Gabriel Badilla facts for kids
Badilla before a game with Saprissa in 2016
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gabriel Badilla Segura | ||
| Date of birth | June 30, 1984 | ||
| Place of birth | San José, Costa Rica | ||
| Date of death | November 20, 2016 (aged 32) | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Saprissa | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2001–2008 | Saprissa | 128 | (12) |
| 2008–2009 | New England Revolution | 6 | (0) |
| 2010–2016 | Saprissa | 111 | (6) |
| Total | 245 | (18) | |
| International career | |||
| 2005–2012 | Costa Rica | 25 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Gabriel Badilla Segura (born June 30, 1984 – died November 20, 2016) was a Costa Rican football player. He played as a defender for different teams.
Contents
Playing for Clubs
Gabriel Badilla started his football journey with Saprissa, a famous team in Costa Rica. With Saprissa, he helped his team win many important titles.
Success with Saprissa
Badilla won two national championships with Saprissa. These are big wins in Costa Rican football. He also helped Saprissa win the UNCAF Cup and the CONCACAF Champions Cup. These are major tournaments for teams in Central and North America.
In 2005, Badilla was part of the Saprissa team that played in the FIFA Club World Championship. This is a global tournament where the best club teams from around the world compete. Saprissa finished in third place, which was a great achievement. They were behind only São Paulo and Liverpool.
Playing in the United States
On August 18, 2008, Gabriel Badilla moved to the United States. He joined the New England Revolution team. He quickly became an important player for their defense during the 2008 season. Badilla played for New England Revolution until March 24, 2010, when he left the team. After that, he returned to play for Saprissa in Costa Rica.
Playing for His Country
Gabriel Badilla also played for the Costa Rica national team. This means he represented his country in international football matches.
Youth and Senior Teams
Badilla was the captain of the Costa Rica national team that played in the 2001 FIFA U-17 World Championship. This tournament is for players under 17 years old and was held in Trinidad and Tobago.
He started playing for the senior Costa Rica national team in 2005. He even played in the biggest football event in the world, the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. His first game for Costa Rica was a friendly match against China on June 19, 2005.
Badilla also played in other important international tournaments. He appeared in one match at the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup and four matches at the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup. These tournaments are for national teams in North and Central America. He also played in two qualifying matches for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Awards and Achievements
Gabriel Badilla won many awards and honors during his football career, mostly with Saprissa.
Saprissa
- Costa Rican League (Liga FPD)
- Winner (8 times): 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007 Invierno, 2008 Verano, 2014 Verano, 2014 Invierno, 2015 Invierno
- Runner-up: 2002–03
- CONCACAF Champions Cup
- Winner: 2005
- Runner-up: 2004
- UNCAF Interclub Cup
- Winner: 2003
- Runner-up: 2001, 2004, 2007
- Costa Rican Cup
- Winner: 2013
- Runner-up: 2014
- FIFA Club World Cup
- Third place: 2005
His Life and Passing
In 2013, Gabriel Badilla had a health issue. He had a successful surgery to remove a non-cancerous growth from his heart.
Sadly, Gabriel Badilla passed away on November 20, 2016. He was taking part in a local running event called the Lindora Run. He collapsed shortly before finishing the race. Doctors tried to help him, but he was declared dead due to a sudden heart problem.
See also
In Spanish: Gabriel Badilla para niños
