Mauricio Cienfuegos facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | José Mauricio Cienfuegos | ||
| Date of birth | 12 February 1968 | ||
| Place of birth | San Salvador, El Salvador | ||
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) | ||
| Playing position | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1985 | Racing Junior | ||
| 1986–1987 | Marte Soyapango | ||
| 1988–1991 | Luis Ángel Firpo | ||
| 1991–1992 | Atlético Morelia | 37 | (3) |
| 1992–1993 | Santos Laguna | 18 | (0) |
| 1994–1995 | Jaibos Tampico Madero | ||
| 1994–1996 | Luis Ángel Firpo | ||
| 1996–2003 | Los Angeles Galaxy | 206 | (35) |
| National team | |||
| 1987–2003 | El Salvador | 68 | (8) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2008 | Nejapa | ||
| 2011–2020 | Los Angeles Galaxy (academy) | ||
| 2023- | El Salvador (assistant) | ||
|
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José Mauricio Cienfuegos (born February 12, 1968) is a famous Salvadoran former football player. He played as an attacking midfielder, which means he helped both defend and attack. Today, he is an assistant coach for the El Salvador national football team.
Contents
Playing for Clubs
Mauricio Cienfuegos started his professional football journey in 1985 with a team called Racing Junior. He then played for Soyapango for two seasons. After that, he joined Luís Ángel Firpo, where he played for four years.
In 1991, Cienfuegos moved to Mexico to play for Atlético Morelia. The next year, he signed with Santos Laguna. However, he wasn't happy with how he was used on the team. He even tried to play in Europe, having trials with teams in Switzerland and Spain in 1993. But he didn't get a contract and returned to Mexico. He briefly played for Tampico Madero.
Playing for the LA Galaxy
After playing two more seasons with Luis Ángel Firpo, Cienfuegos joined Major League Soccer (MLS) in 1996. This was the first year for the league! He played for the Los Angeles Galaxy for eight years, from 1996 until he retired in 2003.
During his time with the Galaxy, he became one of the best playmakers in the league. A playmaker is a player who helps create scoring chances for their team. He was chosen for the MLS Best XI (a team of the best players) three times. He also played in seven MLS All-Star Games. With Cienfuegos, the Galaxy won important titles. They won the CONCACAF Champions Cup in 2000, the U.S. Open Cup in 2001, and the MLS Cup in 2002. He ended his MLS career with 78 assists and 35 goals in 206 games.
Playing for His Country
Cienfuegos was a very important player for the El Salvador national football team. He started playing for his country when he was a teenager and continued until he was in his thirties. He played in 68 international games and scored 8 goals. All of his goals were scored during home games in El Salvador.
He played in 32 FIFA World Cup qualification matches, trying to help El Salvador reach the World Cup. He also played in the 1995 UNCAF Nations Cup and the 1996 and 1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup tournaments. His last international game was in July 2003, in a special match against Mexico.
Becoming a Coach
After retiring as a player, Cienfuegos became a coach. In 2008, he was named head coach of Nejapa F.C. in El Salvador. He had a good first season, but he resigned in his second season due to a poor start and issues with player payments.
In 2011, Mauricio Cienfuegos joined the LA Galaxy Academy as a technical coach. He helped train young players. In January 2023, he became an assistant coach for the El Salvador national team, working alongside the main coach.
Awards and Trophies
Mauricio Cienfuegos won many awards and trophies during his career:
With CD Luis Ángel Firpo
- Primera División de Fútbol Profesional: 1988–89, 1990–91, 1991–92
With Los Angeles Galaxy
- CONCACAF Champions' Cup: 2000
- MLS Cup: 2002
- MLS Supporters' Shield: 1998, 2002
- U.S. Open Cup: 2001
Individual Awards
- MLS All-Star: 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000
- MLS Best XI: 1996, 1998, 1999
Personal Life
Mauricio Cienfuegos lives with his wife and their three children in California, USA.
Images for kids
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A friendly robot
See also
In Spanish: Mauricio Cienfuegos para niños
