Alejandro Morera Soto

Alejandro Morera Soto (July 14, 1909 – March 26, 1995) was a Costa Rican professional footballer who played as a striker mostly for Alajuelense in the Costa Rican Primera División. He is considered one of the best and most talented players of all time in Costa Rica.

"El fenómeno costarricense" ("The Costa Rican phenomenon"), as he was dubbed by the press in Catalonia, Spain, where he was part of FC Barcelona. He was known to most as "El Mago del balon" (The Ball Magician) His stint with Barcelona made Morera the first Costa Rican to play in La Liga.

Club career In 1925 at the early age of 16, he made his debut with Alajuelense in the Costa Rican premier league Primera División in a match against Sociedad Gimnástica Española. One more championship, this time undefeated, a record title came in 1941. The last title came in 1945, where he performed in a dual role as a coach-player. He played his last match April 6, 1947, against Municipal Lima.

Retirement Morera continued as a coach until March 1949. He also managed the national team. or scored 6 in 7 international matches.

International goals Scores and results list Costa Rica's goal tally first. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1. 12 February 1938 Estadio Juan Demóstenes Arosemena, Panama City, Panama 7–0 Central American and Caribbean Games 2. 12 February 1938 Estadio Juan Demóstenes Arosemena, Panama City, Panama 7–0 Central American and Caribbean Games 3. 16 February 1938 Estadio Juan Demóstenes Arosemena, Panama City, Panama 11–0 Central American and Caribbean Games 4. 22 February 1938 Estadio Juan Demóstenes Arosemena, Panama City, Panama 1–2 Central American and Caribbean Games

Personal life, death and legacy Morera Soto was a son of Juan Morera Miranda and Eufemia Soto Soto and had 4 sisters and a brother. He married Julia Pacheco Pérez in 1937 and they had a daughter and 5 grandchildren.

He died March 26, 1995, at the age of 85. He is remembered by both Manudos (fans of Alajuelense), and Ticos (Costa Ricans) alike as a man who loved his team and as one who gave many victories and much joy to fans across the country.

Alajuelense's stadium, where his heart was emtombed in a monument below the East section seats, was named after him. In 1998, he was voted Costa Rica's player of the century by the IFFHS.