Steven Bryce


Steven Bryce Valerio is a former Costa Rican footballer. Bryce was well known throughout his career for his versatility, playing as an attacking midfielder, winger, striker or right back, as needed; and possessing good skills, pace, and strength.

Club career

Bryce began his career in the Costa Rican first division on loan from Deportivo Saprissa with AD Goicoechea, making his debut on September 22, 1996 against Herediano. After that he played for Deportivo Saprissa and Liga Deportiva Alajuelense whom he joined in August 2000. In his 9 years in Costa Rica, Bryce won 6 national championships, in 1997-98, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03 and 2003-04. In addition, he won a CONCACAF Champions' Cup in 2004.
After his tenure with Alajuelense, he went to play with Anorthosis of the Cypriot First Division and OFI Crete of the Greek Super League. He came back to America after a couple of unsuccessful season in Europe and was signed by Brujas, a new club in his native Costa Rica owned by a local magnate. Six months later he decided to move to Marathón in Honduras and then to F.C. Motagua. He never found his form and game in Honduras and by the end of his contract with F.C. Motagua, he suffered and injury that took him out of the fields for almost a year. He signed for Liga Deportiva Alajuelense and started his recovery but did not make it to the pitch one game and was released in summer 2008. In the 2009-2010 season, Bryce was called up by Universidad de Costa Rica a team that desperatively needed players with experience, but again, he never found his form and was released after a few months.
In January 2010, Bryce signed a 1-year deal with Brisbane Roar, but the story repeated itself and just after a few games he decided to put an end on his contract and definitively retire from football.

International career

At junior level, Bryce played in 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship held in Malaysia, playing in all three of the team's matches, scoring once against Paraguay.
He made his debut for the senior national team in a January 1998 friendly match against Honduras and collected a total of 73 caps, scoring 9 goals. He has represented his country in 18 FIFA World Cup qualification matches. and played at the 1999 and 2003 UNCAF Nations Cups as well as at the 2002, 2003 and 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cups and the 2001 and 2004 Copa América.
Most notably however, he represented Costa Rica in the 2002 World Cup, playing in all three of the team's matches, and assisting on one goal against each of Brazil and Turkey.
He also was a non-playing squad member at the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
He played his final international in a July 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup match against Honduras.

International goals

DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.28 March 1999Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica1–04-01999 UNCAF Nations Cup
2.18 August 1999Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay4–54–5Friendly match
3.28 March 2001Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto, Alajuela, Costa Rica1–03–02002 FIFA World Cup qualification
4.19 July 2001Estadio Atanasio Girardot, Medellín, Colombia2–04–02001 Copa América
5.16 October 2002Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá, San José, Costa Rica1–11–1Friendly match
6.20 February 2003Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City, Panama1–01–01999 UNCAF Nations Cup
7.16 July 2003Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, United States2–03–02003 CONCACAF Gold Cup
8.19 July 2003Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, United States4–25–22003 CONCACAF Gold Cup
9.7 September 2003Lockhart Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, United States2–02–0Friendly match

Personal life

He is a son of Eustace Bryce and Mildred Valerio, with whom he lived in Canada in 1991 and 1992. He is married to Cristina Páez. They have a daughter, Sarah, and a son, Samuel.

Honours

With Costa Rica:
With Deportivo Saprissa:
With Liga Deportiva Alajuelense:
With F.C. Motagua: