Rónald Gómez

Early years

Born in Puntarenas as the 12th child of Francisca Gómez, he was raised in the village Pilas de Canjel in Guanacaste Province. Nicknamed La Bala (The Bullit), Gómez started his career at Carmelita and scored his first league goal on 20 September 1992 against Saprissa. He then scored 45 goals for Alajuelense before moving abroad.

Years abroad

He has played in 6 different countries: in Spain with Sporting Gijón and Hercules of Alicante, in Guatemala with Municipal, in Greece with OFI, in Kuwait with Al Qadsia, in Mexico with Irapuato and in Cyprus with APOEL where he won the Cypriot First Division.

OFI Crete

In the summer of 1999, Greek OFI made the decision to sign Ronald Gómez from Guatemalan club Municipal, marking the Costa Rican striker's return to Europe after spells with Sporting de Gijón and Hércules CF. Despite some hesitation from the Cretan club due to the risks involved, the transfer was completed within a matter of hours, and Gómez quickly established himself as one of the most significant players to have graced Greek football during that era. Known as a classic "number 9" of the 1990s, Gómez became a cult figure in Greece due to his exceptional goal-scoring ability. He made a lasting impact on OFI, scoring 48 goals in 105 appearances. His performance helped lead the team to the UEFA Cup in the 2000–01 season, thanks to an impressive tally of 19 goals that season.

Saprissa

With Saprissa, he has won 4 national…

Gómez made his debut for Costa Rica in a February 1993 UNCAF Nations Cup qualification match against Nicaragua and earned a total of 93 caps, scoring 26 goals. He represented his country in 27 FIFA World Cup qualification matches and figured at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups. He also played at the 1993 and 2001 UNCAF Nations Cups as well as at the 1993, 2000 and 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup and the 1997, 2001, and 2004 Copa América. His final international was a March 2008 friendly match against Peru.

International goals

Scores and results list. Costa Rica's goal tally first.

He made his debut as manager of Carmelita in January 2009. In October 2010 he was dismissed by Santos de Guápiles and he later managed second division sides Deportivo Cartagena and Juventud Escazuceña. In September 2013, he took charge of Guatemalan side Halcones and in May 2014 he returned to Costa Rica to take charge at Limón. In August 2023, Ronald Gómez, a former OFI player, returned to Greece as the head coach of Apollon Smyrnis, a team that was preparing for the upcoming season in the Greek Football League (Gamma Ethniki). His appointment marked the return of a familiar face to Greek football, having been one of the top strikers for OFI during his playing career between 1999 and 2003. Prior to joining Apollon Smyrnis, Gómez had managed Santa Lucia F.C. in Guatemala. However, his tenure with Apollon Smyrnis ended on 28 February 2024. After his departure from Apollon Smyrnis, Gómez took on the role of head coach at Deportivo Achuapa in Guatemala, where he began a new challenge, aiming to lead the team to the final phase of the Torneo Clausura 2024.

He is married to Gina Soto and they have two sons, Esteban and Daniel.