Mauricio Wright
Costa Rican footballer and manager (born 1970)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Wilber Mauricio Wright Reynolds | ||
| Date of birth | 20 December 1970 | ||
| Place of birth | San José, Costa Rica | ||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Cartaginés (manager) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Saprissa | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1992–1998 | Saprissa | 235 | (12) |
| 1998–1999 | Comunicaciones | 22 | (2) |
| 1999–2000 | San Jose Earthquakes | 36 | (3) |
| 2000–2001 | New England Revolution | 40 | (3) |
| 2002 | Herediano | 28 | (1) |
| 2002–2003 | AEK Athens | 25 | (0) |
| 2003 | Shenyang Ginde | 3 | (0) |
| 2004–2006 | Herediano | 31 | (3) |
| 2007 | Saprissa | 1 | (0) |
| Total | 421 | (24) | |
| International career | |||
| 1994–2005 | Costa Rica | 67 | (6) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2007–2010 | Brujas | ||
| 2011 | Puntarenas | ||
| 2011–2012 | Pérez Zeledón | ||
| 2012–2014 | Deportivo Malacateco | ||
| 2014–2015 | Cartaginés | ||
| 2015 | Herediano | ||
| 2015 | Municipal | ||
| 2016 | Pérez Zeledón | ||
| 2017 | UCR | ||
| 2017–2018 | Deportivo Malacateco | ||
| 2020 | Barrio México | ||
| 2020–2021 | Aserrí | ||
| 2022 | Saprissa | ||
| Cartaginés (assistant) | |||
| 2023 | Grecia | ||
| 2023– | Cartaginés | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Club career
Wright started his career at the academies of Saprissa, where in 1992 he was promoted to the first team.[1] He moved abroad to play for Comunicaciones in Guatemala, where he played alongside compatriots Rolando Fonseca, Floyd Guthrie and Jéwisson Bennett.[2] He then played three seasons (1999–2001) in Major League Soccer, split between the San Jose Clash[3] (later Earthquakes) and the New England Revolution, alongside William Sunsing.[4] He scored six goals[1] and added three assists in MLS league play. Wright also had a brief spell at Herediano.
His performances in the World Cup attracted the people of AEK Athens who signed him on 5 July 2002[5] after his compatriot, Walter Centeno.[6] He performed very well, while also playing in the UEFA Champions League scoring the winner against APOEL on the qualifiers on 28 August 2002.[7][8] 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.[9] He also had a short stint in China with Shenyang Ginde.[10] 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'.[11]
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.[12] After not playing in qualifying rounds, he started in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, scoring a goal.[13] 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[14] 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.[15] He was announced the new manager at Herediano in December 2014, replacing Jafet Soto.[16] 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
