Kenneth_Vargas
Kenneth Vargas
Costa Rican association football player
Kenneth Gerardo Vargas Vargas (born 17 April 2002) is a Costa Rican professional footballer who plays as a striker for Heart of Midlothian.[2]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kenneth Gerardo Vargas Vargas[1] | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Heart of Midlothian | ||
| Number | 77 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 0000–2020 | Herediano | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020–2024 | Herediano | 55 | (12) |
| 2020–2022 | → Municipal Grecia (loan) | 28 | (5) |
| 2023–2024 | → Heart of Midlothian (loan) | 33 | (6) |
| 2024– | Heart of Midlothian | 0 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2023– | Costa Rica U23 | 11 | (5) |
| 2023– | Costa Rica | 4 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 May 2024 (UTC) | |||
Vargas played for Municipal Grecia on loan from C.S. Herediano. After returning to Herediano, he scored on his senior league debut for the club, against Grecia, on 15 January 2022.[3] He went on to score 10 goals in 41 appearances in the Liga FPD, the Costa Rican first division, in 2022.[4]
On 7 August 2023, Vargas joined Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian on a season-long loan deal from Herediano, with an option to purchase outright.[5] Vargas was permanently signed by Heart of Midlothian on 26 March 2024 on a 5 season contract.[6]
- As of 20 May 2024[7]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Grecia | 2020–21 | Liga FPD | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 2 | ||
| 2021–22 | Liga FPD | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 3 | |||
| Total | 28 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 5 | ||
| Herediano | 2021–22 | Liga FPD | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 2[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 14 | 2 | |
| 2022–23 | Liga FPD | 33 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 3[lower-alpha 2] | 0 | 8[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 52 | 12 | |
| 2023–24 | Liga FPD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1[lower-alpha 3] | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Total | 45 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 67 | 14 | ||
| Heart of Midlothian | 2023–24 | Scottish Premiership | 33 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2[lower-alpha 4] | 0 | 3[lower-alpha 5] | 0 | 42 | 9 |
| Career totals | 106 | 23 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 136 | 27 | ||
- Appearance in the Liga FPD play-offs
- Appearances in the CONCACAF League
- Appearances in the UEFA Europa Conference League
- Appearances in the Scottish League Cup
Capped at under-23 level,[8] Vargas received his first call-up to the Costa Rica national football team in 2021.[9] In October 2022 he was again called up to the national team set-up but didn't make an appearance from the substitute bench.[10]
His father, also called Kenneth Vargas and nicknamed “Huevo”, was a professional footballer in Costa Rica who played as a striker. Kenneth Vargas Jnr is subsequently nicknamed “Huevito”.[11]
- "Kenneth Vargas". Soccerway. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
- Masis, Florela (15 January 2022). "Kenneth Vargas gives value to his signing from the first game with Herediano". nacion.com. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
- Anderson, Barry (27 July 2023). "Hearts in talks to sign Costa Rican striker Kenneth Vargas". Edinburugh News. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
- "Welcome Kenneth Vargas! – Hearts". www.heartsfc.co.uk. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
- "Vargas signs permanent deal – Hearts". www.heartsfc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- Kenneth Vargas at Soccerway
- Anderson, Mark (27 July 2023). "Hearts working on deal for Costa Rican starlet Kenneth Vargas as talks continue over six-figure fee". Scotsman. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
- "Kenneth Vargas se quedó sin habla al enterarse de su convocatoria". Everardoherrera.com. 27 August 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
- Castillo, Luis Felipe (21 October 2022). "Kenneth Vargas works in search of scoring points to go to the World Cup with La Sele". Amprensa.com. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
- Arraya, Fernando José (29 March 2021). "Kenneth Vargas joins the group of fathers and sons who scored in Primera". Teletica.com. Retrieved 26 July 2023.