos andRaúl Díaz Arce, have played for L.A. Firpo.
The team has won a total of tenPrimera Division titles, the first coming in 1988–89 and the most recent in the 2013 Clausura. The club's most successful period was between 1988 and 2000, when they won the league title seven times. Firpo has the fourth highest total of major honours won by a Salvadoran club, and their historical rival isAguila.
On September 17, 1923, a group of Usulután citizens, mostly of European descent, decided to form a team that represented their community's passion for football. The club elected Gustavo Denys as their first club chairman. They decided to choose red and blue as their team's colours. Originally namedTecún Umán, the club was soon renamed in honor ofLuis Ángel Firpo, a famous Argentineboxer.[5]
On November 9, 1923, Club Deportivo Sandino, also based in Usulutan, wanted to merge with Firpo, and it almost came to fruition. However, the main sticking point was that Sandino wanted to appoint the majority of the 41 club directors (36 to Sandino and only five Firpo directors). Following the impasse, Firpo rejected the offer. The members of Luis Ángel Firpo later acquired land near Sergio Torres creek to develop and build a stadium.
At the end of 1930s, Former player Miguelel Zancudo Segurado was namedfootball manager, He centred the team around potent players such as LuisChispo Morataya,Queco Bolanos, Napoleon Flores Huezo, the Zamora brothers (Ricardo and Miguel), the Quinteros brothers (Leonidas and Lázaro), and the Aguila brothers (Ramón and Mario). The most influential player was midfielderLuis Antonio Regalado, who in 1942 become the first player from LA Firpo to representEl Salvador's national team.
On 22 March 1942, Firpo won their first state title for the Zona Oriental (Eastern State), defeating America de Chinameca 2–1. This allowed them to compete in a round robin competition for the national title againstQuequeisque (Central State champion), Ferroccarril (Zona Occidente) andJuventud Olímpica.Firpo lost their first match againstQuequeisque 6–1, this was followed by a 2–1 win against Ferrocarrill, however Quequeisque won the title due to winning two games and drawing one. Firpo finished in third place.
On 25 April 1943, Firpo won their second Zona Oriental title by defeating Corona (San Miguel) 5–3. Once again Firpo competed in a round robin competition for the national title. In the first game Firpo played against reigning championQuequeisque were the game was tied for the majority of the game 1-1 thanks to goal from Leonidas Quinteros, Sadly Firpo were not able to hold back the tide and lost the game 8–1. This was followed by 2–2 draw against Ferrocarill, another heavy loss against Quequeisque 7–1, and their only victory in the tournament 2–1 against Ferrocarrill. Firpo once again finished in third place.
Due to World War 2, no state competition or final competition were played, Firpo played a series of friendlies which included 3–2 loss againstQuequeisque, 5–0 loss againstEspana, 2–1 loss against Mecca, and 1–0 win againstJuventud Olímpica.
In 1946, Firpo played their first ever international against HonduranFederal tying 3-3, with all three goals scored by Rafael Galvez.
In 1948, Firpo participated in the first national championship. Firpo played 22 out of 24 games, winning 16 games, drawing 7 games, and losing 6 games with a fifth-place finish. . Firpo didn't play the final two games asOnce Municipal were crowned national champion with two games to spare.
The following years were plagued with financial instability, players from the first golden era started retiring or leaving. This culminated with the disastrous 1951-52 Campaign, which included 5–0 loss against Leones, 5–4 loss againstIndependiente, a stripped 2–1 victorySanta Anita due to players being ineligible, their first victory coming after more than half the season played againstJuventud Olímpica; this would be their only victory as they only gained five points and finished last in the league.
After signing Honduran Armando Enamorado and Costa Rican Jacobo Godoy ahead of the 1955–56 season, the club finished runner up by one point toAtletico Marte. In the 1957–58 season Firpo was relegated to the second division after only grabbing 13 points from 20 games.
Firpo hired Former player Narciso Romagoza to coach the team in the second division. Romangoza led the team to the final round robin tournament against El Renacimiento de Santa Ana andPlatense. Firpo finished the tournament as champion after winning two games, 1 draw and one loss. This allowed Firpo to be promoted after one season, but the same issues arose with economic problems and players departing, which culminated in Firpo being relegated to second division just two years later.
After being relegated in 1962, The club was stuck in the second division for four years, but in 1967 - thanks to players such asRaul Corcio Zavaleta, and foreign players Andres Paretti &Julio Escobar, Firpo were able to finish in the top spot over historic clubsDragon,Santa Anita and Rey Y Negro. However the success was short lived as they were relegated just two years later in 1969.
In 1972, Firpo decided to hire more experienced players including 1970 World Cup playerSergio Méndez, Alfredo Erado, Fausto Vasquez and MiguelMiche Cornejo, they once again were able to reach promotion. Although Firpo were technically relegated in 1982, Firpo purchasedAgave's first division spot for 25,000 colones and remained in the top division. During this period Firpo were struggling financially off the field and on the field, finishing midtable or in the bottom half of the league.
Following this, Firpo president Gustavo Torres Cerna and nephew Sergio Torres Rivera made a collective, ambitious effort to rebuild the team; he brought quality foreign players such as Guillermo Fisher, Sebastian Pio da Silva, Carlos Lopez Neves and Nelson de Moraes. The latter, along withFrancisco Jovel, made Firpo a solid team that was able to consistently qualify for the playoffs during the next five seasons; however, the club's decline in rhythm combined with poor goalscoring in the playoffs prevented them from any real success.
In 1988 nephew Sergio Torres Rivera took over the previous president position, which would begin Firpo's true glory years. Sergio Torres established a robust financial sponsorship, including a renewed partnership with El Salvador conglomerate La Tapachulteca andWilliam Handal. The club would scout promising young players throughout the league such as future captain and national playerLeonel Carcamo, Miguel Estrada, Juan Agustin Gamez, and Jose Maria Batres. This was combined with established experienced players such asGiovanni Trigueros, Nelson Rivera,Miguel Arevalo,Mauricio Cienfuegos, andMarlon Menjívar.
Finally they would send scouts down to South America, convincing Peruvian national team playersMartín Duffó and Miguel Seminario to sign for the club, later stopping in Brazil to pick up Brazilian pairingsToninho dos Santos and Fernando Da Moura.
In the1988–89 season, the team hoisted the league title for the first time. The team finished third in the regular season, but the club nonetheless dismissed Argentinian coachJuan Quarterone before the playoffs. In his place, they hired former player ChileanJulio Escobar.Escobar justified the club's faith by leading the team through the championship round and into the finals. Their match againstCojutepeque was drawn 2–2 after extra time, setting up a penalty shootout. Firpo prevailed 4–3, withLeonel Carcamo scoring the winning penalty.
The very next season (1989-90), the club reached their second consecutive final thanks to the efforts of BrazilianToninho dos Santos, who was the league's topscorer with 25 goals; however, the club lost 3-1 toAlianza.
The following season (1990-91), the team were able to bolster their attack with the addition of Brazilian youngsterNildeson, (who would later be loaned out toAtletico Marte) and the hiring of Uruguayan coachJuan Carlos Masnik. The club went on a 31 match unbeaten streak beginning with a 1-1 draw withFAS in August 1990 and concluding in April 1991 after a 1-0 loss to Tiburones. Salvadoran Keeper Carlos Rivera and Brazilian defender Fernando de Moura had the distinction of participating in every game in the 31 game unbeaten streak. The club also made their biggest transfer in club history when they sold BrazilianToninho dos Santos, who was the club top-scorer at the time with 11 goals, to Mexican powerhouseClub America for $100,000. Despite the loss of such a great player, the club went on to reach the final, thanks to leading scorerEdgar Henriquez with 12 goals. Firpo went on defeatAguila 1–0 in the final withMarlon Menjívar scoring the sole goal.
After a successful campaign,Juan Carlos Masnik resigned as coach to return to Uruguay, and the club hired YugoslavianKiril Dojčinovski, who played for Yugoslavia in the1974 World Cup. The club regained BrazilianNildeson from loan, bought ChileanRaúl Toro and league top scorerRaúl Díaz Arce fromAlianza andDragon respectively, and lastly they promoted Fernando Lazo and Pedro Vasquez from the youth squad. The club lost experience players such as Uruguayans Luis Guelmo and Washington Olivera, andMauricio Cienfuegos who moved to Mexican clubAtlético Morelia. Under thereins ofKiril Dojčinovski, the club won back-to-back championships (1991-92 and1992-93).
In the1991-92 season, The club would finish first in the regular season and Quadrangular round; the club's continued dominance happened due to having multiple goal scorers, with Brazilian Fernando de Moura topping the list with 14 goals, followed by compatriotNildeson with 12 goals,Raúl Díaz Arce with 8 goals, rounding out withEdgar Henriquez andMarlon Menjivar with 7 goals. The club showed their complete dominance in fthe inal, defeatingAlianza 3-0 thanks to a double fromNildeson and a goal from Fernando de Moura.
In the1992-93 season, the club was shocked by the departure ofKiril Dojčinovski during the pre-season, and was replaced by ChileanHernan Carrasco. With the same squad, the club fell off pace and were behindAlianza andFAS during the final half of rounds, which led to the dismissalHernan Carrasco. Dojčinovski was rehired and helped to steady the ship, allowing the club to finish second in the regular standings and win the Quadrangular round, which allowed the club to qualify to the final againstAlianza. Once again the club would defeatAlianza thanks to goals from BrazilianCelio Rodriguez andRaul Diaz Arce. The club would win their first tri-Championship in their history and first sinceAtletico Marte who did it previously between the 1955 to 1957 seasons.
In the midst of domestic success, the cub would also prove themselves at the international level, first defeating Italian powerhouseJuventus and Armenia powerhouseShirak in friendly matches.[6] In the1995 CONCACAF Cup Winners Cup, the club finished runner-up, losing the final 2-1 toEstudiantes Tecos.
Soon after,Leonel Carcamo donned the captain's armband and the club continued to play at a high level. They reached either the semi-finals or finals every year from 1994 to 1997, then won the championship again in 1998. That win came overFAS 2–0, with the goals being scored byRaúl Toro andAbraham Monterrosa.
Firpo won another championship inClausura 1999, beating FAS 5–4 on penalty kicks after the game ended 1-1 after extra time. In 2000, club president and owner Sergio Torres died the week before the final match againstADET, and the players dedicated the match to his memory. They went on to win, bringing home their seventh title.[7]
After 2000, Firpo's success began to decline. With players retiring, moving abroad, or being sold onto other clubs, the death of Sergio Torres cost the team their primary sponsor and led the club into financial instability. As a result, Firpo reached the grand final repeatedly, but could not win another title for seven years.
In the2007 Apertura, Argentinian coachHoracio Cordero guided the team to another final, and they defeatedFAS 5–3 in a penalty shootout.
The next season saw the club hoist the crown again, winning theClausura 2008. They beat FAS again, 1–0,.
The team won their tenth title in the 2013 Clausura under the direction of Argentinian coachRoberto Gamarra with another win over their rivals FAS.
On May 5, 2014, after 32 years of top-flight football, Firpo were relegated to the second division after a 1–1 draw withDragón.[8] However, the relegation didn't stay, as Firpo purchasedJuventud Independiente's license. On May 27, 2019, the club achieved a record sixth relegation from the Primera Division, after the team lost 3–1 againstAlianza.[9]
At the end of the 2020 season, Pablo Herrera (owner of the franchise license of Independiente) announced that Independiente will lose their license and he will be giving the license to Luis Angel Firpo for the Clausura 2020.
In September 2023 the club celebrated acentenary of existence with a friendly against Guatemalan giantMunicipal, which they lost 1–0.[10]
Luis Angel Firpo is historically the fourth most successful team in El Salvador, as they have won ten championships. The club's most recent trophy came in June 2013, with theClausura 2013.
The salvadoran midfielderTBD holds the club's overall appearance record having played in matches over the course of 14 seasons from 19 to 19. Following him is former goalkeeperTBD who contested 000 matches over the course of 11 seasons from 1997 to 2008.
The club's all-time leading scorer isRaúl Díaz Arce, who scored 119 goals while at the club from 1991 to 1996. BrazilianToninho dos Santos holds the record for most goals scored in a season, who notched 28 goals in the1989-90 season.
Firpo's biggest league victory is 11–0 which occurred during the 1995 season againstCojutepeque. The club's biggest victory on the CONCACAF stage also occurred during the 1995 season, where Firpo hammered Curaçao-based clubCRKSV Jong Colombia 8–0.
TBD had the longest reign as Firpo coach, with nine years (eight consecutive) in charge, and is the most successful coach in Firpo history with three Primera division wins.
Luis Ángel Firpo plays most of its home games atEstadio Sergio Torres inUsulután. Located in the Barrio La Parroquia, the stadium is an exception in Salvadorian football, because Firpo is the only team in the First Division that plays in its own stadium.
In 1987, the stadium was renamed after the former owner and president of the team. The stadium known as Usulután Stadium became known as Sergio Torres Rivera Stadium.
Luis Angel Firpo's home colours are white, blue and red. Traditional awaykit colours have been either red or white and blue; however, in recent years several different colours have been used.
Their first logo contained a figure of a bull in honor of the "toro de las pampas" of the boxer Luis Ángel Firpo. However, later the board of Luis Ángel Firpo decided to replace the bull with the official coat of arms which consisted of a triangle with two half circles which contained the blue and white letters of the club. On top of the coat of arms contains stars which indicate the number of titles the team has won.
        -2025 |     2025– |
| pattern_la = | pattern_b = | pattern_ra = | pattern_sh = | pattern_so = | leftarm = 84D3EB | body = 84D3EB | rightarm = 84D3EB | shorts = 84D3EB | socks = 84D3EB | title = -2025 }} |
| Period | Company |
|---|---|
| 1988-2008 | Galaxia |
| 2009-2013 |  Joma |
| 2015 | Toros |
| 2016 | Galaxia |
| 2017 | Kelme |
| 2018 | Galaxia |
| 2018 | AVIVA |
| 2021-2022 | Milan |
| 2022–2024 | Galaxia |
| 2025–present | Salguero Sports |
Companies that LA Firpo currently has sponsorship deals with include:
Salguero Sports – official kit suppliers Cablesat El Salvador – official sponsors Arte Cerveza – official sponsors Diagri – official sponsors Roxy – official sponsors Empresa Agricola Jesus Grande – official sponsors
Gana777 – official sponsors La Pirraya – official sponsors
Catapult Sports – official sponsors Canal 4 – official sponsors
As of January 2025
| Period | Kit Manufacturer | Shirt Sponsor | Sleeve Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025–present | Salguero Sports | Diagri, Cablesat, Arte Cerveza | INDES, Canal 4, Kool Fashion |
Despite having a growing fan base across the country, there were no official fan groups until 1990 when Manuel Viagra founded the "Furia Pampera" inUsulután.[11]They are currently the second largest fan base in San Salvador and the fourth largest nationwide.[citation needed]
Luis Ángel Firpo has had numerous presidents over the course of their history, some of which have been the owners of the club while others have been honorary presidents. Here is a complete list of them.[12]
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As of 20 July 2025[update]:Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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As of June 2025
| List of C.D. Luis Angel Firpo managers | ||
|---|---|---|
| Role | Person . | |
| Head Coach | Marvin Solano Abarca (*) | |
| Assistant Head Coach | TBD(*) | |
| Reserve Head Coach | Ever Mejia (*) | |
| Sports Director | Ever Mejia (*) | |
| Under 17 Coach | Carlos Martinez (*) | |
| Fitness Coach | Ricardo Arley (*) | |
| Goalkeeping Coach | Jesús Álvarez (*) | |
| Physical Trainer | TBD (*) | |
| Fitness Coach/Sports Therapist | TBD (*) | |
| Team Doctor | TBD | |
| Equipment manager | TBD (*) | |
| Teams Sport Psychologist | Vitelio Coreas (*)[1] | |
| Ladies team Head Coach | TBD | |
Firpo's reserve squad plays in the twelve-teamPrimera División Reserves (El Salvador).
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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| Club Administrative Staff | ||
|---|---|---|
| Role | Person | Season. |
| President | Ronny Hernández | 2025–26 |
| Vice-president | Eugenio Aviles | 2024–25 |
| Assistant Vice-president | Macedonio Mejia | 2024-25 |
| Sporting director | TBD | 2024-25 |
| Assistant sporting director | TBD | 2024–25 |
| General director | Orlando Hernández Torres (*) | 2025–26 |
| Secretary general | Luis Quintanilla | 2024–25 |
| Assistant Secretary general | TBD | 2024-25 |
| Treasurer | Jair Montaya | 2024-25 |
| Assistant Treasurer | Jesus Bindico | 2024-25 |
| Television Manager | TBD | 2024-25 |
| Assistant Manager | TBD | 2024-25 |
| Sports Marketing Manager | TBD | 2024-25 |
| Assistant Sports Marketing Manager | TBD | 2024-25 |
| Legal Representative | TBD | 2024-25 |
Note: this list includes players that have appeared in at least 50 league games and/or have reached international status.
National player
| International Player
| Naturalized Player
|
| Years | Captain |
|---|---|
| 1967-1968 | Ernesto Bolívar |
| 1975 | Tomás Pineda (GK) |
| 1980 | Samuel Rodriguez GochezTierrita |
| 1982 | Amadeo Machado “Tractor” (DF) |
| 1984–1985 | Abraham "El Peñero" Vazquez (DF) |
| 1988–1989 | Abraham "El Peñero" Vazquez (DF) |
| 1990–1992 | Miguel Estrada Cuerno (DF) |
| 1993-1998 | Leonel Carcamo (DF) |
| 1999 |  Celio Rodríguez (FW) |
| 2000 | Leonel Carcamo (DF) |
| 2003–2004 | Héctor Canjura (DF) |
| 2005–2006 | Jorge Sanchez (DF) |
| 2007–2008 | Guillermo Morán (DF) |
| 2009–2010 | Manuel Salazar (DF) |
| 2010–2013 | Jorge Sanchez (DF) |
| 2013 | Dennis Alas (MF) |
| 2013, 2015 | Mauricio Quintanilla (MF) |
| 2014 |  Anel Canales (FW) |
| 2015 | Marlon Martínez (MF) |
| 2016–2017 |  Williams Reyes (FW) |
| 2017 * | Isaac Zelaya (MF) |
| 2017–2018 |  Jhony Rios (DF) |
| 2018 |  Rodrigo de Brito (DF) |
| 2019 | Edwin Martinez (DF) |
| 2020–2021 | Tardelis Peña (DF) |
| 2022 |  Jomal Williams (FW) |
| 2022–2023 | Eduardo Vigil (DF) |
| 2023 | Tardelis Pena (DF) |
| 2024 | Alexis Maravilla (DF) |
| 2024–present | Wilberth Hernández (GK) |
In 2023, as part of Firpo's centenary, the newspaper El Grafico released their top 11 players of all time.[2]
| Position | Player | Years at club |
|---|---|---|
| GK | Carlos Rivera | 1989-1994, 1997-1998 |
| RB | Giovanni Trigueros | 1979–1980 |
| RCB | Leonel Carcamo | 1985-2001 |
| LCB | José Francisco Jovel | 1972–78; 1984–87 |
| LB | Jorge Sanchez | 2003–2012 |
| RM | Marlon Menjívar | 1988–1997 |
| CDM | Fernando De Moura | 1989–1992 |
| CM | Mauricio Cienfuegos | 1988–91; 1994–96 |
| LM |  Raúl Toro Basáez | 1991–2000 |
| RW | Raul Diaz Arce | 1991–96 |
| LW | Nildeson | 1989–1990;1991–1992;1998–1999;2004 |
Costa Rican Marvin Solano Abarca has been the club's manager since 2025. Costa RicanRamón Rodríguez Soto was Firpo's first manager from outside El Salvador. ChileanJulio Escobar is the club's most successful coach, having won fourPrimera División titles; following closely is MacedonianKiril Dojčinovski, who won twoPrimera División titles (back to back championships).
| Managers with at least one trophy | ||||
| Name | Period | Trophies | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Julio Escobar | 1987-1989, 1994–1995, 1997–1998, 1999-May 2001 | 4Primera División de Fútbol Profesional | ||
 Kiril Dojcinovski | 1991–1993, 1995–1996, November 1996-December 1996 | 2Primera División de Fútbol Profesional | ||
 Juan Carlos Masnik | 1990–1991 | 1Primera División de Fútbol Profesional | ||
| Horacio Cordero | July 2007–November 2007 | 1Primera División de Fútbol Profesional | ||
| Gerardo Reinoso | January 2008–May 2008 | 1Primera División de Fútbol Profesional | ||
| Roberto Gamarra | March 2013–September 2013, November 2020–February 2022 | 1Primera División de Fútbol Profesional | ||
The reserve team serves mainly as the final stepping stone for promising young players under the age of 21 before being promoted to the main team. the team plays in thePrimera División Reserves, their greatest successes was winning theReserve championships three times (Clausura 2002, Apertura 2004, Apertura 2006). It plays its home matches atEstadio Sergio Torres, adjacent to the first teams and women's team.
As of November 2025
| List of LA Firpo Reserve managers | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Years . | Notes |
| Ever Mejia | 2024-Present | TBD |
| TBD | TBD(*) | TBD |
As of: June, 2025Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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The club also fields under 17 and under 15 teams. The under 17 team's greatest success was winning the title in the Clausura 2025 season. The team is managed by Carlos Martinez[14]
As of: June, 2025Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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| List of LA Firpo Women's managers | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Years | Notes |
| Carlos Martinez | 2025-Present | TBD |
| TBD | TBD(*) | TBD |
Players that have played for Aguila in their career and played in aU-17 World Cup:
Kerin Torres (2025)The women's first team features several members of theEl Salvador national women's team.
As of November 2025
| List of LA Firpo Women's managers | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Years | Notes |
| Leonidas Montana | 2022-Present | TBD |
| TBD | TBD(*) | TBD |
As of: June, 2025Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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