Christian Bolaños


Christian Bolaños Navarro is a Costa Rican footballer who plays for Saprissa as a winger. Since his international debut in 2005, Bolaños has earned over 80 international caps and played at three FIFA World Cups.
His brother Jonathan is also a footballer.

Club career

Deportivo Saprissa

With Saprissa Bolaños won various national championships as well as a UNCAF Cup title and a CONCACAF Champions Cup title. Bolaños participated in the 2005 FIFA Club World Championship Toyota Cup with his team, and was awarded by FIFA as the third best player of the tournament. Following this success he was invited to attend a ten-day trial with Liverpool, although he was not signed on a permanent basis.
On 9 August 2006, he signed a one-year loan deal with Premier League side Charlton Athletic. However, he failed to obtain a work permit having not played enough games for his country, and the deal fell through.

OB

On 2 June 2007, he signed a three-year contract with the Danish side OB in the top-flight Danish Superliga championship. Struggling to make an impact on the strong Danish midfield, Bolaños was a target for other clubs.

Start

On 6 November 2008, he signed a contract with newly promoted Norwegian side Start starting 1 January 2009.
In IK Start's first test against a Tippeligaen side, Bolaños received rave reviews from the media after outplaying Norwegian international Trond Erik Bertelsen of Viking, who a few days earlier had controlled Bastian Schweinsteiger during Norway's win against Germany. Start coach Knut Tørum said after the game that he will be playing on the right wing during the 2009 season. In his first official match for Start, Bolaños scored two goals against Strømsgodset.

FC Copenhagen

On 30 August 2010, he signed a three-year contract with the defending champions of Denmark, FC Copenhagen at a cost of 1 mill. euros, or 7,5 mio. DK kroner.
On 22 August 2012, Bolaños was linked with a £3 million move to English side Wolverhampton Wanderers, which could re-unite him with former Copenhagen manager Ståle Solbakken.

Cartaginés

On 8 September 2014, he signed with Cartaginés, only to leave them for Qatari side Al Gharafa after the winter championship.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

On 20 January 2016, he signed a multi-year contract with Vancouver Whitecaps FC of Major League Soccer for an undisclosed amount.

Saprissa

Following two years with Vancouver, Bolaños returned to Saprissa again after his option was declined following the 2017 season.

International career

He played in the 2001 FIFA U-17 World Championship held in Trinidad and Tobago.
He made his debut for the senior national team in a May 2005 friendly match against Norway and has, as of November 2016, collected a total of 71 caps, scoring 6 goals. He has represented his country in 25 FIFA World Cup qualification matches and played at both the 2006 FIFA World Cup and the 2014 FIFA World Cup as well as at the 2005, 2007 and 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cups.
In May 2018 he was named in Costa Rica's 23 man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Career statistics

Club

International

International goals

DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.16 July 2005Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, United States1–32–32005 CONCACAF Gold Cup
2.16 October 2012Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica5–07–02014 FIFA World Cup qualification
3.6 September 2016Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica1–03–12018 FIFA World Cup qualification
4.6 September 2016Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica2–03–12018 FIFA World Cup qualification
5.11 November 2016Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago1–02–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification
6.15 November 2016Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica2–04–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Saprissa
Copenhagen
Individual