Benjamín Mayorga

Benjamín Mayorga Mora (born 15 October 1966), otherwise known as El Indio (The Indian) or simply as Mincho, is a retired Costa Rican soccer player from the 1980s and 1990s.

Benjamín Mayorga
Personal information
Full name Benjamín Joel Mayorga Mora
Date of birth (1966-10-15) 15 October 1966
Place of birth Talamanca, Costa Rica
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1980–1984 Saprissa
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1984–1997 Saprissa 343 (11)
1997-1998 Herediano 44 (1)
1998–1999 USAC 25 (0)
1999–2001 Carmelita 47 (1)
National team
1991–1997 Costa Rica 21 (1)
Teams managed
2004–2006 Belén
2006–2008 Turrialba
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Mayorga and the second or maternal family name is Mora.

He played most of his career at Deportivo Saprissa. "Mincho" became the most recognizable representative for the Native American race in Costa Rica, due to his Bribri origin.

Club career

Born in an Indian reservation in Talamanca, Mayorga came to San José with his sister to study in 1980 and soon joined the Saprissa youth team set-up.[1] He made his senior league debut for Saprissa on 14 October 1984 against Ramonense, scored his first goal on 21 September 1986 against Sagrada Familia[2] and won five national championships, as well as two CONCACAF Champions Cup titles with Saprissa. He was sent-off 12 times during his time with Saprissa.[3]

In January 1997 he joined Herediano[4] and in 1998 he moved abroad to play for Guatemalan side USAC alongside compatriots Try Bennett and Luis Marín[5]

International career

Mayorga made his debut for Costa Rica in a June 1991 friendly match against Colombia and earned a total of 21 caps, scoring 1 goal. He represented his country in 8 FIFA World Cup qualification matches[6] and played at the 1997 UNCAF Nations Cup,[7] becoming the only 100% pure Indian-blooded international player in the world during that period of time.

His final international was a FIFA World Cup qualification match against Jamaica on 11 May 1997,[8] retiring from international football because of injury problems.[9]

International goals
Scores and results list Costa Rica's goal tally first.
N.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.23 September 1992Estádio Rubens Felipe, Paranavaí, Brazil Brazil2–4Friendly match

Managerial career

After his retirement in 1999,[1] Mincho has pursued a coaching career with several teams in Costa Rica, and has continued to carry with much pride his Indian representation in Costa Rica's society, even in the political arena.

He was in charge of Belén[10] and Municipal Turrialba.[11]

Personal life

Mayorga is married and has three children. He lives between Coronado and an operations center in Chiroles de Talamanca.[1]

References
  1. Figuras del ayer: Benjamín Mayorga - Nación (in Spanish)
  2. Sangre bravía Benjamín el Indio Mayorga, arquitecto en la mediacancha rojiamarilla - Nación (in Spanish)
  3. Buzón de Rodrigo - Nación (in Spanish)
  4. El Indio vuelve a casa - Nación (in Spanish)
  5. Sorpresa a la tica • Luis Marín, Try Bennett y Mincho Mayorga convierten a la Universidad de San Carlos en la revelación del torneo chapín - Nación (in Spanish)
  6. Benjamín Mayorga – FIFA competition record
  7. UNCAF Tournament 1997 Archived 14 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine - RSSSF
  8. Courtney, Barrie (2 February 2005). "International Matches 1997 - North and Central America and Caribbean". RSSSF. Retrieved 22 July 2009.
  9. El Indio se retira• Benjamín Mayorga dice haber perdido la motivación por el futbol - Nación (in Spanish)
  10. Mayorga quiere seguir dirigiendo en Primera - Nación (in Spanish)
  11. Carballo V., Francisco (2 August 2007). "Hombres de colmillo". Al Dia. Archived from the original on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2009.
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