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Portrait of Carlos Santana

Carlos Santana

b. 1953

Costa Rican footballer

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About Carlos Santana

Born 1953. Carlos Santana is a Costa Rican association football player and association football coach.

Carlos Santana Morales (born 12 June 1953) is considered one of the best Costa Rican football midfielders during the 1970s and 1980s.

Club career He played his entire career for Deportivo Saprissa, and was the team's captain for several seasons. Santana was a very quick, and talented player, with awesome shooting and passing skills. He played in 419 league games for the club.

Santana helped Saprissa win 7 national titles during the 1970s and 1980s, and was part of the legendary Saprissa team that won 6 national championships in a row during the 1970s.

International career He played with Costa Rica's national team as well, and was the captain of the team that beat then 1982 FIFA World Cup champions Italy in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Managerial career After his retirement, Santana briefly coached Saprissa, but was dismissed after 4 months in September 1999 and has worked with both Saprissa's minor league system, as well coaching several Costa Rican U-17 and U-20 national teams. He also managed second division Uruguay and Belén.

Personal life Santana's son Ariel is also a professional football player.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Also known as
Carlos Santana Morales

People in Carlos Santana's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Carlos Santana's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Carlos Santana?

Costa Rican footballer

When was Carlos Santana born?

Carlos Santana was born on 12 June 1953.

What is Carlos Santana's occupation?

Carlos Santana is an association football player and association football coach.

What nationality is Carlos Santana?

Carlos Santana is Costa Rican.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Carlos Santana

· Wikidata: Q5042623

· DBpedia: Carlos Santana (footballer)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Carlos Santana. https://biography.guide/carlos-santana/

MLA: "Carlos Santana." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/carlos-santana/.

Chicago: "Carlos Santana." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/carlos-santana/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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