Paulo Wanchope

Paulo Wanchope
Wanchope in 2015
Personal information
Full name Pablo César Wanchope Watson[1]
Date of birth (1976-07-31) 31 July 1976 (age 48)
Place of birth Heredia, Costa Rica
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[2]
Position(s) Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1993–1997 Herediano 14 (20)
1997–1999 Derby County 72 (23)
1999–2000 West Ham United 35 (12)
2000–2004 Manchester City 64 (27)
2004–2005 Málaga 25 (6)
2005 Al-Gharafa 6 (1)
2006 Herediano 10 (3)
2006 Rosario Central 14 (5)
2007 FC Tokyo 11 (3)
2007 Chicago Fire 12 (2)
Total 264 (102)
International career
Costa Rica U20
1996–2008 Costa Rica 73 (45)
Managerial career
2008–2009 Herediano
2010–2011 Uruguay Coronado
2010–2014 Costa Rica (assistant)
2014–2015 Costa Rica
2018 C.S. Cartaginés
2018 Herediano
2021 Pérez Zeledón
2022–2023 C.S. Cartaginés
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Paulo César Wanchope Watson (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈpawlo wanˈtʃope]; born 31 July 1976), more commonly known as Paulo Wanchope, is a Costa Rican football coach and former professional footballer

As a player he was a striker who notably played in the Premier League for Derby County, West Ham United and Manchester City. He also had spells in La Liga and Major League Soccer for Málaga and Chicago Fire as well as Herediano, Al-Gharafa, Rosario Central and FC Tokyo. He was capped 73 times by Costa Rica, scoring 45 goals. Wanchope is the second most prolific goalscorer in the history of the Costa Rica national football team, behind Rolando Fonseca, with 45 goals in 73 international matches.[3] Having scored against Brazil in 2002 and a brace against Germany in 2006, Wanchope is the top goalscorer for Costa Rica in the FIFA World Cup, a record he shares with Rónald Gómez.[4]

As he is the former head coach of the Costa Rica national football team with a spell in charge between 2014 and 2015. He has also managed Herediano, Uruguay Coronado, CS Cartaginés and Pérez Zeledón.

  1. ^ Hugman, Barry J. (2005). The PFA Premier & Football League Players' Records 1946–2005. Queen Anne Press. p. 638. ISBN 1-85291-665-6.
  2. ^ "Paulo Wanchope". Premier League. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  3. ^ Goalscoring for Costa Rica National Team - Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
  4. ^ Abreu, Pedro. "Mundial Alemania 2006 .:. Sitio especial de nacion.com". La Nación. Archived from the original on 23 March 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2017.