Walter Centeno

International

Scores and results list Costa Rica's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Centeno goal.

Saprissa

Nicknamed Paté, Centeno started his career at Saprissa, who loaned him out to Belén for whom he made his professional debut on 4 February 1995 against Alajuelense. He scored his first goal on 3 September 1995 for Belén against Turrialba. He earned his nickname in his childhood due to his love for eating pate's.

AEK Athens

On 8 July 2002 Centeno moved to Greece and was transferred AEK Athens. for a fee of €410,000. There he played alongside his compatriot, Mauricio Wright. While playing for AEK, he participated in the UEFA Champions League group stage managing to score in the team's away home draws against Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabéu in the 2–2 draw and Roma at Stadio Olimpico in 1–1 draw, as they achieved the record of drawing all the matches of the group stage. After one season, Centeno filed an appeal for debts of club to him and on 14 July 2003 he was released.

Back at Saprissa

He returned to Saprissa, where he was named the best player of the 2003–04 Costa Rican season by the Costa Rican sports media, after scoring nine goals while orchestrating Saprissa's offense, helping the team to win the league. With Saprissa, he won 10 national championships and one CONCACAF Champions Cup, winning the title with a 3–2 aggregate win over Mexico's UNAM Pumas in the final. He was part of the team that played the 2005 FIFA Club World Championship, where Saprissa finished third behind São Paulo and Liverpool. His appearance at this tournament…

Centeno played his first game for the Costa Rica national football team on 27 September 1995 against Jamaica. He has been a fixture for the team for the last thirteen years, playing in the Pan American Games held in Mar del Plata, Argentina, in 1995; the Copa América tournaments of 1997, 2001 and 2004; plus the FIFA World Cup in 2002 and 2006. On 1 April 2009, he surpassed the record of caps for Costa Rica (held then by Luis Marín, 124 caps, 5 goals) as at 18 November 2009 he has 137 caps and 24 goals. He was the captain of Costa Rica national football team for the last part of 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifications. Rodrigo Kenton, the appointed manager replacing the fired Hernan Medford, chose him for covering this important role in the team because of his experience, hardening and leadership. Centeno played his last game on the national team on 18 November 2009, where they tied 1–1, in which he scored. The game meant that Costa Rica will not be in World Cup 2010. Centeno's goal was his last with as an International player, and it also marked the last goal of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying stage. Shortly after that game, he announced his quitting from national team.

Centeno is a son of Benigno Centeno and Lidieth Corea and he is married to Vivian Gutiérrez with whom he has three children.