| Ask your average football fan to describe the typical Costa Rican player and the answer is usually “quick, strong and direct.” Nonetheless, there is one player who is slowly, but surely challenging that stereotype, namely Walter Centeno - a creative midfielder with a unique vision of the game. The Costa Rica international is one of those footballers who knows how to orchestrate each phase of a game to perfection, happy to bide his time and wait for the right moment to strike. Centeno breaks sweat only when he has to, preferring to slow the game down by pausing for a second, looking around him and calmly laying the ball off to a team-mate. With his individual flair and perceptiveness, the Tricolor playmaker possesses a different approach to the game. A good many of the wonder goals scored by Paolo Wanchope, Ronald Gomez and others originate from the educated right foot of the Ticos’ midfield schemer. His superbly flighted free-kicks also set up many of the headed set-piece goals that have become such a Costa Rican trademark. Not content with creating goals, his name is also starting to crop up on the scoresheet with increasing regularity. Although he started his career with Belen, one of the country’s lesser lights, Centeno is to all intents and purposes a one-club man. The many highlights of his illustrious career have come with Costa Rican powerhouses Saprissa, with whom he has won every domestic trophy going. His outstanding performances in the famous purple jersey attracted the attention of Greek giants AEK Athens, where he enjoyed a brief spell. Highs and lows
Centeno has experienced every emotion with the national side. An undisputed first-choice player at the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan and at the start of the Germany 2006 qualifying rounds, he was relegated to the bench by the Colombian Jorge Luis Pinto and then dropped altogether. Alexandre Guimaraes, his coach in Asia four years ago, knew full well what the midfield maestro was capable of, however, and restored him to the starting line-up when he returned to the Costa Rica job. Centeno repaid his faith with classy displays and goals, one of which secured three valuable points against Trinidad and Tobago. He also played a big hand in two of his side’s goals in the 3-0 win over the USA that sealed their place in Germany. Thanks to that triumph, fans the world over will now be able to savour the skills of this footballing visionary. If you see a red-shirted number ten lift his head this June, pause for a split second and deliver a deadly, inch-perfect pass, the chances are it will be Walter Centeno.
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