In a league that most teams look for the experienced players coming from the First Division on their way to retirement, FC Desamparados has seen an opportunity to give young players minutes to show themselves, gain confidence and grow as football players.
From all 17 teams in the Costa Rican Second Division league, FC Desamparados is the team that’s given the most minutes to the Sub20 Players.
Andrey Salmerón during training session.
FC Desamparados has participated in five seasons of the Second Division and is currently in their sixth season. Each season has two short tournaments; opening and closing. In order to ascend to the First Division, you have to either win both short tournaments, or win one short tournament and then play against the winner of the other short tournament, and win that game.
FC Desamparados saw their first appearance back in the 2017-2018 season. Since then, they have been known to continuously provide opportunities for the younger players formed on their academy.
Based on the statistics taken by Donald Torres, in those eleven short tournaments FC Desamparados has played so far, the team has advanced from regular season in five occasions. From those five proceedings, the team has reached quarter finals four times and semifinals once, which is a great success not only for a young team in the league, but also a team that relies mainly in young players.
This year FC Desamparados finished regular season with a total of 6,779 minutes given to the under 21 players in the Liga Motorola de Ascenso. A total of 15 players under the age of 21, had the opportunity to play in the tournament.
Based on an interview made to the Club President, Mónica Malavassi, betting on their younger players has always been their objective, “Since que started in the Second Division, our number one goal was to boost the young players that were formed in our academy,” says Malavassi.
She continues, “It brings us great joy to be that platform that boosts their athletic career, see them become more constant and that’s why being the team that has given more minutes to the under 21 players is an accomplishment.”
In addition, the Club President and former basketball and soccer player, expressed how important it is to be able to give that many sub 20 players their first minutes in a professional league, as well as seeing how they become regular players in the first team.
Malavassi expressed her joy by saying, “It provides us with an enormous satisfaction and above anything else, being able to accomplish a goal and knowing we are moving forward in the right path based on our objectives.”
Tommy Muñoz during practice
