Marvin Rodríguez
Encyclopedia
Marvin Rodríguez Ramírez (born 26 November 1934) is a Costa Rica
n football
coach and former striker
. He coached the Costa Rican national team
to its first World Cup participation in 1990.
of Guatemala
between 1961 and 1964.
In addition to his club career, Rodríguez made 43 playing appearances for the Costa Rica national football team
. In the 1950s, he was part of the team known as Chaparritos de Oro, which against all odds won a silver medal at the Pan-American Games held in Buenos Aires
.
As a coach, Rodríguez managed his former playing club Saprissa during different stints in the 1970s and early 1980s. He won four national championships coaching Saprissa in the 1970s, to add to the several championships that he had won previously with the team as a player. In 1988, he coached Costa Rica's national squad, guiding the team to its first World Cup qualification.
In spite of such success, he did not coach the team during the 1990 World Cup finals
, as Bora Milutinovic was assigned that duty by the Costa Rican Football Federation
. Later, Rodríguez coached CSD Municipal
and Xelajú MC
in Guatemala, winning the national league title with each team as well.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
n football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
coach and former striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
. He coached the Costa Rican national team
Costa Rica national football team
The Costa Rica national football team, nicknamed La Sele, is the national team of Costa Rica and is controlled by the Federación Costarricense de Fútbol. Costa Rica is the third most successful team in CONCACAF after Mexico and the United States...
to its first World Cup participation in 1990.
Career
Rodríguez was a local star playing for Deportivo Saprissa back in the 1950s and 1960s. He was part of the Saprissa team that went on a world tour in 1959, becoming the first Latin American team to do such a trip. He also played for CSD MunicipalCSD Municipal
Club Social y Deportivo Municipal, also known as Municipal or Los Rojos , are a Guatemalan professional football club based in Guatemala City...
of Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
between 1961 and 1964.
In addition to his club career, Rodríguez made 43 playing appearances for the Costa Rica national football team
Costa Rica national football team
The Costa Rica national football team, nicknamed La Sele, is the national team of Costa Rica and is controlled by the Federación Costarricense de Fútbol. Costa Rica is the third most successful team in CONCACAF after Mexico and the United States...
. In the 1950s, he was part of the team known as Chaparritos de Oro, which against all odds won a silver medal at the Pan-American Games held in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
.
As a coach, Rodríguez managed his former playing club Saprissa during different stints in the 1970s and early 1980s. He won four national championships coaching Saprissa in the 1970s, to add to the several championships that he had won previously with the team as a player. In 1988, he coached Costa Rica's national squad, guiding the team to its first World Cup qualification.
In spite of such success, he did not coach the team during the 1990 World Cup finals
1990 FIFA World Cup
The 1990 FIFA World Cup was the 14th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 8 June to 8 July 1990 in Italy, the second country to host the event twice. Teams representing 116 national football associations from all six populated...
, as Bora Milutinovic was assigned that duty by the Costa Rican Football Federation
Federación Costarricense de Fútbol
The Federación Costarricense de Fútbol is the official football organization in Costa Rica and is in charge of the Costa Rican national team.-History:...
. Later, Rodríguez coached CSD Municipal
CSD Municipal
Club Social y Deportivo Municipal, also known as Municipal or Los Rojos , are a Guatemalan professional football club based in Guatemala City...
and Xelajú MC
Club Xelajú MC
Club Social y Deportivo Xelajú Mario Camposeco, commonly known as Xelajú MC or just Xela and nicknamed Superchivos are a Guatemalan professional football club competing in the Liga Nacional, the country's top footballing division. They are located in Quetzaltenango, Department of Quetzaltenango,...
in Guatemala, winning the national league title with each team as well.