Giancarlo González facts for kids
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González with Costa Rica at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Giancarlo González Castro | ||
| Date of birth | 8 February 1988 | ||
| Place of birth | Desamparados, San José, Costa Rica | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
Sporting San José | ||
| Number | 26 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2004–2006 | Alajuelense | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2009–2012 | Alajuelense | 91 | (6) |
| 2012–2013 | Vålerenga | 37 | (2) |
| 2014 | Columbus Crew | 17 | (1) |
| 2014–2017 | Palermo | 84 | (4) |
| 2017–2019 | Bologna | 34 | (0) |
| 2019–2021 | LA Galaxy | 30 | (2) |
| 2021 | → Alajuelense (loan) | 17 | (1) |
| 2022–2023 | Alajuelense | 55 | (4) |
| 2024– | Sporting San José | 45 | (10) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2007–2008 | Costa Rica U20 | 2 | (0) |
| 2010– | Costa Rica | 90 | (2) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 May 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20 November 2023 |
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Giancarlo "Pipo" González Castro (born on February 8, 1988) is a professional football player from Costa Rica. He plays as a centre-back (a defender) for Liga FPD club Sporting San José, where he is the team's captain. He also plays for the Costa Rica national team.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting Out in Costa Rica
Giancarlo González started playing football in his youth with Alajuelense. He also spent some time with Saprissa when he was 12 to 14 years old. He began his professional career with Alajuelense in 2007. He was a very important player for the club, helping them win three league titles.
Playing in Norway
After his contract ended in 2012, González moved to Norway to play for Vålerenga. During his time there, he played in 37 league matches and scored two goals.
Time with Columbus Crew
On February 21, 2014, González joined Major League Soccer team Columbus Crew in the United States.
Moving to Italy with Palermo
After he played very well in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, many European clubs were interested in González. On August 26, 2014, Palermo, a team in Italy's top league (Serie A), announced they had signed him. He made his first appearance for Palermo on October 19, 2014. In that game, he scored the winning goal in the final minutes.
Palermo's 2016–17 season ended with the team being moved down from Serie A to a lower league. González played in 21 games that season.
Playing for Bologna
On June 22, 2017, Bologna, another Italian club, announced that they had signed González.
Joining LA Galaxy
On April 11, 2019, González signed with the LA Galaxy, returning to Major League Soccer.
International Career Highlights
Giancarlo González, also known as Pipo, played for the Costa Rica U20 team in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada.
He made his first appearance for the senior Costa Rica in a friendly match against Slovakia on June 5, 2010. In January 2013, he scored the only goal in a 1–0 win against Honduras in the final of the 2013 Copa Centroamericana tournament.
2014 FIFA World Cup
In June 2014, González was chosen to be part of Costa Rica's team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. In the first two group matches, he and his fellow defenders, Michael Umaña and Óscar Duarte, played incredibly well. They only allowed one goal as Costa Rica, nicknamed Los Ticos, beat Uruguay (3–1) and Italy (1–0). This meant Costa Rica moved on to the knockout stage of the tournament.
Costa Rica finished the group stage without losing any games. They kept another clean sheet (meaning they didn't let the other team score) in a 0–0 draw with England. Many people said that González's strong defense was key to the team's success in the group stage. His many interceptions and tackles led to him being named to the ESPN Best XI (a team of the best players) from the group stage.
In the Round of 16, Costa Rica played against Greece. The game went to a penalty shootout. González was the third Costa Rican player to successfully score his penalty kick, helping his team win 5–3. He was also included in the BBC's team of the tournament.
2018 FIFA World Cup
In May 2018, Giancarlo González was again named to Costa Rica's 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Personal Life
Giancarlo González has Spanish family roots. His parents are Roberto González and Elsa Castro. He has a sister and a brother, and he also has a son.
Honours and Awards
Alajuelense
- Liga FPD: Apertura 2010, Clausura 2011, Apertura 2011
Costa Rica
- Copa Centroamericana: 2013
Individual Awards
- CONCACAF Best XI: 2015
See also
In Spanish: Giancarlo González para niños
