Álvaro Murillo
Personal information
Full name Álvaro Murillo Rojas
Date of birth (1930-11-24)24 November 1930
Place of birth San Pedro de Poás,
Costa Rica
Date of death 28 June 1985(1985-06-28) (aged 54)
Place of death Heredia, Costa Rica
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
1940 Oriente de Heredia
1941–1945 Herediano
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1945–1947 Orión
1947–1960 Deportivo Saprissa
1962–1964 Orión
1964 Deportivo Saprissa
International career
1950–1960 Costa Rica 36 (9)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Álvaro Murillo Rojas (24 November 1930 - 28 June 1985[1]) was a Costa Rican footballer.

He was one of the top goal scorers in the history of the Primera División de Costa Rica, and was considered to be one of the best forwards in Costa Rica during the 1950s. In 1979, he was voted best Costa Rican football player of all-time by fans, journalists, former players and officials.[2]

Club career

Murillo came through the Herediano youth system and started his senior career with Orión in 1945.[2] He then played almost his entire career with Deportivo Saprissa, winning three league titles and holding the club record for most goals scored until it was broken in the 1970s by Edgar Marín.

Murillo was part of the Saprissa team that went on a World Tour in 1959, becoming the first Latin American football squad to ever undertake such a trip. He was also the Tour's top goal scorer, which led to offers from European clubs such as Genoa of Italy, Huracán of Argentina and Austria Wien, as well as teams from Venezuela and Mexico.[3] However, Murillo preferred to stay with Saprissa in Costa Rica because he was going to school during that period of time.

International career

With Costa Rica's national team, Murillo was part of the Chaparritos de Oro squad that won a silver medal in the Pan-American Games held in Buenos Aires during the 1950s.[3] He earned a total of 36 caps, scoring 9 goals[2][4] and represented his country in 6 FIFA World Cup qualification matches.[5]

Retirement

After retiring as a players, Murillo was member of the board of Saprissa.

Personal life and death

Rojas was born to Carlos Murillo and Carmen Rojas and had a brother and sister. He was married to Julieta Jenkins and they had 5 children themselves. He died in 1985 in Heredia, aged 54.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "ALVARO MURILLO ROJAS". Salón de la Fama del Deporte Costa Rica. Retrieved 2008-10-21.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Un jugador inigualable (Bio) - Nación (in Spanish)
  3. 1 2 El retrato del talento•Álvaro Murillo, símbolo morado en los famosos Chaparritos de Oro - Nación (in Spanish)
  4. ↑ Appearances for Costa Rica National Team - RSSSF
  5. ↑ Álvaro Murillo – FIFA competition record (archived)


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