Saprissa's Alvaro Saborio (pictured) retired from football on February 9, 2017. (Photo courtesy of Deportivo Saprissa)
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – Saprissa forward Alvaro Saborio announced Thursday his retirement from football just weeks after launching his second spell with the club.
The 34-year-old signed a one-year contract in early January and scored one goal in four matches.
"I want to confirm that yes, I retire from professional football," Saborio, who originally played for Saprissa from 2002-06, wrote in an Instagram message that was also posted to his Twitter account. “My thanks to Deportivo Saprissa for fulfilling the dream of retiring in the team I love.”
Media reports indicated that the former Costa Rica international possibly had negative words directed towards him by some fans during Wednesday’s 1-0 loss to visiting Belen during a 2017 Costa Rican Invierno match.
In his two stints with Saprissa, Saborio netted 96 goals in 155 games.
"My idea was to give of myself to the maximum, as I did in each training and every game," continued Saborio. "I thought a lot about this decision.”
Saborio has accumulated 208 goals in club football, plus another 29 with Costa Rica. He was part of the Saprissa side that won the 2005 CONCACAF Champions Cup, eventually earning global headlines by netting two goals in 2005 FIFA Club World Cup.
Saprissa was hoping to put to good use Saborio’s experience in the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League, when it faces Pachuca in 2016/17 quarterfinals later in the month. He has 10 career goals in the competition, all with Real Salt Lake.
Saborio’s club career also took him to Sion (Switzerland), Bristol City (England) and D.C. United (USA).
With Costa Rica, he competed in the CONCACAF Gold Cup five times (2007, 2009, 2011, 2013. 2015) and twice in the Copa America (2004, 2016) and was part of the side that captured the 2013 Copa Centroamericana title.
