Brandon Aguilera Zamora (born 28 June 2003) is a Costa Rican professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Primeira Liga club Rio Ave and the Costa Rica national team.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Brandon Aguilera Zamora[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 28 June 2003[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Naranjo, Costa Rica | ||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Rio Ave | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2019 | Carmelita | 4 | (1) |
| 2019–2022 | Alajuelense | 40 | (1) |
| 2021–2023 | → Guanacasteca (loan) | 28 | (4) |
| 2022–2024 | Nottingham Forest | 1 | (0) |
| 2023 | → Estoril (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2024 | → Bristol Rovers (loan) | 12 | (2) |
| 2024– | Rio Ave | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2018 | Costa Rica U15 | 1 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | Costa Rica U17 | 4 | (0) |
| 2022– | Costa Rica U20 | 4 | (0) |
| 2022– | Costa Rica | 19 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13:24, 28 April 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:12, 2 July 2024 (UTC) | |||
Club career
In July 2022 Premier League side Nottingham Forest announced they had signed Aguilera on a four-year deal from Alajuelense, and would immediately be loaned to fellow Costa Rican side Guanacasteca for six months.[2] In January 2023, Aguilera joined Primeira Liga club Estoril on loan until the end of the season. He played with the team's under 23 squad.[3]
On 1 February 2024, Aguilera joined League One club Bristol Rovers on loan until the end of the season.[4] He made an impressive debut for the club two days after signing, scoring the only goal in a 1–0 victory over Exeter City, smashing the ball into the top corner from twenty yards.[5][6] In just his third match of his loan spell however, he picked up a hamstring injury, having to temporarily return to his parent club.[7] At the Bristol Rovers end of season awards, he was awarded the club's Goal of the Season for his debut strike.[8]
On 2 July 2024, Aguilera signed with Portugeuse Primeira Liga side Rio Ave on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee.[9][10]
International career
A youth international for Costa Rica since 2018, Aguilera made his senior team debut against the United States on 30 March 2022.[11][12] In November 2022 he was named to the 26-man Costa Rica squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[13]
Career statistics
Club
- As of end of 2023–24 season[14]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Carmelita | 2018–19 | Liga FPD | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | |
| Alajuelense | 2019–20 | Liga FPD | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2020–21 | Liga FPD | 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 3[a] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 1 | ||
| 2021–22 | Liga FPD | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | ||
| Total | 40 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 1 | |||
| Nottingham Forest | 2022–23 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24 | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Total | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||||
| Guanacasteca (loan) | 2021–22 | Liga FPD | 18 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 4 | |
| 2022–23 | Liga FPD | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | ||
| Total | 28 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 4 | ||
| Estoril (loan) | 2022–23 | Primeira Liga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nottingham Forest U21 | 2023–24 | — | — | — | — | 1[b] | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| Bristol Rovers (loan) | 2023–24[15] | League One | 12 | 2 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2 | |||
| Career total | 81 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 89 | 8 | ||
International
- As of match played 2 July 2024[16]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Costa Rica | 2022 | 8 | 0 |
| 2023 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 7 | 0 | |
| Total | 19 | 0 | |
Honours
Alajuelense
Individual
- Bristol Rovers Goal of the Season: 2023–24[8]
References
External links
- Brandon Aguilera at Athletic updates