Belén F.C.

Belén F.C.

Full name	Belén Fútbol Clube
Nickname(s)	Equipo Con Estrella
Founded	13 June 1979
Ground	Estadio Polideportivo de Belén Belén, Costa Rica
Capacity	3,000
Owner	Grupo Somnus
Chairman	Olman Vega
Manager	Fernando Palomeque
League	Costa Rican Primera División
2015 Invierno	Regular Season: 9th Playoffs: DNQ

Belén F.C. is a professional football club that currently plays in the Primera División de Costa Rica.

History

• 1979 (13 June): Asociación Deportiva Belén is founded. A.D. Belen will go on to become the second team in the province of Heredia to participate in Primera División the First Division of Costa Rica.
• 1987: Using the name "Belén-Calle Flores" (Bethlehem, Street of Flowers), Belén wins the title of the National Association of Soccer as well as the title of the National Association of Amateur Soccer (ANAFA), and is placed in Segunda División de Costa Rica, the Second Division of Costa Rica, under the leadership of head coach Enrique "Quique" Vasquez.
• 1993: Belén, led by coach Armando Rodríguez, is proclaimed Division II National Champion defeating Sagrada Familia 4–2 in the final round.
• 1993–94: A.D. Belén officially debuts in Primera División, Division I, and plays in the old national stadium but loses to Deportivo Saprissa 4–1.^[1] Belén talent Eusebio Montero wins the World Youth Cup in Saudi Arabia.
• 1995–96: Head coach Alexander Guimaraes guides Belén to a fifth-place finish in the championships^[1] as the team wins 50% of its games. This is Belén´s best finish in Division I. 1996–97 head coach Carlos Santana will match this feat.
• 1996 (2 June): Under head coach Alexandre Guimarães, former player in the FIFA World Cup A.D. Belén wins the last game of the Torneo de Copa en Costa Rica, beating Club Sport Cartaginés, 1–0.
• 1997–98: The team returns to the second division.
• 1998: The entire community of Belén receives honor when A.D. Belén participates for the first time in an international competition, the CONCACAF Winners Cup. In the first phase, under coach "Quique" Vasquez, Belén eliminates Diriangen Nicaragua (2–1 and 3–2).^[2] But in the second stage the team stumbles to rival Olympia Honduras (3–0).
• 2003: Under strategist Mario Solis, A.D. Belén ascends to Division I again following the team´s triumph over Cartagena in the final.
• 2004–05: Belén drops back down to the second division. The last head coach in the premier division is Benjamin Mayorga.^[3]
• 2010–11: Led by Vinicio Alvarado and playing at Polideportivo de Belén, Belén Siglo XXI wins "El Campeonato de la Liga de Ascenso," the National Championship of the League of Ascension, defeating Cartagena, 3–0. And the team is promoted back to Division I.^[4]
• 2011 (31 July): A.D. Belén begins competing in Torneo de Invierno Campeonato Nacional de Invierno, the Winter National Championship Tournament, now under the name Belén Bridgestone F.C.

Players

Current squad

As of 10 August, 2016.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 2 MF Alejandro Abasolo 3 DF Éder Morales (on loan from Morelia) 4 DF Juan Pablo Vargas (on loan from Herediano) 5 DF Javier Castro 6 DF Víctor Murillo (on loan from Herediano) 7 MF José Luis Cordero (on loan from Herediano) 8 MF Jimmy Marín (on loan from Herediano) 9 FW Leonardo Adams 10 MF Bryan Vega (on loan from Herediano) 11 MF Bryan López 12 DF Josué Rodríguez 13 MF Rafael Rodríguez 15 MF Keven Alemán (on loan from Herediano)

No. Position Player 16 FW Freddy Góndola 17 MF Fabián Garita 18 GK Keylor Díaz 19 MF Jorge Ramírez 20 MF Esteban Espinoza 21 DF Rigo Ramírez 22 GK Luis Torres 25 DF Jason Prendas 26 MF Júnior Alvarado 27 DF Víctor González 28 FW Alberto García, Jr. (on loan from Atlante) 33 MF Verny Scott (on loan from Herediano) — MF Brian García (on loan from Querétaro)

Notable Players

Bismark Acosta (2011–13) Michael Barrantes (2004–05) Wálter Centeno (1994–96) José Luis López Ramírez (2011–13)

Allan Oviedo (1995–96, 2005) José Porras (1993–94) Óscar Ramírez (1995, 1996)

Player Records

Most appearances (as of June 13, 2012)[1] # Name Career Apps Goals 1 Vinicio Alvarado 155	Most goals (as of June 13, 2012)[1] # Player Career Apps Goals 1 Allan Oviedo 1995–96, 2005 24

Coaching Staff

• Head coach: Briance Camacho
• Assistant coach: Milton Morales
• Physical therapist: Marcelo Betancourt
• Goalkeeper coach: William "Papo" Brenes
• Masseur: Geovanni Cornejo
• Equipment manager: Juan Carlos Zarate

Historical list of coaches

Enrique "Quique" Vásquez (1987) Armando Rodriguez (1993) Manuel Arias (1993) Rodolfo Arias (1993) Juan Luis Hernández (1994) Alexandre Guimarães (1994–1996) Carlos Santana (1996–1997)

Enrique "Quique" Vásquez (1997–1998) Carlos Castro (2002–2003)[5] Mario Solis (2003–2004) Benjamín Mayorga (2004–2006)[3] Vinicio Alvarado (July 1, 2010 – March 4, 2014)[6] Briance Camacho (March 4, 2014 – Feb 2015) Gerardo Ureña (Feb 18, 2015–)[7]

References

1. Aniversario belemita – UNAFUT (Spanish)
2. Belén sueña clasificar•Buscará mañana ante Olimpia pase a final en Recopa de CONCACAF – Nación (Spanish)
3. Mayorga quiere seguir dirigiendo en Primera – Nación (Spanish)
4. Belén retorna a Primera; Cartagena, a su estigma Archived February 18, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. – Nación (Spanish)
5. Segunda toma aire – Nación (Spanish)
6. Se fue Vinicio Alvarado Briance Camacho tomó a Belén – Nación (Spanish)
7. Manuel Gerardo 'Puro' Ureña es el nuevo técnico de Belén – Nación (Spanish)

External links

• Official website