Sporty Saprissa

The Deportivo Saprissa is a soccer club from Costa Rica, founded on July 16, 1935 in the city of San José, playing in the First Division of Costa Rica since 1949, Its headquarters is the Ricardo Saprissa Aymá Stadium and its colors are purple and white.

The name of the team alludes to that of one of its most important founders; Ricardo Saprissa. It is the team with the biggest fans in the country.

It is the Costa Rican club with the most official championships won with 55 in total (with more scepters at the national level, having 37 League titles and 9 national cups: 6 Cup Tournament and 3 Super Cup; also, is the squad from Costa Rica and Central America with the most international titles won with 9 international cups in total: 5 in the Uncaf Interclube Cup, 1 in the Concacaf League and 3 in the Concacaf Champions League).

Saprissa is the only team from its country to win six championships consecutively between 1972 and 1977. It is also the fifth team with the most local conquests in the American continent and was the first Concacaf team to reach 30 national titles. In 2005 he obtained a historic institutional achievement by occupying third place in the FIFA Club World Cup, held in Japan. Its sporting merits led to the club being chosen as the Concacaf Team of the 20th Century according to the IFFHS.

Its traditional rivals are: Liga Deportiva Alajuelense with whom it disputes the National Classic, Club Sport Herediano with which it disputes the Good Soccer Classic, and Club Sport Cartaginés.

History

Beginnings (1935-1947)

The year was 1935 Roberto Fernández had a soccer club in the neighborhood "La Concretera" in the Los Ángeles neighborhood of San José and proposed to the members of his club, in the shoe store owned by Fausto Leiva where he worked, to form a soccer team for competitions, especially at the level of children's and youth leagues, but without knowing the great importance that the same club was going to have for the history of Costa Rican soccer. In a meeting to decide the name of the club, Ricardo Saprissa came up; Roberto Fernández suggested calling it Deportivo Saprissa and Mr. Leiva wrote him a letter that Fernández himself delivered to Don Ricardo who promised help, in this way Saprissa F.C. was officially constituted. on July 16, 1935.

In September 1935 the children's championship was inaugurated, and the group achieved the runner-up. The following year Saprissa won the children's championship. For the 1937-38 season, the pool of players had grown; Those who made up the initial team went to the youth category and the newcomers formed the children's team, and in both categories they were champions. In the 1939-40 season they repeated and won both championships.

In July 1941, the Saprissa youth team became the first team in the Costa Rican category to tour abroad. He returns undefeated from El Salvador. In a very short time, the purple ones were the true protagonists. A year later in 1942, the Saprissa children's team won the national championship in the category. A problem arose when the players, who began to emerge naturally from the minor league process, had no place in the first division; It was where the idea of competing in the senior category emerged. In 1946 the team participated in the Third Division championship where it reached the runner-up.

From its founding in 1935 until 1947, Saprissa was the lord and master of the minor championships that were organized in the country. In this period he achieved eleven titles in the children's category, nine in the youth category and two undefeated series in El Salvador and Costa Rica.

Saprissa towards the summit (1947-1959)

Thanks to the technical direction of José Joaquín "Pachico" Garcia, the "purples" as they were already called since their time in the minor leagues, they won the 1947 Third Division national championship undefeated (he played 22 games and won them all, scored 116 goals and conceded only 13); leaving teams like: Colegio Los Ángeles, C.S. Guadalupe, Gymnastics, Uruguay de Coronado, La Libertad, C.S. Carthaginian, San Bosco, C.S. Aranjuez, Desamparados and Liceo de Costa Rica, among others.

On May 15, 1948, the team's followers decided that it was time to legalize the institution, that's how they met in Fausto Leiva's shoe store, and formed the sports association based in the city of San José; and the board of directors of Deportivo Saprissa F.C. was formed, which was made up of Ricardo Saprissa Aymá, president; Manuel Hidalgo Salazar Vice President; Federico Herrera Romero secretary; José Joaquín García Quesada treasurer; Jorge Guillén Chaves prosecutor; Roberto Fernández Vásquez vocal 1 and Edgar Varela O'karlo vocal 2.

In that year 1948, they participated in the Second Division national championship which they won undefeated and faced the teams: Club Deportivo López, C. S. Guadalupe, Atlántico, U. D. Moravia, C. S. Barcelona and Rohrmoser F. C. (they won eight games, scored 41 goals and conceded 12). In the end they were promoted to the First Division in 1949 by invitation, due to the fact that they lost the promotion for promotion against the colero of the first with the Spanish Gymnastic Society (the first match Saprissa won 3-0, the second was lost 2-6 and the third game 1-2). Guillermo "Viriguas" León Quirós was one of the architects of the team's meteoric rise, since in 1947 he was the team's top scorer with 47 goals in 22 games; in 1948 he repeated with 33 scores.

On August 7, 1949, a lightning championship was played in which Saprissa debuted playing against the first division teams. The purple team claimed the championship title undefeated, defeating Alajuelense 1-0, Orión 3-2 and Herediano 3-0. On August 21, 1949, Deportivo Saprissa debuted in the First Division with a 3-1 victory over Club Sport La Libertad; Manolo Rodríguez scores the first purple goal in the top flight. Saprissa won its first cup title in 1950, by winning the tournament called the Great Britain Cup at the time. The club won its first national league championship in 1952 at the hands of Otto Pedro Bumbel, a scepter that was obtained undefeated. In 1953 they were league champions again; and on November 2, 1955, Saprissa won 10-0 against Unión Deportiva Moravia, one of the biggest wins in their history. In 1957 he obtained the title of national champion for the third time, he also won the lightning tournament held that year. On May 18, 1958, Saprissa defeated Club Sport La Libertad 7-0 in that match Jorge 'Cuty' Monge six years ago. goals, becoming the highest scorer in a single game in the history of the institution.

In that time of glory, great clubs stood out in soccer in Costa Rica, and that is why during the 50's, Deportivo Saprissa maintained a second and third division, playing those federated leagues. At the end of that decade, Saprissa became one of the many teams in Latin America to go around the world. It was on March 29, 1959, the date on which the Deportivo Saprissa delegation aboard a DC-6 plane called "The Flying Dutchman" of the KLM airline on flight 988, began its great feat of becoming the first Costa Rican soccer team to achieve a golden dream; tour around the world.

Eduardo Viso Abella, technical director of Saprissa at the time, stated:

"The analysis of this tremendous fight found the prize when those beefy calves of the purple components launched themselves openly against the criteria of many, to demonstrate their skills and quality across the five continents."

"He let go of the hand and went out determined to fight fiercely and without truce, to return with the triumphant record of having been the first team from Latin America to tour the world.

The problems that arose before the tour were difficult to overcome, including convincing the federations in Europe, Asia and Oceania of the benefits of Costa Rican soccer".

"And no one dares to doubt that those awards, for having first crossed all the meridians of the earth and returning victorious in their feat, were the result of a pleasant excursion".

The work of the team in this world tour was that Saprissa played a total of 22 games, of which they won 14, drew 1 and lost 7, for a total of 66 goals for and 46 against. In this 74-day world tour, Deportivo Saprissa visited 38 places in 25 nations, visited 35 airports, covered 59,055 kilometers for 146.35 flight hours. The purple delegation left on March 29, 1959 and returned on June 10 of the same year.

Consolidation and national and international successes (1960-1999)

From the sixties and seventies the team began one of the most successful stages in its history. In the decade of the sixties the team won six league championships: 1962, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968 and 1969; three national cups: the 1960 and 1963 President's Cup, and the 1963 Champion of Champions Cup. In the 1970s he was league champion six consecutive times from 1972 to 1977 (record of consecutive titles at the national level), he also won three national cups: Costa Rica Cup 1970, Juan Santamaria Cup 1972 and Champion of Champions Cup 1976. At the international level he managed to be three times champion of the Fraternidad Centroamericana tournament 1972, 1973 and 1978.

During the eighties the team experienced a period of change, Ricardo Saprissa left the board of directors after a 32-year tenure as president, and at the sporting level the successes were less compared to previous years. In the first years of this decade, he was only national champion in 1982 and at an international level he was proclaimed champion of the Camel Cup in 1985. Saprissa resumed prominence at the end of the eighties, obtaining two-time championships in 1988 and 1989; and for the decade of the nineties they won seven titles (international and national): they won the Concacaf Champions Cup twice in 1993 and 1995, one of the Great Central American tournament in 1998 and four national championships in the 1993-94 seasons., 1994-95, 1997-98 and 1998-99. In the last two championships of the decade, he scored more than 100 goals (101 goals in the 1997-98 campaign and set the record for most goals in a single season with 108 goals in the 1998-99 tournament). Due to previous achievements, it was declared the Team of the 20th Century in Costa Rica by the national press. At the same time, in an analysis of Costa Rican soccer statisticians, they designated Deportivo Saprissa as the best team in Costa Rica and Central America internationally.

Years of crisis (2000-2003)

In the last years of the 20th century and in the first years of the 21st century, the team entered into a serious economic crisis, the liabilities grew enormous, the payment to the players was delayed although paradoxically investments were made such as the purchase of the Casa Club and the failed development of the Sports City, without economic content, projects that aggravated the team's situation. At the sporting level, the club was also in crisis, in addition to instability in the coaching staff (it had nine technical directors from the year 2000 to the beginning of 2003) and during these years the results were not as desired.

In an effort to save the institution, the association became a public limited company on July 15, 2000, but was unable to overcome the crisis, delivering the organization's mistakes. The Stadium was auctioned off by the Summary Civil and Finance Court, but thanks to legal defenses opportunely presented, Banco Popular, auctioned off, was unable to take possession of the property. In addition to the debt with Banco Popular, the club had another with the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) and the Mixed Institute of Social Assistance (IMAS), the latter entity requests the opening of bankruptcy proceedings against Saprissa. Mínor Vargas, president of the club, was dismissed for various irregularities denounced by the prosecutor of the board of directors, Fabio Carballo. After the dismissal of Vargas, Fernando Villalobos was appointed as president; who led the negotiations with the representatives of Jorge Vergara, who providentially in 2003, acquired the majority of the share package and managed to save the purple group from potential bankruptcy.

The Vergara era (2003-2011)

One of the most successful periods of the purple team began in March 2003 when the Mexican businessman Jorge Vergara bought the club. At that time the team was going through a sporting and institutional crisis that had the team on the brink of bankruptcy. With the arrival of Vergara at the purple institution, several changes came, such as placing synthetic grass in the stadium; in addition to the policy of using players only of Costa Rican nationality. In addition, from the 2003-04 season to 2005-06, Saprissa modified its uniform, causing it to stop using advertising.

In the 2003-04 season the team began a very successful campaign, going undefeated during the Apertura tournament for 21 dates (making this the best start of a championship for Deportivo Saprissa); On the last date of the tournament and with the certainty of having won the 2003-04 Apertura tournament and thus ensuring an eventual final, their unbeaten record of 21 dates fell against the Ramonense Sports Association. In addition, the successes of the purple team continued as the team became champion of the 2003 UNCAF Interclube Cup, with a 3-2 victory against Comunicaciones de Guatemala at the LA Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. The following year they were runner-up of Concacaf, since it lost the final of the 2004 Concacaf Champions Cup against Liga Deportiva Alajuelense, which became champion in May 2004. Later in the Clausura 2003-04 tournament, Deportivo Saprissa did not achieve first position, was obtained by Club Sport Herediano. Already in the grand final of the 2003-04 season, Club Sport Herediano and Deportivo Saprissa faced each other, where the purple team emerged victorious in the series, drawing 1-1 in the first match at the National Stadium and later winning at the Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá with a score of 2-1, with which Saprissa once again became national champion and thus achieved its 23rd star.

During the 2004-05 campaign, the purple team did not have any local success, given that in this tournament they would lose both finals (Apertura and Clausura) of the national championship; in addition to losing the 2004 UNCAF Interclube Cup against Municipal de Guatemala, achieving a runner-up. In 2005, Deportivo Saprissa faced a new edition of the Concacaf Champions Cup from March to May 2005, where they faced the Kansas City Wizards in the quarterfinals, prevailing over them with a global score of 2- 1; later in April they played in the semifinals against the Monterrey soccer club, in the first game held at the Ricardo Saprissa Stadium the purple team tied with a score of 2-2 with an agonizing goal by Allan Alemán, already in the second leg One of the toughest and most difficult matches that Saprissa has faced during this tournament was played, given that at the beginning of the match Walter Centeno was sent off, leaving Saprissa with 10 players, although this could have been the end for Saprissa in the tournament, the purple box imposed its conditions and with one less player tied a game that was believed to be lost for the purple box, with a goal by Rónald Gómez, this made the game go to a decisive penalty shootout where the purple box was triumphed with a score of 5-3, making Saprissa play a new Concacaf Champions Cup final, this being the second in a row, and in the final held in May the purple team faced the UNAM Pumas team. Saprissa opened the series at home, beating the Mexican club by a score of 2-0 thanks to goals from Christian Bolaños and Gabriel Badilla. In the second leg played at the Olímpico Universitario stadium, the purple team played a very close match, in the end the The Mexican team won with a score of 2-1, the Saprissista team won the final with a 3-2 aggregate, thus consecrating itself for the third time in its history as champion of the Concacaf Champions Cup, with this title the purple team obtained the record for being the Central American team with the most trophies in this competition, as well as being the first Central American and Costa Rican team to play in the 2005 FIFA Club World Cup held in December in Japan.

In December 2005, Deportivo Saprissa played its first match of the Club World Cup against Sidney Football Club at the Toyota Stadium, where they won the match 1-0 with a goal from Christian Bolaños, with this victory Deportivo Saprissa qualified for the semifinals and played the semifinal against the UEFA Champions League champion Liverpool Football Club at the Yokohama International Stadium, in the end the English club left the victory against the purple box with a score of 3-0. Deportivo Saprissa played the match for third place, their last Club World Cup match was against Al-Ittihad from Saudi Arabia, beating said Arab team in a close match with a score of 3-2, and with this they reached third place. of the FIFA Club World Cup in his first participation, thus managing to leave the name of Costa Rica at the top of world football.

Back in Costa Rica, the purple team was crowned champion of the 2005-06 season, having won the Opening and Closing tournaments of this season, thus achieving its 24th national championship. Saprissa participated in a new edition of the Concacaf Champions Cup from February to April, in the quarterfinal phase they faced Los Angeles Galaxy, which they eliminated with a 3-2 aggregate, in the phase of In the semifinals the purple team faced Deportivo Toluca, opening the series in Mexico, Toluca won the victory over Saprissa with a score of 2-0, and in the second leg Saprissa had the obligation to turn the series around, but the purple box did not make it, ending the second leg in favor of Saprissa 3-2, with the aggregate at 4-3 in favor of Deportivo Toluca thus leaving the defending champion out of the final of the 2006 Concacaf Champions Cup In the national championship, Saprissa won both the Apertura tournament and the Closing tournament of the 2006-07 season against Pérez Zeledón and the Alajuelense Sports League respectively, making the purple team win the two-time championship, which meant their 25th star in the national football. Subsequently and by decision of UNAFUT, the national championship would start under the format of short tournaments, leaving aside the old format of one champion per season, with Deportivo Saprissa as the last champion of long tournaments.

With this, Deportivo Saprissa would start its first short tournament and being the defending champion, Saprissa was crowned champion of the 2007 Winter Tournament against Club Sport Herediano, thus achieving the three-time championship and its 26th championship. Internationally the team was runner-up in the 2007 UNCAF Interclube Cup by losing the final against Motagua from Honduras; later in 2008 Deportivo Saprissa participated again in an edition of the Concacaf Champions Cup from March to April, the purple team made its way to the final leaving Atlante from Mexico in the quarterfinals with a global of 4 -2, as well as the Houston Dynamo of the United States in the semifinals with a 3-0 aggregate, thus playing again in their history a final of the Concacaf Champions Cup against Pachuca of Mexico, in the final the purple team played a very close match against the Mexican club, losing to it by a 3-2 aggregate in favor of Pachuca, thus losing the possibility of going to the FIFA Club World Cup again, this being a hard blow for the purples, added to this the Saprissa as runner-up in the tournament did not receive the invitation to the Copa Sudamericana as the runner-up in the tournament usually received. Back in Costa Rica, Saprissa won the 2008 Summer and Winter Tournaments, playing in the final against Liga Deportiva Alajuelense in both tournaments and thus achieving the five-time national championship, as well as their 27th and 28th titles in national soccer. The purple team participated in the Concacaf Champions Cup, renamed in the 2008/09 edition as the Concacaf Champions League, with a different format, the tournament was held with a preliminary phase, a previous group phase that later gave two qualifiers for group to the other rounds, Saprissa was eliminated in the second phase (group stage).

Although Deportivo Saprissa had an outstanding performance in 2008, already in the 2009 Summer and Winter Tournaments, Saprissa failed to revalidate the national title, losing in the semifinals of the 2009 Summer Tournament against Municipal Liberia. Thanks to the fact that Saprissa became champion of Winter 2008, this played again in the Concacaf Champions League in the 2009/10 edition, Saprissa played its pass to the final phase in Group C, facing the teams of Cruz Azul from Mexico, the Columbus Crew of the United States and the Puerto Rico Islanders, during this tournament the purple box did not make it to the final phase since it only managed to be third in its group. Back in Costa Rica with the hope of becoming champion again, Saprissa played the 2009 Winter Tournament, the purple team failed to even qualify in the group stage, which meant losing a single official title in 2009..

In 2010, the purple team with a thirst for revenge disputed the 2010 Summer Tournament with the mission of returning to the path of triumph and seeking to reach its 29th title in its history, the Saprissa after 16 regular phase games remained as the leader of Group A of the national tournament, automatically qualifying it to the semifinals. In the semifinals, Saprissa faced Santos de Guapiles, which they would defeat with a 1-0 aggregate, and played the final against the San Carlos Sports Association at the which they defeated with scores of 4-2 and 3-0, with this Saprissa would win their 29th championship, consolidating themselves as the most winning team in the history of Costa Rica and thus managed to qualify for the 2010 Concacaf Champions League /eleven; In said edition of the Champions League, Saprissa qualified from the group stage as second in Group C, just below Monterrey from Mexico. In the final phase of the tournament, Saprissa faced Olimpia from Honduras in the quarterfinals, leaving the Honduran team out with a 3-1 aggregate, and in the semifinal, Saprissa faced Real Salt Lake from the United States in an agonizing series of In the semifinals, Saprissa failed to reach the final, being left out by a 3-2 aggregate in favor of the American team. For the year 2011 the president Jorge Vergara decided not to invest more in the team.

During the management of Jorge Vergara, Deportivo Saprissa obtained great and outstanding achievements both nationally and internationally, being named the Concacaf Team of the 20th Century above great teams from Mexico, the United States, Honduras, Guatemala and the rest. During this time, Deportivo Saprissa achieved seven national championships (it was five-time champion from 2006 to 2008), a national runner-up in 2003; a Concacaf Champions Cup tournament in 2005, two runners-up in the 2004 and 2008 editions; a UNCAF Interclube Cup tournament in 2003, two runners-up in the 2004 and 2007 editions and finally a third place in the FIFA Club World Cup in 2005. This being a golden age for the purple team.

Purple Horizon (2011-Present)

Later, with Jorge Vergara's refusal to want to invest in the purple team, he ended up selling his shares to the Horizonte Morado group (composed at that time by Juan Carlos Rojas Callan, Edgar Zurcher, Alberto Raven Odio, Marco Cercone, Sergio Egloff and René Picado from Televisora de Costa Rica, S.A., among others) who assumed control of Saprissa in April 2011 with 70% of the shares.

The team's first title in the administration of Horizonte Morado was the Banco Nacional Cup Tournament where the purple team managed to consecrate itself as the Cup champion (for the eighth time in history), by defeating the Asociación Deportiva Carmelita team, where the Tibaseño team won with a score of 4-2 in a penalty shootout after having finished the match 0-0, this being the only title in 2013.

In the 2014 JPS Summer Tournament, Deportivo Saprissa was reinforced with the arrival of national players such as Hanzell Arauz, Marvin Angulo, Heiner Mora, Daniel Colindres and foreign players: the Panamanian defender Adolfo Machado from from Comunicaciones de Guatemala, Bolivian striker Carlos Saucedo from Club San José in Bolivia and Mexican goalkeeper Luis Michel from Club Chivas de Guadalajara. After 22 dates played, he was the tournament leader with 46 points, and in the final phase of the Summer Tournament, Deportivo Saprissa faced the University of Costa Rica in the semifinals in a double match played at the Ricardo Saprissa Aymá Stadium, in the first In the game, Saprissa played a difficult game, being able to tie the game in an agonizing way with a score of 2-2, already in the second game Deportivo Saprissa achieved the victory with a score of 2-0, thus breaking the losing streak of 7 consecutive tournaments without reaching a final in league tournaments. In the final of the 2014 JPS Summer Tournament, Deportivo Saprissa faced the current champion Liga Deportiva Alajuelense, this was not only going to define the tournament champion, but it would also define who would be the first Costa Rican team to crown their 30th star. in the First Division of Costa Rica. In the first game played at the Alejando Morera Soto Stadium, Deportivo Saprissa managed to get a goalless draw, thus leaving the final series to be defined at the Ricardo Saprissa Aymá Stadium, where the purple team managed to triumph with a score of 1-0. With this, Deportivo Saprissa managed to be the most winning team in the history of Costa Rican soccer, as well as being the first Concacaf team to win 30 national titles above countries like Mexico, the United States, Honduras, Guatemala and others.

In the 2014 Winter Championship, the team achieved the two-time national championship. At the beginning of the tournament, the results were not as expected, so a change was made in the technical direction, Ronald González was dismissed and Jeaustin Campos was appointed. After entering the second phase of the tournament as fourth place, they eliminated Liga Deportiva Alajuelense in the semifinals with an aggregate score of 2-1 (they won 1-0 in the first leg and drew 1-1 in the second leg).; and the team reached its 31st title, beating Club Sport Herediano in the final, with an aggregate score of 5-3 (they won the first game 4-2 and tied the second game 1-1).

In the 2015 Summer Championship the team was eliminated in the semifinals and in the 2015 Banco Popular Cup Tournament they were eliminated in the second phase. And after a bad run for the club in the 2015 Winter Championship and the 2015/16 Concacaf Champions League, Jeaustin Campos was fired from the team's sports management and technical direction on September 17, 2015. Douglas Sequeira he was chosen as the interim manager. Saprissa was involved in a controversy, after an alleged problem between several purple players came to light. On October 25, 2015, through a press release, Saprissa announced that Douglas Sequeira was dismissed as technical director of the club after only one month in charge of the institution, Carlos Watson was appointed as coach, and Manuel Gerardo Ureña in addition to Douglas Sequeira as club assistants. With Carlos Watson in charge of the technical direction, Saprissa won its 32nd championship in the first division of Costa Rica, by eliminating Club Sport Herediano in the semifinals and defeating it with an overall result of 3-2 (they won the first game 3-0 and lost the second game 2-0), and in the final they beat Liga Deportiva Alajuelense with an aggregate score of 4-1 (they won 2-0 in the first leg and a 2-1 win in the second leg).

After being eliminated in the semifinals of Summer 2016, the team began a restructuring in terms of departures and arrivals of soccer players. At the start of the 2016 Winter Championship, the club was questioned for the 3-3 draw against the recently promoted San Carlos, but as the days passed, the Tibaseños found positive results that placed them in first place in the table. They also qualified for the next stage of the Concacaf Champions League, leaving out rivals like the Portland Timbers of the United States and the Dragon of El Salvador in the group stage. At the end of the qualifying round, the team took the lead with 49 points, in addition to the places for the home run and a possible final. On December 15, the team beat Herediano 2-0, to obtain the lead in the last stage of the tournament. Due to these situations, the saprissistas were automatically crowned without the need for the final, proclaiming themselves the 33rd title in their history.

In 2017 the team did not achieve the desired results, at the international level in the 2016/17 Concacaf Champions League, in the first leg of the quarterfinals, on February 21, 2017 the club received against Pachuca from Mexico at the Ricardo Saprissa Stadium, the match ended in a scoreless draw. On February 28, 2017, it was the return match at the Hidalgo Stadium, the team was eliminated from the competition after losing the match. At the national level, the team finished first in the first stage of the 2017 summer championship (which allowed them to the team agreed to the final), and in the second phase they obtained second place behind Club Sport Herediano; team with which he played in the championship final, and lost both games, achieving runner-up in the 2017 summer championship. In the 2017 Apertura championship, the team finished in second place in the first stage, and reached the same position in the second stage of the contest, with these results the Saprissista team failed to qualify for the final of the national championship. At the end of the team's participation, coach Carlos Watson announced his retirement from the technical direction; instead, Vladimir Quesada was appointed as the technical director of the team. In the 2018 Concacaf Champions League, the team was eliminated in the round of 16 stage, being eliminated against América from Mexico. Despite the elimination In the international tournament, the national team recovered and managed to win the second stage of the 2018 Clausura Championship, as well as the general table, which allowed them to access the final, which they played against Club Sport Herediano, whom they defeated in the penalty shootout 4-3 after the two games in the final were tied (1-1 and 0-0), the Saprissista team achieving the 34th championship in its history.

In November 2019, the team won an international title, winning the 2019 Concacaf League, beating rivals from Belize, El Salvador, Panama and Honduras. In the final they beat Motagua with a score of 1-0 in the first leg and 0-0 in the second leg.

In June 2020, the purple team won its 35th national title after defeating Liga Deportiva Alajuelense in the final of the second phase with victories of 2-0 and 1-0, without the need for a grand final since there was won the first phase of the championship. A year later the team achieved the 36th title in history by winning the Clausura 2021, after having an irregular first phase of the championship where they qualified in fourth place for the second phase and an instability in the technical direction (Walter Centeno started, was replaced by Roy Myers and Mauricio Wright finished the championship). Under the orders of the latter, in the second phase the team eliminated Liga Deportiva Alajuelense with a score of 4-3 and 2-2 in the semifinals, and in the final they beat Club Sport Herediano with victories of 3-2 and 1- 0. By obtaining the championship, the team qualified for the 2021 Promerica League Super Cup, which they won by beating Liga Deportiva Alajuelense with a score of 4-1. In November 2022, the team won the 37th title by winning the Apertura 2022 by beating Club Sport Herediano in the grand final with scores of 2-0 in the first leg and 0-1 in the second leg, for an overall score of 2-1.

Facilities

Old National Stadium

Deportivo Saprissa used the Old National Stadium (which was located in La Sabana in San José) as its headquarters from 1949 to 1972. In the old headquarters the team played 484 games both as home and away, in their global figures the Tibaseños reached 317 victories, 96 draws and 72 losses; also 1125 goals scored and only 440 received; which made it the Costa Rican team that played the most times in the Old National Stadium in the history of the first division championship.

The old headquarters of the purples had to do with great moments for the club, there they played their first first division game on August 21, 1949 against Club Sport La Libertad, a clash that was resolved with a purple victory 3-1, there they won their first tournaments: Rélámpago in 1949, the Great Britain Cup in 1950 and the First Division in 1952, in addition to having made great demonstrations in the international arena.

Ricardo Saprissa Aymá Stadium

Since 1972, it has used the Ricardo Saprissa Aymá Stadium as its headquarters, known as "La Cueva," named after the former president and co-founder of the club, Ricardo Saprissa. The first idea to seek land for the construction of a training field for Deportivo Saprissa and eventually its own stadium arose between 1955 and 1956. The search not only for a field to train, but also for a place ideal to build the future stadium of Deportivo Saprissa lasted his time. The land needed to have fluid communication routes to the main provinces, especially easy access for fans from the capital. After balancing the pros and cons of various pieces of land, a resolution was reached to buy in the district of San Juan, canton of Tibás in the province of San José. On August 3, 1965, the deed of purchase was signed. One year after the purchase of the land, Mr. Ricardo Saprissa Aymá was responsible for laying the first stone, on October 12, 1966, and construction of the stands and boxes began, which were leased in order to obtain a source of financing. and thus face the high costs. After six years of effort, it was possible to crystallize the inaugural act of the Ricardo Saprissa Aymá Stadium, on Sunday, August 27, 1972, through the discovery of the plaque that certifies the official name of the Stadium, in addition, the first match is held in this colossus purple. In 1984, the south stands were inaugurated, where “the box of the elephants” had previously been. The Ricardo Saprissa Aymá Stadium increased its capacity by 9,000 people in 1989 with the construction of the shadow stands and boxes in the western sector.

Currently, it is the second largest stadium in Costa Rica, surpassed only by the National Stadium. It has a real capacity of 21,350 spectators. The official regulatory measurements of the playing area are 105 meters long by 68 meters wide and the total measurements of the court; 117 meters long by 84 meters wide, the dimensions of the frame are: 2.44 meters high by 7.32 meters wide, measurements ratified by FIFA. It has excellent visibility, the furthest viewer is 80 meters from the center of the central circle at an angle of 45° and the closest is 42 meters from the same reference point.

The grass class of the Ricardo Saprissa Aymá Stadium is natural grass, which has the FIFA approval certificate, with a very high rating, endorsing it to be a first-class grass. It is of the most modern technology in the world, which allows all kinds of national and international matches to be played. The grass has layers of sand and stones that facilitate the absorption of large amounts of water.

The stadium was the venue most used by the Costa Rican soccer team, as its official venue for qualifying and friendly matches, before the construction of the new National Stadium, due to the good results historically achieved there, and because many of the players say they feel good playing in that place. It is also considered one of the most feared stadiums in the Concacaf area because it has a very vertical structure in which fans are very close to the field. The players of the United States team claim to feel very uncomfortable and nervous in "The Monster Cave".

Roberto “Beto” Fernández Sports Center

Deportivo Saprissa inaugurated on Friday, November 18, 2022, the Roberto “Beto” Fernández Sports Center, located in Guayabos de Curridabat in the province of San José and has two training fields (natural and artificial). In addition, there are dressing rooms for the use of soccer players, as well as a gym and spaces for rehabilitation periods.

In this first phase, two gramillas for practices (synthetic and natural) and a dressing room were presented. However, the construction will have more phases, adding more spaces for training and other infrastructure. This preparation place will be available for the men's and women's first division and for the minor divisions in general.

Uniform

Since its inception, Deportivo Saprissa has been known for wearing its purple "vino roto" uniform, also known as "burgundy". In 1935 the official colors of the starting uniform were red and white (red shirt with white shorts). However, that outfit would only last a couple of years, as an error in one of the looms at the El Laberinto factory (owned by Don Rogelio Saprissa, brother of Don Ricardo), mixed the red and blue threads of the Orion F.C. uniform, the purple cloth that resulted from that mistake was of no use to the Orionistas, but was adopted by the nascent children's club to which Don Ricardo gave his last name. Everyone liked the accidental color of the new uniform, Roberto Fernández, founder of the team along with Fausto Leiva, decided to add a large S on the chest and thus the historic outfit was formed, and in 1937 the purple color was agreed upon as the club official. This uniform was characterized by being particularly elegant, and it was improved and modernized over the years.

Since 1949, when Saprissa debuted in the First Division, its purple color did not change, it only alternated with white as the main color. During the years from 1987 to 2003, different shades of violet and dark purple were used in the uniform, the Saprissa also adopted a more bluish and less reddish purple tone on occasions, being the most remembered during the Vergara era (2003 to 2011). During the last years of this administration, the uniform had orange stripes added to the sides of the shirt and shorts. From 2012 to the present, the classic colors of purple "red wine" or "burgundy", next to white.

At home, the red wine purple shirt is used with white details, and red wine shorts are used with white and gray details. Sometimes the home shirt is combined with white shorts. When visiting, the white shirt is used with red wine purple and gray details, and red wine purple shorts with white details, or white shorts with red wine purple details.

During the administration of Horizonte Morado the team has used a third uniform. In 2013, a yellow shirt with purple details was used with purple shorts and socks (as a tribute to Ricardo Saprissa's Catalan roots). For 2014, a gray uniform with purple trims and in this occasion was chosen by a vote of the fans among five options. A year later in 2015 a dark blue uniform was released with the edge of the sleeves and the neck of the shirt in purple, the clothing was commemorative of the eighty anniversary of the team. In 2016, the dark blue color of the previous year continued to be used, but this uniform had the names of the 469 former players who had passed through the institution since 1949 (the year in which the team began its career in the First Division). Division) until May 2016, placed in a white diagonal stripe on the front; this third Saprissa uniform was the winner for the best design of 2016, according to an international survey carried out by the specialized site www.Subsidesports.com. The third kit released in 2017 and used until 2018, had black horizontal stripes with the team's shield in gold, as well as purple trims. This shirt was alluding to the round-the-world trip that the team made in 1959; this shirt was included in the classification list of the 50 jackets of 2017, by the website lacasaca.com (one of the sites specialized in team jerseys), where he was ranked 44th in the jacket of the year. The third uniform released in 2019 was a tribute to the third place obtained in the 2005 Club World Cup in Japan; the predominant colors in this shirt are white and gray, and gray in the shorts, it also brings several details: on the front part it contains a horizontal pattern with the phrase "third place" in gray Japanese alphabet, on the lower front part on the left a commemorative patch that includes a replica of the medal received by the players in the Club World Cup, the neck of the shirt presents the border predominantly in purple and gold, on the back of the neck stands out the red circle of the Japanese flag and the word "third place" translated into the language, and the gray sleeves with a texture called "Asanoha" (hemp leaf), referring to fabrics used for traditional Japanese clothing. its 85th anniversary, the shirt has a blue background design, with purple details and golden trims that symbolize the successes of the institution, likewise it has the detail of Ricardo Saprissa Aymá's signature; this shirt it obtained second place in the FCA Ranking: Top 10 Central American club jerseys of 2020, from the website www.futbolcentroamerica.com. For the year 2022 the uniform is inspired by Roberto "Beto" Fernández, who was the founder of the equipment; This third kit has a shade of purple that is darker than the current one and a fabric texture that replicates the fabric of the team's first jerseys, the edges of the neck and sleeves combine the traditional white with gold that represents greatness and the triumphs that the institution has reaped and on the upper part of the back it presents an insignia of the shoe store where the team was founded, with the legend "Thank you Beto".

Brands and sponsors

Period	Supplier	Sponsor
1949-1977	?	None
1978-1979	?	Olympo
1980-1981	?	National
1982-1985	Desport	Bayer
1986-1990	?	Coca Cola
1990-1991	Reebok
1992-1994	Garcis / Trooper
1994–1995	Lanzera/ Umbro
1995	MedfSport
1996		Hang on.
1996–1997	Reebok
1997–1998		LG
1998	Trooper
1998–2000	Adidas
2000–2003	Athletic
2003–2004	?	None
2004–2006	Reebok
2006-2011		Bimbo
2012-2014	Joma
2015-2018	Kappa
2018–2020		Kölbi
2020-Updated		BAC

Symbols

Flag

Official flag

Shield

1994 - 2003	2003 - 2011	2011 - present

Anthem

The lyrics were written and the music was composed by Fernando Castro Sandí. The musical arrangement for the band was in charge of Marco Tulio Corao.

With claw and pundonor

Always looking for the goal.

That's our team,

The football monster

Power and tradition

And this great hobby.

Today we will fight

The triumph must be achieved.

I'm purple... Saprissista

And proud of that I am

I'm purple... Saprissista

The team of my heart.

In your chest the colors

Of the bitch.

And in the field players

One hundred percent national.

Pet

The history of the Purple Monster goes back to the year 1987. It was at that time, when the Diario Extra of Costa Rica mentioned the word “monster” for the first time, relating it to Deportivo Saprissa. The Ricardo Saprissa Aymá stadium was packed with fans and this media outlet announced that due to the movements of the people in the stands "this stadium looked like a purple monster", referring to the Saprissista fans. That was how the next day the word "monster" was published for the first time, identifying it with the great purple fans. Over time, a commission of associates was integrated, which agreed that they should create a representative mascot of the club, which would have to be the best and the most significant. Then some names began to be shelled until it was concluded to personify the mascot, based on the story of the fable of the Elliot Dragon. Changes were made to this dragon until it formed the exclusive and unique figure of the Saprissa monster.

Players

Closing Template 2023

Players			Technical equipment
N.o Nac. Pos. Name Age Ult team. End contract Eq. training Porteros 1 CRC! 0BY Kevin Chamorro 23 years A.D. San Carlos 2026 A.D. Carmelita 13 CRC! 0BY Aaron Cruz 32 years C.F. Universidad de Costa Rica 2023 A.D. San Carlos 18 CRC! 0BY Esteban Alvarado 34 years C.S. Herediano 2024 Sport Saprissa 40 CRC! 0BY Abraham Madriz 19 years Formed in the quarry 2025 Sport Saprissa Defense 3 CRC! 1DEF Pablo Arboine 25 years A.D. Santos 2024 A.D. Santos 4 CRC! 1DEF Kendall Waston 3° 35 years FC Cincinnati 2027 Sport Saprissa 12 CRC! 1DEF Ricardo Blanco 6° 34 years C.S. Cartaginés 2023 Sport Saprissa 19 CRC! 1DEF Ryan Bolaños 24 years C.S. Cartaginés 2023 Lemon F.C. 21 PAN! 1DEF Fidel Escobar 2° 28 years Cultural and Deportiva Leonesa 2025 San Francisco F.C 28 CRC! 1DEF Gerald Taylor 21 years C.S. Uruguay de Coronado 2026 L.D. Alajuelense 42 CRC! 1DEF Julián González 18 years Formed in the quarry 2023 Sport Saprissa Campers 2 CRC! 2MED Christian Bolaños 5° 39 years IK Start 2023 Sport Saprissa 6 CRC! 2MED Jaylon Hadden 25 years Sporting F.C. 2023 Sport Saprissa 7 CRC! 2MED Jefry Valverde 27 years A.D. San Carlos 2025 Sport Saprissa 8 CRC! 2MED David Guzmán 7° 33 years Columbus Crew 2025 Sport Saprissa 10 CRC! 2MED Marvin Angulo 4° 36 years C.S. Uruguay de Coronado 2023 C.S. Herediano 11 CRC! 2MED Alvaro Zamora 21 years C.S. Uruguay de Coronado 2026 C.S. Herediano 20 ARG! 2MED Mariano Torres 1 36 years The Strongest 2024 C.A. Boca Juniors 22 CRC! 2MED Youstin Salas 26 years Municipal Greece 2025 A.D. Santos 27 CRC! 2MED Emanuel Carvajal 18 years Formed in the quarry 2023 Sport Saprissa 30 CRC! 2MED Safe Ulysses 29 years Austin FC 2023 Sport Saprissa 39 CRC! 2MED Alberth Barahona 18 years Formed in the quarry 2023 A.D.R. Jicaral 41 CRC! 2MED Warren Madrigal 18 years Sporting Football Club 2026 Sport Saprissa Delanteros 9 JAM! 3OF THE Javon East 28 years A.D. Santos 2025 Portmore United 14 CRC! 3OF THE Ariel 33 years Ho Chi Minh City FC 2024 A.D. Santos 23 CUB! 3OF THE Luis Paradela 26 years A.D. Santos 2025 F.C. Matanzas 24 CRC! 3OF THE Orlando Sinclair 25 years New England Revolution II 2024 Sport Saprissa 26 CRC! 3OF THE Julen Cordero 21 years Guadalupe Football Club 2023 Sport Saprissa 31 CRC! 3OF THE Fabricio Alemán 19 years Club de Fútbol Intercity 2023 Sport Saprissa 32 CRC! 3OF THE Justin Monge 20 years Municipal Pérez Zeledón 2026 Municipal Pérez Zeledón 34 CRC! 3OF THE Brandon Matarrita 17 years Formed in the quarry 2023 A.D.R. Jicaral			Coach(s) Vladimir Quesada Assistant coach(s) Ricardo Arguedas Physical Preparer(s) José Sánchez Coach(s) of porters Roger Mora Doctor(s) Esteban Campos Other(s) José Francisco Porras Juan Gabriel Rodríguez Jesus Morales Angel Luis Catalina Legend Pos.: Position Nac.: Nationality of sport Captain Mission BY / ARQ: Guardameta DEF: Defense MED / VOL: Camper OF THE: Delantero Updated on May 15, 2023 Official web template

Admissions Closing 2023

Player	Position	Proceedings
Jefry Valverde		Asociación Deportiva San Carlos
Justin Monge		Municipal Pérez Zeledón
Warren Madrigal		Sporting Football Club
Julen Cordero		Guadalupe Football Club
Esteban Alvarado		Club Sport Herediano

Closing 2023 Withdrawals

Player	Position	Current equipment
Andy Reyes		Guadalupe Football Club
Douglas Sequeira		Saints of Guápiles
Carlos Villegas		Saints of Guápiles
Atim Roper		Club Sport Uruguay de Coronado
Aaron Fallas		Municipal Pérez Zeledón

Loan Players

Player	Position	Lost to
Jordy Evans		Saints of Guápiles
Douglas Sequeira		Saints of Guápiles
Carlos Villegas		Saints of Guápiles
Atim Roper		Club Sport Uruguay de Coronado

Players with the most appearances in the First Division

Porteros with more matches in Primera Division

Players with the most titles won in the First Division

Players with the most goals scored in the First Division

Scoring players in the First Division

Scoring players of the first goal of the championship in the First Division

Players with the most matches in Cup Tournaments

Scoring players in National Cups

Players with the most appearances in the Concacaf Champions League

Players with the most games in the Inter-American Cup

Scoring players in international tournaments

World Cup Players

A list of twenty-two soccer players who were called up to a World Cup is shown.

Foreign Players

Coaches

Managers with the most matches managed in the First Division

Managers with the most games managed in Cup Tournaments

Managers with the most games managed in the Concacaf Champions League

Champion coaches in the First Division

* Title obtained by two coaches together

Champions coaches in National Cups

Technical champions in international tournaments

Presidents

• Ricardo Saprissa Ayma (1948-1981)
• Jorge Guillén Chaves (1981-1984)
• Enrique Weisleder Cidelski (1984-1988)
• Fabio Garnier Nieto (1988-1993)
• Enrique Artiñano Odio (1993-1998)
• Bernardo Méndez Antillón (1998-2001)
• Minor Vargas Calvo (2001-2003)
• Fernando Villalobos Villalobos (2003)
• Jorge Vergara Madrigal (2003-2011)
• Juan Carlos Rojas (2011-Presente)

Club details

• Seasons in 1st Division: 72.
• Seasons in 2nd Division: 1.
• Seasons in 3rd Division: 2.
• Best place in the League: 1 (37 times).
• Participation in First Division: 88 tournaments (including long tournaments and short tournaments).
• Best place in the Cup: 1 (6 times).
• Participations in Cup Tournaments: 23 tournaments.
• Best position in Supercopa: 1 (3 times).
• Participation in Supercopa: 5 tournaments.
• Debut in Cup Tournaments: May 22, 1949, Deportivo Saprissa 3 - Sociedad Gimnástico Española 0.
• First Division debut: August 21, 1949, Sport Saprissa 3 - Club Sport La Libertad 1.
• Debut in Champions Cup/Supercopa: December 20, 1963, Deportivo Saprissa 1 (5) - Club Sport Uruguay de Coronado 1 (4).
• Greatest goal in First Division: Deportivo Saprissa 10 - Unión Deportiva Moravia 0, on November 2, 1955.
• Greatest goleada in Copa Campeón/Supercopa: Sport Saprissa 4 - Alajuelense Sports League 1, August 4, 2021.
• Increased number of consecutive games without defeats as local in First Division: 40 duels between December 1988 and December 1990.
• Increased number of undefeated matches in First Division: 23 matches 1965-1966.
• Increased number of undefeated matches at the beginning of a First Division season: 21 matches in the season 2003-04.
• Increased number of consecutive victories as local in the start of the First Division contest: 19 wins in the 2003-04 season.
• Increased number of consecutive wins as local in First Division: 17 victories between the seasons of 1971 and 1973.
• Increased number of undefeated matches in short tournaments: 16 games without defeats in the championship Opening 2022.
• Increased number of points obtained in the regular phase in short tournaments: 50 points in the championship Clausura 2023.
• Increased number of First Division matches scored goals consecutively: 29 games (1963-1964).
• Increased number of undefeated matches in front of another First Division club: 36 games to Limon Soccer Club from 1966 to 1978.
• Increased number of undefeated matches as a local in front of another First Division club: 27 games to Limón Football Club and 27 games to Club Sport Cartaginés.
• Increased number of undefeated matches in Cup Tournaments: 17 matches between 1969 and 1972.
• Increased number of consecutive wins in Cup Tournaments: 10 wins at the Costa Rica Cup 1970.
• Maximum scorer: Evaristo Coronado 181 goals in total.
• First goal scorer in First Division: Manuel Rodriguez.
• First goal scorer in Copa Campeón/Supercopa Champion: Edgar Marín.
• Saprissa Player with more goals scored in First Division: Evaristo Coronado 148 goals (1981-1995).
• Saprissa Player with more goals scored in Cup Tournaments: Carlos Solano 12 goals.
• Saprissa Player with more goleo titles in First Division: Evaristo Coronado 2 World Championships (1981 and 1988).
• Saprissa goalkeeper with more goals scored in First Division: Erick Lonis 3 goals.
• Saprissa Defense with more goals scored in First Division: Enrique Díaz 49 goals.
• Saprissa Player with more goals scored in a short tournament: Ariel Rodriguez 20 annotations at the Winter World Bank 2015 championship.
• Saprissa's fastest goal scorer in First Division: Rolando Fonseca 19 seconds, on October 11, 1992, Deportivo Saprissa 4 - Asociación Deportiva Guanacasteca 1.
• Saprissa players with more goals scored in the end of the First Division: Carlos Solano, Víctor Cordero and Daniel Colindres with 3 goals.
• Saprissa Player with more consecutive First Division games scored goals: Alvaro Saborío scored goals in 8 games consecutively (12 so many in total), in the 2003-04 season.
• Saprissa players who most often scored the first goal of the First Division championship: Edwin Barley (1979 and 1980) and Alonso Solís (2004-05 and 2005-06) on 2 occasions.
• Saprissa Player with more matches in First Division: Evaristo Coronado 536 games.
• Saprissa Player with more matches in Cup Tournaments: Giovanni Rodríguez 31 games.
• Saprissa Player with more matches in one season: Vladimir Quesada 51 games in the 1994-95 championship.
• Saprissa Player with more games played in the end of First Division: Jervis Drummond 13 end games.
• Saprissa goalkeeper with more matches in First Division: Erick Lonis 362 games.
• Saprissa Defense with more matches in First Division: Victor Cordero 478 games.
• Saprissa Flyer with more matches in First Division: Walter Centeno 449 games.
• First foreign player of Saprissa: Ademar Saccone in 1963.
• Saprissa foreign player with more championships won in First Division: Mariano Torres (Argentine) 5 titles (Popular Bank Winter 2016, Banco Popular Clausura 2018, Clausura 2020, Clausura 2021 and Opening 2022).
• Saprissa foreign player with more goals scored in First Division: Alexandre Guimarães (Brazilian) 73 goals.
• Saprissa foreign player with more matches in First Division: Alexandre Guimarães (Brazil) 300 games.
• Saprissa Technical Director with more games directed in First Division: Mario Cordero 219 matches.
• Saprissa Technical Director with more games directed at Cup Tournaments: Marvin Rodríguez 27 matches.
• Saprissa Technical Director with more championships won in First Division: Jeaustin Campos 6 titles (2006-07, Winter 2007, Summer 2008, Winter 2008, Winter JPS 2014 and Opening 2022).
• Main records in Costa Rican football:
  • Team with more First Division championships won in Costa Rica: 37 titles.
  • Team with more Champions Cup championships/Supercopa won in Costa Rica: 3 titles.
  • Team with more championships won consecutively: 6 degrees (1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977).
  • Team with more points in one championship: 108 points in the 2003-04 championship.
  • Team with more points in one season: 114 points in the 2016-17 season.
  • Team with more annotations in one championship: 108 goals in the 1998-99 championship.
  • Team with more notes in one season: 114 goals in the 2017-2018 season.
  • Team with more wins followed at the beginning of a season: 8 matches in the 2005-06 season.
  • Team with the greatest number of wins in one season: 33 games won in the season 2003-04.
  • Equipment with the most consecutive games won as a local: 18 games continue to win in the 2003-04 season.
  • Team with more consecutive games without receiving local goals: 9 games in the 1998-99 season.
  • Team with more games without goals against the start of a season: 5 games without receiving goals in the 1957 season.
  • Team with more annotations in the first phase of a short tournament: 52 goals in the regular phase of the 2016 World Bank Winter Championship.
  • Team with more annotations in a short tournament: 63 goals in the 2016 World Bank Winter Championship.
  • Team with fewer goals against in a short tournament: 12 goals in the championship Opening 2022.
  • Team that most times scored the first goal of the championship: 16 times.
  • Team that most times scored the first championship goal in consecutive tournaments: 4 occasions (1965 and 1966, 1974 and 1975, 1979 and 1980, and 2004-05 and 2005-06).
  • Team with more time without losing in Costa Rican football: 1 year, 7 months and 9 days (1952-1953).
  • Player with more goals scored in a single First Division match: Jorge Hernán "Cuty" Monge 6 so many, on May 18, 1958 (Deportivo Saprissa 7 - Club Sport La Libertad 0).
  • Concierge with the most unbeatable time in First Division: Miguel Segura 855 minutes, season 1988-1989.
  • Player with more championships won in First Division: Edgar Marín 12 titles (1962, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977).
  • Foreign player with more goals scored in a single First Division match: Odir Jacques (Brazilian) 5 so many, on May 28, 1972 (Deportivo Saprissa 8 - Municipal Puntarenas 0).
  • The only team in Costa Rica that exceeds all teams that have participated in the First Division in the particular balance.
  • Team with the best performance of history in the First Division.
  • Named the 20th Century Team in Costa Rica by the newspaper La Nación.
  • Named the Best Costa Rica Team of the 21st Century by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS).
  • Named the “Equipo with more titles from Costa Rica in the first two decades of the 21st century” by the IFFHS.
• Data in international tournaments:
  • Costa Rica and Central America team with more official international championships.
  • Uncaf Interclub Cup: Costa Rica and Central America team with more UNCAF titles (5): 1972, 1973, 1978, 1998 and 2003.
  • Concacaf Champions League: Costa Rican, Central American and Caribbean Team with more titles of Concacacaf Champions League (3): 1993, 1995 and 2005.
  • FIFA Club World Cup: Only team from Costa Rica, Central America and the Caribbean to participate in the event. He also got the third place at the 2005 Club World Cup.
  • Debut in Concacaf Champions League: April 28, 1963, Deportivo Saprissa 1 - Club Deportivo FAS 1.
  • Uncaf Interclub Cup Debut: December 1970, Deportivo Saprissa 1 - Communications Football Club 1 (Central American Fraternity); 18 April 1996, Deportivo Saprissa 3 - Communications Football Club 2 (Grandes de Centroamérica); 17 February 1999, Deportivo Saprissa 2 - Club Deportivo Luis Ángel Firpo 2 (Copa UNCAF).
  • Debut in Recopa de la Concacaf: 8 December 1991, Deportivo Saprissa 8 - Real Estelí Football Club 1.
  • Inter-American Cup Debut: 15 September 1994, Deportivo Saprissa 3 - Club Deportivo Universidad Católica 1.
  • Debut in Concacaf Gigantes Cup: 7 March 2001, Deportivo Saprissa 5 - Alliance Football Club 1.
  • FIFA World Cup Debut: December 12, 2005, Deportivo Saprissa 1 - Sydney Football Club 0.
  • Debut in Concacaf League: July 31, 2019, Deportivo Saprissa 3 - Belmopan Bandits 1.
  • Greatest goal in Concacaf Champions League: Deportivo Saprissa 9 - Diriangén Football Club 0, on 24 May 1970.
  • Greatest score in Uncaf Interclubes Cup: Deportivo Saprissa 5 - Club Deportivo Platense 1, en 1976 (Fraternidad Centroamericana); Deportivo Saprissa 5 - Liga Deportiva Alajuelense 0 (Grandes de Centroamérica), el 19 de mayo de 1996; Deportivo Saprissa 5 - Diriangén Fútbol Club 0 (Copa UNCAF), el 25 de octubre de 2003.
  • Greatest goleada in Recopa de la Concacaf: Deportivo Saprissa 8 - Real Estelí Football Club 1, on December 8, 1991.
  • Greatest score in Concacaf Gigantes Cup: Sport Saprissa 5 - Alliance Football Club 1, March 7, 2001.
  • Greatest goal in Concaf League: Sport Saprissa 5 - Arcahaie Football Club 0, January 22, 2021.
  • Technical Director of Saprissa with more matches directed from Concacaf Champions League: Jeaustin Campos with 24 games directed.
  • Saprissa Player with more international official interclub parties: Victor Lamb 112 games.
  • Saprissa players with more matches in Uncaf Interclubes Cup: Heriberto Rojas 64 games (Central American Fraternity), Walter Centeno 41 games (Copa Uncaf).
  • Saprissa Player with more matches in Concacaf Champions League: Victor Lamb 51 games.
  • Saprissa players with more championships won in Concacaf Champions League: Victor Cordero and Ronald González 3 titles (1993, 1995 and 2005).
  • Saprissa players with more goals scored in a single Concaf Champions League game: Eduardo Umaña 4 tantos, el 5 de noviembre de 1965 (Deportivo Saprissa 8 - Unión Española 0); Miguel Mansilla 4 tantos, el 8 de mayo de 1978 (Deportivo Saprissa 6 - Diriangén útbol Club 0) y Hernán Medford 4 tantos, el 5 de diciembre de 1993 (Deportivo Saprissa 9 - Sport Vereniging Robinhood 1).
  • Saprissa Player with more goals scored in a single Concaf League game: Johan Venegas 4 so many, on 5 November 2020 (Deportivo Saprissa 4 - Club Social y Deportivo Municipal 1).
  • Saprissa players with more goals scored in Uncaf Interclubes Cup: Odir Jacques 16 goals (Central American Fraternity), Roy Myers and Adrián Mahía 6 goals (Grandes de Centroamérica), Walter Centeno 11 goals (Copa UNCAF).
  • Saprissa Player with more goals scored in Concacaf Champions League: Rolando Fonseca 11 goals.
  • Saprissa Player with more goals scored in Concacaf League: Johan Venegas 13 goals.
  • Saprissa players with more goals scored in Concacaf Giants Cup: Rolando Fonseca, Walter Centeno and Jeaustin Campos 2 goals (2001).
  • Saprissa Player with more goals scored in Recopa de la Concacaf: Evaristo Coronado 4 goals (1991).
  • Saprissa Player with more goals scored in Inter-American Cup: Javier Wanchope 3 goals (1994 and 1997).
  • Saprissa Player with more goals scored in FIFA World Cup Clubs: Alvaro Saborío 2 goals (2005).
  • Saprissa foreign player with more goals scored in international contests: Odir Jacques (Brazilian) 22 goals.
  • Named as a classic club by FIFA.
  • Best position reached in the world ranking of IFFHS clubs: position 77 on 4 September 2006.
  • Best position reached in the world rankings of IFCStat clubs: position 163 on 20 February 2012.
  • Best position reached in the world rankings of FootballDatabase clubs: position 183 in December 2016.
  • Named the “Equipo of the First Decade of the 21st Century in Central America”.
  • Position reached in the IFFHS ranking of the “Concaf’s first decade of the 21st century”: Post 7.
  • Position reached in the IFFHS ranking of “More national title winners in the world in the 21st century”: post 14.
  • Position reached in the ranking of the IFFHS of the “Save of the World of the 21st Century (2001-2020)”: Keylor Navas on 10.
  • Position reached in the IFFHS ranking of the “World Guard 1987-2020”: Keylor Navas post 20.
  • Position reached in the IFFHS ranking of “The World’s Most Goals of the 21st Century”: Carlos Saucedo placed 13 and Víctor Núñez placed 23.
  • Position reached in the IFFHS ranking of “The World’s 21st Century World’s Most Anotated Defenders”: Keilor Soto put 4 and Kendall Waston put 31.
  • Declared the best keeper of the Concacaf 1987-2020: Keylor Navas.
  • Players chosen from the IFFHS Ideal Team of Costa Rica: Keylor Navas, Gilberto Martínez, Mario Cordero, Walter Centeno, Juan Cayasso, Hernán Medford.
  • Costa Rican team that most often conquered annotations in international games (official and friendly).
  • First team of Football Costa Rica and Latin America to give the Round to the World in 1959: The purple squad made 31 international matches during the year, largely due to the Around World Tour. The figure has not been equaled much less by any national category.
• FOX Sports Awards:
  • Highlights of 2005 in Latin America: Sports Saprissa.
• El País Daily Awards:
  • Costa Rica's best team 2021: Sports Saprissa.
  • Best player in Costa Rica 2021: Christian Bolaños.
• Daily Awards La República:
  • Best footballer in the country 1969: Walter Elizondo.
• Daily To Day Awards:
  • Best player A Day 2000-2001: Gilberto Martinez.
  • Best Player By Day 2003-2004: Walter Centeno.
  • Best player Al Day 2004-2005: José Francisco Porras.
• Círculo Awards for Journalists and Sports Locutores of Costa Rica:
  • 1959:
    • New year: Felipe Induni.
  • 1960:
    • Year athlete: Felipe Induni.
  • 1962:
    • New year: Edgar Marín.
  • 2007-2008:
    • Best national coach: Jeaustin Campos.
  • 2014:
    • Best player season 2014: Adolfo Machado.
    • Best technical director: Jeaustin Campos.
    • Best leader: Juan Carlos Rojas.
  • 2015:
    • Highlights: Juan Carlos Rojas.
    • Foreigner in 2015: Adolfo Machado.
    • Winter Tournament: Ariel Rodriguez.
  • 2016:
    • Featured sportsman: Marvin Angulo.
  • 2017:
    • Best foreign footballer: Mariano Torres.
  • 2018:
    • Best football player for 2018: Christian Bolaños.
    • Recognition national champion of the 2018 Closing Tournament: Sports Saprissa.
• IFFHS Awards:
  • Concacaf 20th Century Team: Sports Saprissa.
• FIFA Awards:
  • FIFA World Cup 2005:
    • Bronze Ball winner: Christian Bolaños.
• CONCACAF Awards:
  • Concacaf League 2019:
    • Winning Player MVP Golden Ball: Johan Venegas.
    • Winner Gold Boot Player: Johan Venegas.
    • Best Young Player Award Winner: Manfred Ugalde.
    • Prize Clean Game: Sports Saprissa.
    • Players chosen from the Ideal Tournament Team: Luis José Hernández, Marvin Angulo, Manfred Ugalde and Johan Venegas.
  • Concacaf 2020 League:
    • Winner Gold Boot Player: Johan Venegas.
    • Players chosen from the Ideal Tournament Team: Esteban Espíndola, Michael Barrantes, Mariano Torres and Johan Venegas.
• UNAFUT Awards:
  • 2002-2003
    • Second place: Sports Saprissa.
  • Winter Championship 2007:
    • Special recognition: Willy Gálvez.
    • Clean Game: Victor Cordero.
    • Best Technical Director: Jeaustin Campos.
    • National Champion: Sports Saprissa.
  • Summer 2008 Championship:
    • Best Technical Director: Jeaustin Campos.
    • Play or Fair Play Moment: José Francisco Porras.
    • Most Disciplined equipment: Sports Saprissa.
  • Winter Championship 2008:
    • Best goalkeeper: Keylor Navas.
    • Best Player: Celso Borges.
    • Most Disciplined equipment: Sports Saprissa.
    • National Champion: Sports Saprissa.
  • Summer 2009 Championship:
    • Action Fair Play: Willy Gálvez.
    • Better Gol: Michael Barrantes.
    • Best Player: Walter Centeno.
    • Third place: Sports Saprissa.
  • Winter Championship 2009:
    • Action Fair Play: Victor Cordero.
    • New Championship: David Guzmán.
    • Most Disciplined equipment: Sports Saprissa.
    • Concacaf Century Team: Sports Saprissa.
  • Summer 2010 Championship:
    • Dedicated: Walter Elizondo.
    • Goleador: Alejandro Sequeira.
    • Best goalkeeper: Keylor Navas.
    • Best Player: Walter Centeno.
    • National Champion: Sports Saprissa.
    • Technical Corps Team Champion: Sports Saprissa.
  • 2011 Winter Championship:
    • Player Revelation Sub 21: Yeltsin Tejeda.
    • Third place: Sports Saprissa.
  • Summer 2012 Championship:
    • Third place: Sports Saprissa.
  • Winter Championship 2012:
    • Better Gol: Juan Bustos Golobio.
  • National Bank Cup Tournament 2013:
    • Best Player: Diego Estrada.
    • Goleador: Diego Estrada.
    • Champion: Sports Saprissa.
  • Season 2013-2014:
    • Best Player Revelation Sub-21: David Ramirez.
    • Best Player: Yeltsin Tejeda.
    • National Summer Champion JPS 2014: Sports Saprissa.
    • Dedicated Summer 2014: Alfredo Piedra.
  • 2014 Popular Cup Tournament:
    • Goleador: Ariel Rodriguez.
  • 2014-2015 season:
    • Winter Champion 2014: Sports Saprissa.
    • Dedicated Summer Championship JPS 2015: Edgar Marín.
    • Best Foreigner: Adolfo Machado.
    • Action Fair Play: Keilor Soto.
    • Best goalkeeper: Danny Carvajal.
  • Season 2015-2016:
    • Best Winter Player 2015: Marvin Angulo.
    • Best Foreigner Winter 2015: Adolfo Machado.
    • Best Winter Gol 2015: Daniel Colindres.
    • Winter Winner 2015: Ariel Rodriguez.
    • Winter Champion 2015: Sports Saprissa.
    • Best Foreigner Summer 2016: Adolfo Machado.
  • Season 2016-2017:
    • Best Winter Player 2016: Marvin Angulo.
    • Best Technical Director Winter 2016: Carlos Watson.
    • Best Winter Porter 2016: Danny Carvajal.
    • Best Foreigner Winter 2016: Adolfo Machado.
    • Best Winter Gol 2016: Marvin Angulo.
    • First Place World Bank Winter 2016: Sports Saprissa.
    • Second World Championship Summer Bank 2017: Sports Saprissa.
  • Season 2017-2018:
    • Best Player Championship Popular Bank Closure 2018: Daniel Colindres.
    • Best Sub 21 Championship Popular Bank Closure 2018: Luis José Hernández.
    • Best Technical Director Championship Popular Bank Closure 2018: Victor Cordero.
    • Action Fair Play: Kevin Briceño.
    • Champion Championship Popular Bank Closure 2018: Sports Saprissa.
  • Season 2018-2019:
    • Second Place Opening 2018: Sports Saprissa.
    • Dedicated Opening 2018: Guillermo Hernández.
    • Best Foreigner Closure 2019: Mariano Torres.
    • Second Place Closure 2019: Sports Saprissa.
    • Dedicated Closure 2019: Odir Jacques.
  • Season 2019-2020:
    • Best Sub 20 Opening 2019: Manfred Ugalde.
    • Best Gol Opening 2019: Randall Leal.
    • Team Champion Closure 2020: Sports Saprissa.
    • Best Player Clausura 2020: Christian Bolaños.
    • Best Concierge 2020: Aaron Cruz.
    • Best Technical Director Clausura 2020: Walter Centeno.
    • Maximum Closing Goleador 2020: Christian Bolaños.
    • Dedicated Clausura 2020: Javier Wanchope.
  • Season 2020-2021:
    • Best Concierge 2021: Aaron Cruz.
    • Best Player Sub 20 Clausura 2021: Jordy Evans.
    • Best Foreigner Clausura 2021: Mariano Torres.
    • Best Technical Director Clausura 2021: Mauricio Wright.
    • Team Champion Closure 2021: Sports Saprissa.
  • Supercopa Liga Promerica 2021:
    • Best Player: Daniel Colindres.
  • Season 2021-2022:
    • Best Gol Opening 2021: Michael Barrantes.
    • Best doorman Opening 2021: Aaron Cruz.
    • Special recognition 500 Parties in First Division: Marvin Angulo.
    • Recognition of the Second Place Opening 2021: Sports Saprissa.
• Members at the Costa Rican Sports Gallery:
  • 1969: Ricardo Saprissa.
  • 1977: Alvaro Murillo.
  • 1982: Mario Cordero.
  • 1985: Alfredo Piedra.
  • 1990: Walter Elizondo.
  • 1999: Edgar Marín.
  • 2001: Mario Pérez.
  • 2003: Jorge Monge.

International participations

• In bold show the editions he was champion.

National participations

• In bold show the editions he was champion.

Honours of Prizes

National Tournaments (46 official titles)

National competition	Titles	Subcamponatos
First Division of Costa Rica (37/19)	1952, 1953, 1957, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1982, 1988, 1989, 1993-94, 1994-95, 1997-98, 1998-99, 2003-04, 2005-06, 2006-07, Winter 2007, Summer 2008, Summer 2008, Summer 2010, Summer JPS 2014, Winter JPS 2014 (Récord)	1950, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1961 ASOFUTBOL, 1963, 1966, 1970, 1971, 1984, 1991, 1992, 1996-97, 1999-00, 2002-03, Banco Popular Verano 2017, Opening 2018, Closure 2019, Opening 2021.
:Costa Rica Cup (6/5)	Copa Great Britain 1950, Copa Presidente 1960, Copa Presidente 1963, Copa Costa Rica 1970, Copa Juan Santamaría 1972, Copa Banco Nacional 2013.	Copa Costa Rica 1954, Copa ASOFUTBOL 1961, Copa Gastón Michaud 1963, Copa Costa Rica 1967, Copa Popular 2014.
Costa Rica Super Cup (3/1)	Champions Cup 1963, Champions Cup 1976, Super Cup Promerica 2021. (Récord)	Supercopa Liga Promerica 2020.
Second Division of Costa Rica (1/0)	1948.
Third Division of Costa Rica (1/1)	1947.	1946.

International Titles (9 official titles)

International competition	Titles	Subcamponatos
Concacaf Champions League (3/3)	1993, 1995.	1973, 2004, 2008.
Concacaf League (1/1)	2019.	2020.
Uncaf Interclub Cup (5/7)	Central American Fraternity 1972, Central American Fraternity 1973, Central American Fraternity 1978, Central American Greats 1998, UNCAF Cup 2003. (Récord)	Central American Fraternity 1971, Central American Fraternity 1974, Grandes de Centroamérica 1996, Grandes de Centroamérica 1997, Copa UNCAF 2001, Copa UNCAF 2004, Copa UNCAF 2007.
Inter-American Cup (0/2)		1994, 1997.

• Opening Tournament (4): 1998, 2003, 2005, 2006.₁
• Closing Tournament (4): 1998, 1999, 2006.₂
• Central American Concacaf Tournament (5): 1965, 1970, 1973, 1975, 1977.₃

1. The champion of the opening tournament between 1997 and 2006 ranked the end of the Costa Rica First Division Championship.
2. The champion of the Closing tournament between the years 1998 and 2007 ranked the end of the Costa Rica First Division Championship.
3. In the first editions, the Concacaf Champions Cup was divided by areas (the North American Zone, the Caribbean Zone and the Central American Zone), where the winner of the Central American Zone ranked the winners of the other areas at the end.

National and international friendly tournaments

• Champion Lightning Tournament (2): 1949, 1957.
• Champion Cup Mayid Barzuna: 1954.
• Champion Cup Mamemic Line: 1956.
• Cuadrangular Cup Champion: 1956.
• International Quadrangular Champion: 1957.
• Champion Copa Coronel José Antonio Buenaño (Venezuela): 1959.
• Trophy Champion Return to the World: 1959.
• International Triangular Champion: 1959.
• International Quadrangular Champion: 1961.
• Campeón Cuadrangular Tournament of the Red Cross (Guatemala): 1963.
• International Triangular Champion: 1969.
• International Quadrangular Series Champion: 1970/1971.
• Campeón Cuadrangular Internacional Inauguration Estadio Ricardo Saprissa: 1972.
• International Triangular Champion with Banfield: 1974.
• International Pentagonal Champion: 1979.
• Sahsa Cup Champion (Honduras): 1982.
• Ricardo Saprissa Cup Champion (2): 1982, 1989.
• Camel Cup Champion (United States): 1985.
• Champion Copa Aviateca (Guatemala): 1990.
• Labrador Cup Champion: 1990.
• Campeón Cuadrangular Internacional Diriamba (Nicaragua): 1992.
• Champion Cup LG Electronics (Guatemala): 1999.
• Tournament Champion 90 Minutes for Life (5): 1999, 2004, 2007, 2011.
• Champion Cup Raimundo Tupper: 2011.
• Champion Copa Luis Grill Prieto (Guatemala): 2013.
• Champion Copa Antigua (Guatemala): 2014.
• Turrialba Volcano Champion: 2016.
• Champion Copa La Anexion: 2016.

Other participations in friendly tournaments

• Subcampion Copa Compañía Bananera: 1953.
• Cuadrangular Tournament (San José): 1958/59.
• Subcampion Triangular Tournament Fernando Lara: 1960.
• International Triangular Champion: 1961.
• International Triangular Champion with Flamengo: 1962.
• International Triangular Champion with Irapuato: 1962.
• Subcampeón Pentagonal Club Tournaments Second Division (Mexico): 1964.
• International Quadrangular Champion: 1969.
• International Triangular Champion: 1975.
• International Triangular Champion: 1979.
• Sanyo Cup Champion: 1984.
• KLM Cup Champion: 1994.
• Subcampion Copa Pachuca Cuna del Fútbol Mexicano (Mexico): 1995.
• LG Cup Champion: 1998.
• Cup Baderland (Germany): 2005.
• Subcampion Copa Chiapas (Mexico): 2006.
• Copa Ricard (Uruguay): 2008.
• Iberian Cup Champion (2): 2012, 2013.
• Pre-Season Friendly vs Fulham: 2013.
• Superclassic Champion LG Cup: 2014.
• Subcampion Copa Gigantes de América: 2015.
• Cyclone Cup (Honduras): 2015.
• Super Classic subfield: 2015.

Affiliates

Other Costa Rican sports teams associated with Deportivo Saprissa carry the same currency. These teams are:

• Saprissa FF (equipment of the First Women's Division of Costa Rica).
• Saprissa Esports (League of Legends team belonging to the Northern Regional League of LVP and Riot Games).
• Saprissa generation previously called Saprissa de Corazón (equipment of the Second Division of Costa Rica). Team missing.
• Saprissa Basketball, team of the Costa Rican League of Basketball. Team missing.
• Saprissa Baseball (Costa Rica National Baseball Championship team). Team missing.
• Saprissa Football Beach (equipment of the Costa Rica National Football Championship). Team missing.
• Saprissa Ciclismo (Costa Rica Route Cycling Team). Team missing.
• Saprissa FUTSAL (room football team). Team missing.