Asociación Deportiva Municipal Liberia is a
Costa Rica
Costa Rica (, ; ; literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( es, República de Costa Rica), is a country in the Central American region of North America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the no ...
n
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
team playing in the
Liga FPD
The Primera División of Costa Rica, commonly known as Fútbol de Primera División (FPD), and Liga Promerica for sponsorship reasons, is the top professional association football division in Costa Rica. It is administered by the Unión de Clubes ...
. The team is based in
Liberia
Liberia (), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to its north, Ivory Coast to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean ...
,
Guanacaste. Their home stadium is the
Estadio Edgardo Baltodano Briceño
Estadio Edgardo Baltodano Briceño is a multi-use stadium in Liberia, Costa Rica, Liberia, Costa Rica. It is currently used mostly for football (soccer), football matches and is the home stadium of Municipal Liberia. The stadium holds 5,979 peop ...
.
History
Founded on 7 June 1977, four years after
Guanacasteca was founded and solely represented
Guanacaste Province
Guanacaste () is a province of Costa Rica located in the northwestern region of the country, along the coast of the Pacific Ocean. It is bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Alajuela Province to the east, and Puntarenas Province to the southeast. I ...
,
[Liberia le celebra a su equipo]
– UNAFUT Municipal Liberia won promotion to the
Primera División de Costa Rica
The Primera División of Costa Rica, commonly known as Fútbol de Primera División (FPD), and Liga Promerica for sponsorship reasons, is the top professional association football division in Costa Rica. It is administered by the Unión de Clubes ...
in 2001 after beating
Ramonense in a Promotion play-off final. They made their debut in the top tier on 29 July 2001 against
Saprissa
Deportivo Saprissa is a Costa Rican sports club, mostly known for its football team. The club is based in San Juan de Tibás, San José, and play their home games at the Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá. The team's signature colours are purple ...
.
Liberia Mía
In June 2007, the club was bought largely (90% of the shares) by Mario Sotela (linked to the Sotela-blen family) and were renamed ''Liberia Mía'' (My Liberia) after a Sotela project located in Liberia that is called "
Zoológico África Mía" (it is a special zoo based only on African animals and species).
Águilas Guanacastecas and relegation
In 2009, Liberia Mía won the Verano championship title, but it proved to be a short-lived party when in July 2010, the club just renamed again to ''Águilas Guanacastecas'' (Guanacastecan Eagles), were demoted to the
Segunda División de Costa Rica
Costa Rican Second Division also known as Liga Motorola for sponsorship reasons, is a professional league formed on 1921 for association football clubs in Costa Rica. It is the country's second-tier/division football competition, which is contest ...
after trading franchise rights with
Barrio México. The move was regarded by some as controversial since Barrio México club president Mínor Vargas was allegedly also involved with Liberia. Also, it was the second time a Guanacaste team was sold and moved outside the province after Guanacasteca's franchise was taken by Brujas de Escazú in 2004.
Municipal Liberia again
In summer 2011, after Barrio México was expelled from the Primera División, Liberia played in the second division as ''Los Coyotes del Municipal Liberia'', replacing AD Desamparados whose franchise was bought by Liberia's new owner Manrique Sibaja. The club has been playing in the second division ever since.
In February 2015, Uruguayan coach
Orlando de León
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County, Florida, Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Greater Orlando, Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, acco ...
took charge, replacing Slovak
Josef Miso
Josef Miso (born 18 October 1973) is a Slovak former football player who last played for Municipal Grecia in the Costa Rican Second Division.
Club career
Miso played for hometown club Spartak Trnava before being loaned to Piešťany.
Alajuelens ...
after some poor performances.
Orlando De León dirigirá al Municipal Liberia
– Yashin Quesada
Honours
National
Primera División de Costa Rica
The Primera División of Costa Rica, commonly known as Fútbol de Primera División (FPD), and Liga Promerica for sponsorship reasons, is the top professional association football division in Costa Rica. It is administered by the Unión de Clubes ...
* Winners (1): Verano 2009.
Segunda División de Costa Rica
Costa Rican Second Division also known as Liga Motorola for sponsorship reasons, is a professional league formed on 1921 for association football clubs in Costa Rica. It is the country's second-tier/division football competition, which is contest ...
* Winners (1): 2000–01
Costa Rican Third Division
The LINAFA Second B, also known as the Costa Rican Third Division, is a Costa Rican football league below the Costa Rican Second Division and above the LINAFA 3rd Division in the Costa Rican football pyramid. The league is very competitive as only ...
* Winners (1): 1985
Stadium
The stadium is owned by the Municipality of Liberia and is used by the Liberia Municipal team of the Costa Rican First Division. It has a natural field and has capacity for 4,500 people according to the Costa Rican emergency commission.
The first match was between AD Guanacasteca and the team from Limón FC. As a curious fact, at that time they asked AD Guanacasteca to inaugurate it in a Costa Rican First Division game, given that the game they had to play on that date was a visitor against Limón FC and the Caribbeans were asked to agree play in the White City; this is how that day, Limón FC was local in Liberia against Guanacasteca. The final result was tied at one goal.
The stadium was subjected to intense improvement work, both in its infrastructure and in its natural grass, starting in 2013, due to the fact that it is a venue for the Women's World Cup of Sub-Soccer. 17, and was approved by FIFA so that people enjoy the games they are going to see in the Liberian venue.
Current squad
As of February 2, 2023
Championship Verano 2009
List of players and coaching staff who achieved the 2009 summer championship of the National Soccer Costa Rican First Division under the name of Liberia Mia on May 26, 2009.
Couching Staff
*Technical director= Alain Gay-Hardy
*Goalkeepers= Alejandro Bonilla
*Physiotherapist= Cristian Cubillo
*Physical trainer= Guillermo Zamora
*Masseurs= Kenier Mora & Marvin Miranda
*Props= Carlos Baltodano & Royner Mora
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Liberia
Football clubs in Costa Rica
Association football clubs established in 1977