Mauricio Wright

Wílber Mauricio Wright Reynolds (born 20 December 1970) is a Costa Rican former professional footballer who played as a defender and current manager of Cartaginés. He was a key member of the Costa Rica national team for over ten years.

Club career Wright started his career at the academies of Saprissa, where in 1992 he was promoted to the first team. He moved abroad to play for Comunicaciones in Guatemala, where he played alongside compatriots Rolando Fonseca, Floyd Guthrie and Jéwisson Bennett. He then played three seasons (1999–2001) in Major League Soccer, split between the San Jose Clash (later Earthquakes) and the New England Revolution, alongside William Sunsing. He scored six goals after his compatriot, Walter Centeno. He performed very well, while also playing in the UEFA Champions League scoring the winner against APOEL on the qualifiers on 28 August 2002. His contract with the club had a duration of three years, however he files an appeal and on 14 July was released after some issues with the administration about his salary. He also had a short stint in China with Shenyang Ginde. With Saprissa, he won three national championships and two CONCACAF Champions Cup, and returned to the team to play his last season as a professional, accomplishing his dream of retiring as a 'morado'.

International career Wright made his debut for Costa Rica national football team at the December 1995 UNCAF Nations Cup match against Belize and earned a total of 67 caps, scoring 6 goals. After not playing in qualifying rounds, he started in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, scoring a goal. He also played (and scored) in the 1997 and 2004 Copa Américas.

His final international was a July 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup match against Cuba.

Managerial career Wright was named manager of Brujas in May 2007 and he won the 2009 winter championship with the club. He has coached teams in Costa Rica and Guatemala and took the reins at Cartaginés in May 2014. He was announced the new manager at Herediano in December 2014, replacing Jafet Soto. In May 2021, he won the Clausura season with Saprissa, thus giving the team its record 36th title.

Honours

Sarprissa Primera División de Costa Rica: 1993–94, 1994–95, 1997–98, 2006–07 CONCACAF Champions' Cup: 1993, 1995 Central American Club Championship: 1998, 2007

International CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI: 2003

Individual MLS All-Star: 1999