Michael Umaña

Míchael Umaña Corrales (born 16 July 1982) is a Costa Rican former professional footballer who played as a defender. He made over 100 appearances for the Costa Rica national team.

Míchael Umaña
Umaña with Persepolis in 2015
Personal information
Full nameMíchael Umaña Corrales[1]
Date of birth (1982-07-16) 16 July 1982 (age 41)
Place of birthSanta Ana, Costa Rica
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)Centre-back
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1999–2003Carmelita82(5)
2003–2007Herediano85(3)
2005LA Galaxy (loan)14(0)
2006Brujas (loan)11(1)
2007–2010Liberia Mía76(5)
2010–2011Chivas USA50(1)
2012Comunicaciones46(3)
2013–2014Saprissa51(4)
2014–2016Persepolis39(0)
2016Liberia5(0)
2016–2017Alajuelense31(3)
2017Cartaginés3(0)
2017Pars Jonoubi Jam7(1)
2018Cartaginés16(0)
2018–2021Comunicaciones91(2)
2021Santos de Guápiles10(0)
International career
2003–2004Costa Rica Olympic10(0)
2004–2017Costa Rica102(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Early career

Born in Santa Ana, Umaña played for Carmelita and Herediano in his native Costa Rica before coming to the United States in 2005 to play on loan in Major League Soccer with Los Angeles Galaxy.[2]

Umaña was released by Galaxy after the 2005 season after an unsuccessful campaign, and returned to Costa Rica to play for Brujas. He moved back to Herediano in 2006, but asked the club to be transferlisted after a move to Israeli side MS Ironi Ashdod fell through.[3]

He eventually transferred to Liberia Mia in 2007,[4] where he spent the next three seasons.

Chivas USA

After winning the 2009 Torneo Verano of the Primera División de Costa Rica in with Liberia Mia, Umaña returned to the United States in 2010 to play for his former club's cross-town rivals, Chivas USA.[5] Umaña scored his first goal with Chivas USA in a Superliga 2010 match against Puebla. Umaña spent the 2010 and 2011 seasons with Chivas USA.

Central America

In January 2012, after his release from Chivas, he signed with Guatemalan side Comunicaciones[6] and a year later he returned to Costa Rica to play for Saprissa.[7]

Persepolis

On 17 August 2014, Umaña joined Persepolis after passing medical tests, thus became the inaugural Costa Rican footballer to play in Iran. He signed a two-year contract with the club[8] and was given the number 4 shirt. He made his debut for the club on 25 August in a 1–1 draw against Padideh.[9]

International career

Umaña playing against Uruguay at the 2014 FIFA World Cup

Umaña played for the Costa Rica national team at various youth levels, and was part of their squad at the 2004 Summer Olympics.[10]

He made his senior debut in a June 2004 friendly match against Nicaragua and has, as of October 2017, earned a total of 103 caps, scoring one goal.[11][12] He played at the 2005 UNCAF Nations Cup and the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup[13] before becoming part of the senior squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign. He played in all three of Costa Rica's group matches at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, as the team was eliminated without winning a point.[14]

In June 2014, Umaña was named in Costa Rica's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.[15] In the team's first two group matches, he and his central defensive colleagues Giancarlo González and Óscar Duarte allowed only one goal as Los Ticos beat Uruguay (3–1) and Italy (1–0) to qualify for the knockout stage.[16][17] During the round of 16, Umaña converted Costa Rica's decisive fifth kick in a 5–3 penalty shoot-out defeat of Greece.[18] In the quarter-final against the Netherlands, Umaña was one of two Costa Ricans to have his kick saved by Tim Krul in a 3–4 shoot-out loss.[19]

Career statistics

Club

As of 6 November 2015.
ClubSeasonLeagueCup1Continental2Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Carmelita1999–2000Costa Rican Primera División3030
2000–01100100
2001–02404404
2002–03291291
Total825825
Herediano2003–04Costa Rican Primera División311311
2004–0516231193
2006–07380380
Total85331884
LA Galaxy (loan)2005Major League Soccer14010150
Brujas (loan)2005–06Costa Rican Primera División111111
Liberia Mía2007–08291291
2008–09343343
2009–1013121152
Total76521786
Chivas USA2010Major League Soccer2813021332
201122000220
Total5013021552
Comunicaciones2011–12Liga Nacional de Guatemala202202
2012–13261261
Total463463
Saprissa2012–13Costa Rican Primera División142142
2013–143732372
Total514514
Persepolis2014–15Persian Gulf Pro League2403080350
2015–1615010160
Total3904080510
Career total454228015347725

1 Includes U.S. Open Cup and Hazfi Cup.
2 Includes UNCAF Interclub Cup, North American SuperLiga, CONCACAF Champions League and AFC Champions League.
3 Includes four matches in league play-offs.

International goals

Scores and results list Costa Rica's goal tally first.
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.26 March 2013Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica  Jamaica1–02–02014 FIFA World Cup qualification

Personal life

Umaña is the youngest of three brothers; his brother Erick played in the Costa Rican second division.[2]

Honours

Los Angeles Galaxy

Individual

See also

References

External links