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Real Madrid’s Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo (R) fights for the ball with Ivory defender Eric Bertrand Bailly (L) of Villarreal during the Primera Division soccer match played at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain on 01 March 2015. EFE
The legendary Real Madrid football club of the Spanish League could visit Costa Rica to play an exhibition match at the Chinese-donated National Stadium, located in San Jose.
According to journalist Alvaro De La Rosa of the respected sports media brand AS, negotiations to bring the Real Madrid to Costa Rica are underway. The promoter of this event is Enrique Mata, who successfully negotiated a visit by the Atletico Madrid football club in 2012. Mr. Mata is communicating with Deportivo Saprissa and Liga Deportiva Alajuelense, the two major football clubs in Costa Rica’s First Division, so that they can each select players to convene a special squad to play this historic match.
Deportivo Saprissa’s President Juan Carlos Rojas confirmed the negotiations, but he also warned that they were still ongoing and subject to change. Should there be a firm agreement, the match could take place on May 29th. At this time, the Barcelo Palace Hotel located near La Sabana Metropolitan Park has been reserved for the Real Madrid players and staff.
One of the key points in the negotiations to bring Real Madrid to Costa Rica would be assurance that the club’s major stars will be on the pitch. As previously reported by The Costa Rica Star, football star Cristiano Ronaldo was rumored to visit our country for the future wedding of teammate Keylor Navas, who used to play for Deportivo Saprissa. In fact, the visit by Real Madrid may help the star goalkeeper to set a firm date for his wedding in Costa Rica.
The last time Real Madrid played in Costa Rica was more than 50 years ago. That match was played in August 1961, and it featured the masterful Alfredo Di Stefano, an Argentine player who is credited with establishing the Spanish club as being the greatest in the world. Back then, the Real Madrid football club was paid $30,000 for beating Saprissa by a score of 4-2, of which two goals were scored by the late Di Stefano.
At this time, Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo is tied with Di Stefano at 307 goals scored for Real Madrid. Should he play in Costa Rica, he might want to emulate Di Stefano’s historic double-goal feat in our country, which would also surpass his scoring record.
