 Alvarado withCosta Rica at the2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Esteban Alvarado Brown[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1989-04-28)28 April 1989 (age 36)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Siquirres, Costa Rica | ||
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Saprissa | ||
| Number | 18 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Saprissa | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2009 | Saprissa | 4 | (0) |
| 2010–2015 | AZ | 138 | (0) |
| 2015–2018 | Trabzonspor | 20 | (0) |
| 2019 | Alajuelense | 0 | (0) |
| 2019–2020 | Herediano | 51 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | Limón | 20 | (0) |
| 2021–2023 | Herediano | 30 | (0) |
| 2023– | Saprissa | 55 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2007–2009 | Costa Rica U20 | 7 | (0) |
| 2010– | Costa Rica | 26 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 21 May 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 22 January 2025 | |||
Esteban Alvarado Brown (born 28 April 1989) is a Costa Rican professionalfootballer who plays as agoalkeeper forLiga FPD clubSaprissa and theCosta Rica national team.
Born inSiquirres, Costa Rica, Alvarado started his academy career atSantos de Guápiles before moving toSaprissa. Alvarado made his Saprissa debut, in a 3–1 win overMunicipal Liberia on 29 November 2009.[citation needed] With his move toAZ Alkmaar finalised and expected to move in the summer, Alvarado made four appearances for the club and helped the club win the league.
In December 2009, AZ Alkmaar signed the Costa Rican goalkeeper fromDeportivo Saprissa, the youngster moved to theNetherlands in July 2010.[3] The move was later confirmed when Alvarado signed a five-year contract with the club, keeping him until 2015.[4]
Following his signing for AZ, Alvarado remained a backup goalkeeper for AZ behindJoey Didulica andSergio Romero. But after Romeo's injury from his international duty,[5] Alvarado made his AZ debut on 12 February 2011 againstPSV Eindhoven, where it turned out to be disastrous when he conceded four goals, in a 4–0 loss.[6] After the match, Alvarado said, quoting:"Only Superman could have saved me."[7] From that on, Alvarado continued to be the first choice goalkeeper temporary, where he made six appearances for the club in the 2010–11 season, including a clean-sheet in a match againstHeerenveen on 19 February 2011.[8] Alvarado also find himself left out the squad againstFeyenoord when he returned late to Netherlands from Costa Rica.[9]
Ahead of the 2011–12 season, Alvardo was given number thirty-four shirt.[7] Alvarado became a first choice goalkeeper for AZ afterSergio Romero's departure toSampdoria andJoey Didulica's unexpected retirement. Alvarado made his first AZ appearance of 2011–12 season when he played, in a 2–0 win overBaumit Jablonec on 28 July 2011, which AZ went through after a 1–1 draw against them in the second leg.[10] Alvarado made his league debut of the 2011–12 season, where he helped AZ beat PSV 3–1 in the opening game of the season.[11] His performance soon led supporters voting for Alvarado awarded the club's player of the month November.[12] On 21 December 2011, Alvarado was sent off byBas Nijhuis in aKNVB Cup match againstAjax after an Ajax supporter tried to attack and injure him.[13][14] A 19-year-old Ajax fan identified as Wesley van W had been drinking alcohol and entered the pitch after 36 minutes of play. He ran towards the AZ goalkeeper and attempted to kick him but slipped to the ground. Alvarado then kicked the attacker twice[13][14] and was sent off for violent conduct. This prompted AZ managerGertjan Verbeek to order his players to the dressing rooms in protest.[13][15] The game was consequently abandoned.[14] The KNVB subsequently rescinded the red card, and Ajax banned Wesley van W from all of their home matches for life.[16] He was also sentenced to six months in prison, with two months suspended. He would also have to undergo treatment for an alcohol problem and report to police during all Eredivisie and Dutch national team matches.[17] The KNVB ordered the match replayed in its entiretybehind closed doors. On 19 January 2012, the match was replayed with Alvarado in goal. AZ beat Ajax 3–2 to progress through the quarter final.[18] Alvarado was the ever present goalkeeper, making thirty-four appearances and earning fifteen clean sheets in the 2011–12 season. Alvarado was also named Goal.com's Eredivisie Team of the Season.[19]
In the 2012–13 season, Alvarado was given number one shirt.[20] Alvarado made his first appearance of the 2012–13 season, in a 2–2 draw againstAjax in the opening game of the season.[21] In both games againstAnzhi Makhackala in the play-offs, Alvarado was in goal, as they proved to be too strong and failed to win either legs losing 1–0 and 5–0 respectively.[22] Later in the 2012–13 season, Alvarado was the ever present goalkeeper, making thirty-four appearances in 3060 minutes, as well as, earning five clean sheets.[23] Despite this, Alvarado was in goal for theKNVB Cup final, as AZ beat PSV 2–1, making this as Alvarado's first achievement at AZ Alkmaar.[24]
In the 2013–14 season, Alvarado hinted he may leave the club in effort for new challenges.[25] Despite this, Alvarado made his first appearance of the season, in a 3–2 loss against Ajax in theJohan Cruijff Schaal.[26] Two weeks later on 11 August 2013, Alvarado help the club gain their revenge against Ajax when AZ beat them 3–2.[27] Alvarado also helped the club against Anzhi Makhackala when AZ beat 1–0 on aggregate.[28] Alvarado was the ever present goalkeeper, making thirty-four appearances, including the play-offs, which AZ lost 3–0 on aggregate againstGroningen.
In the 2014–15 season, Alvarado continued to be the first choice goalkeeper until he suffered a knee injury that kept him out for months.[29] He spent two months on the sidelines, including having a flu.[30][31] Alvarado made his return to the first team on 2 November 2014, in a 3–3 draw againstExcelsior.[32] Alvarado was featured as a first choice goalkeeper since his return for the rest of the season.[33] For the first time in his AZ career, Alvarado made less than thirty appearances, as he made twenty-six appearances in the 2014–15 season.
With his contract expiring at the end of the 2014–15 season, Alvarado was expected to leave the club, with newly signedSergio Rochet from Uruguay as his successor.[34] After making his last appearance against Excelsior in the last game of the season, Alvarado helped the club finish third place.[35] During his time at AZ, Alvarado was the club's fan favourite.
After leaving AZ, Alvarado joinedTrabzonspor on a free transfer in early-August, keeping him until 2017.[36] The move was officially confirmed on 6 August 2015.[37] Contract between Trabzonspor and Alvarado was terminated on 20 December 2018.[1] Following his departure, he agreed with Costa Rican outfitLiga Deportiva Alajuelense however the movement is not completed due to licensing issues in which Trabzonspor received a caution from FIFA to sort out the issue.[38]
At the2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup,[39] he was named the best goalkeeper of the tournament. He made his national team début in an August 2010friendly match against Paraguay.[3]
On 12 March 2012, it was announced that Alvarado was barred from the national team for five months after leaving the team before a friendly match againstSpain without communicating the staff.[40] In March 2014, he ruled out a selection for the2014 FIFA World Cup due to an apparent strife with national team managerJorge Luis Pinto.[41] But in May 2014, Alvarado was named in a provisional 26-man squad in the FIFA World Cup[42] By the end of May, Alvarado was not named in the 23 men squad, presumed to be a continuous strife with national team manager Pinto.[43]
Following Pinto's departure as manager of Costa, Alvarado returned to the national football team, under new management ofPaulo Wanchope.[44] In theCONCACAF Gold Cup, Alvarado was included in the squad and replacedKeylor Navas as a first choice goalkeeper following his injury.[45]
Born in Costa Rica, Alvarado is of Jamaican descent.[46] In June 2011, Alvarado was accused by his girlfriend, Marcela Juárez Castillo, of domestic violence.[47] However, two months later, charges against Alvarado were later dropped.[48]
While growing up in Costa Rica, Alvarado made good friends withJoel Campbell, having played together in childhood. Alvarado also revealed that he played as striker before switching position to become goalkeeper at fourteen.[49]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Saprissa | 2009–10 | Liga FPD | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | |||
| AZ | 2010–11 | Eredivisie | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | |
| 2011–12 | 34 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 16 | 0 | — | 55 | 0 | |||
| 2012–13 | 34 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 42 | 0 | |||
| 2013–14 | 34 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 57 | 0 | ||
| 2014–15 | 26 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 134 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 189 | 0 | ||
| Trabzonspor | 2015–16 | Süper Lig | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 0 | ||
| 2016–17 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 0 | ||||
| 2017–18 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 | ||||
| 2018–19 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 20 | 0 | 16 | 0 | — | — | 36 | 0 | ||||
| Herediano | 2019–20 | Liga FPD | 43 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 45 | 0 | ||
| 2020–21 | 8 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 51 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 53 | 0 | ||||
| Limón | 2020–21 | Liga FPD | 20 | 0 | — | — | — | 20 | 0 | |||
| Herediano | 2021–22 | Liga FPD | 14 | 0 | — | — | — | 14 | 0 | |||
| 2022–23 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 0 | ||
| Total | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 0 | ||
| Saprissa | 2022–23 | Liga FPD | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| 2023–24 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 0 | ||
| 2024–25 | 45 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 57 | 0 | ||
| Total | 55 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 77 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 314 | 0 | 39 | 0 | 55 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 416 | 0 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Costa Rica | 2010 | 1 | 0 |
| 2011 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 26 | 0 | |
Saprissa
AZ Alkmaar
CS Herediano
Individual
Milliyet'in haberine göre Kosta Rika'nın Alajuelense takımına transfer olan deneyimli file bekçisi, bordo-mavili ekipten lisansını alamadığı için konuyu FIFA'ya taşıdı. FIFA, Trabzonspor'dan lisansını futbolcuya göndermesi için 1 hafta süre verdi. Bu sürenin pazartesi gününden itibaren başladığı belirtildi.
Costa Rica squads | |||||||||||||
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