Costa Rica. Entirely off the radar, as most small football were at the time. Thus, it may be surpirsing to see that this country run championship for than 70 years by 1986. However, it was in some dire straits and reduced to 6 teams playing in the 1985-86 season. The formula of the championship was also mysterious: every team played 36 games, which is impossible number, but still a fact. At the end there was a big surprise – instead of the usual names, a relative newcomer to the top league won. Here is the final table, just because this championship is a rarity:
1.Municipal Puntarenas 36 17 11 8 45-25 45
2.Alajuelense 36 19 6 11 46-32 44
3.Guanacaste 36 12 16 8 44-38 40
4.Saprissa 36 14 11 11 52-37 39
5.Herediano 36 14 11 11 44-38 39
6.Cartaginés 36 15 9 12 41-38 39
Noticeable low place for Herediano, one of the traditional leading and successful clubs.
Well, all depends on who one listens to: there is also such picture in circulation. The international association of football statisticians does not recognize Herediano – the final table above is taken from their site.
As for the champions, they need a few words. This club was usually listed as Municipal Puntarenas or simply Puntarenas, which today leads to confusion, for there is a club with the same name playing, but it has nothing to do with the champions of 1986. The full name of the old club was Asociacion Deportiva Municipal Puntarenas and was founded in 1952, but is defunct since 2014. Today’s club with the similar name was founded recently and is entirely different – old supporters of Municipal Puntarenas make explicit difference between the two, cherishing the old club. The club really came to some prominence after 1975, when finally established itself in the First Division abd running 2nd twice – in 1978 and 1983. 1985-86 was their golden season, but confusion still remains, for different sources state alternative seasons: sometimes champio of 1985-86, sometimes 1986-87.
Everything is confused now – a photo of the champions could be found at the site of Puntarenas FC, the currently existing club, which has nothing to do with the original club. It is also not entirely certian that this photo is from the actual season – it may be from the next one, but then different sources give different seasons, so who cares about precision.
Pictorial material is extremely difficult to sort out, but this seems to be the team. The players are obscure in any case, even the two Brazilian imports. At least the names exist, as long as one can clarify the season: Wikipedia insists on 1986-87… Goalkeepers: Jorge Arturo Hidalgo, Carlos Bismarck Duarte, Hermidio Barrantes. Defenders: Alfredo “Diablo” Contreras, Jorge Badilla, Ricardo ‘Sardina’ Garcia, Marvin Bustos, Carlos Morales, , Sergio Angulo, Adolfo “El Coyolito” Rojas, Carlos Nikanor |Toppings, Marvin Huertas, Carlo Iranil Carvalho Do Nascimento (Brazil). Midfielders: Sandro Alfaro, Carlos Alberto “El Pistoncillo” Velásquez, Luis Enrique Galagarza, Juan Carlos Aguirre, Rodolfo Ramírez Binns, Francisco Arias, Juan Carlos Díaz, Tomás Eduardo “El Pistón” Velásquez, Kleber Ponce (Brazil). Strikers: Leonidas “Leoni” Flores, Gilberto Rhoden, Didier Morales, Roberto Stevanovich, Danilo Anderson, Donaldo Vega, Franklin “El Chino” Vargas.
Coach: Marvin Rodríguez.
But no matter confusion, champions they were.
For the first and last time – Municipal Puntarenas never won the title before and never win it again, so it was unique achievement still remembered and celebrated in the community.