Brandon Aguilera
{{short description|Costa Rican footballer (born 2003)}}
{{family name hatnote|Aguilera|Zamora|lang=Spanish}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Brandon Aguilera
| image =
| full_name = Brandon Aguilera Zamora{{cite web |url=https://fdp.fifa.org/assetspublic/ce44/pdf/SquadLists-English.pdf |title=FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Squad list: Costa Rica (CRC) |publisher=FIFA |page=7 |date=15 November 2022 |access-date=15 November 2022}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|6|28|df=y}}
| birth_place = Naranjo, Costa Rica
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub = Rio Ave
| clubnumber = 16
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| years1 = 2018–2019
| clubs1 = Carmelita
| caps1 = 4
| goals1 = 1
| years2 = 2019–2022
| clubs2 = Alajuelense
| caps2 = 40
| goals2 = 3
| years3 = 2021–2023
| clubs3 = → Guanacasteca (loan)
| caps3 = 28
| goals3 = 6
| years4 = 2022–2024
| clubs4 = Nottingham Forest
| caps4 = 1
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2023
| clubs5 = → Estoril (loan)
| caps5 = 0
| goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2024
| clubs6 = → Bristol Rovers (loan)
| caps6 = 12
| goals6 = 2
| years7 = 2024–
| clubs7 = Rio Ave
| caps7 = 25
| goals7 = 3
| nationalyears1 = 2018
| nationalteam1 = Costa Rica U15
| nationalcaps1 = 1
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2018–2019
| nationalteam2 = Costa Rica U17
| nationalcaps2 = 4
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 2022
| nationalteam3 = Costa Rica U20
| nationalcaps3 = 5
| nationalgoals3 = 0
| nationalyears4 = 2022–
| nationalteam4 = Costa Rica
| nationalcaps4 = 27
| nationalgoals4 = 0
| club-update = 13:30, 23 April 2025 (UTC)
| nationalteam-update = 23:18, 18 June 2025 (UTC)
}}
Brandon Aguilera Zamora (born 28 June 2003) is a Costa Rican professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Primeira Liga club Rio Ave and the Costa Rica national team.
Club career
In July 2022 Premier League side Nottingham Forest announced they had signed Aguilera on a four-year deal from Alajuelense, and would immediately be loaned to fellow Costa Rican side Guanacasteca for six months.{{cite web|url=https://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/news/2022/july/17/nottingham-forest-secure-costa-rica-international-aguilera/|title=FOREST SECURE COSTA RICA INTERNATIONAL AGUILERA|date=17 July 2022|work=Nottingham Forest}} In January 2023, Aguilera joined Primeira Liga club Estoril on loan until the end of the season. He played with the team's under 23 squad.{{cite web|url=https://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/news/2023/january/31/aguilera-joins-estoril-on-loan/|title=Agiulera joins Estoril on loan|website=www.nottinghamforest.co.uk|date=31 January 2023|accessdate=31 January 2023}}
On 1 February 2024, Aguilera joined League One club Bristol Rovers on loan until the end of the season.{{cite web|url=https://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/news/2024/february/01/aguilera-loaned-to-bristol-rovers/|title=Aguilera loaned to Bristol Rovers|website=www.nottinghamforest.co.uk|date=1 February 2024|accessdate=1 February 2024}} He made an impressive debut for the club two days after signing, scoring the only goal in a 1–0 victory over Exeter City, smashing the ball into the top corner from twenty yards.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68114845|title=Exeter City 0–1 Bristol Rovers|publisher=BBC Sport|date=3 February 2024|accessdate=3 February 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bristolworld.com/sport/football/bristol-rovers/bristol-rovers-player-ratings-league-one-exeter-city-st-james-park-matt-taylor-gary-caldwell-4504150|title=Bristol Rovers player ratings: "mesmeric" and "heroic" 9/10s received in Exeter City victory|publisher=Bristol World|last1=Langstaff|first1=Harry|date=3 February 2024|accessdate=3 February 2024}} In just his third match of his loan spell however, he picked up a hamstring injury, having to temporarily return to his parent club.{{cite web|url=https://www.bristolworld.com/sport/football/bristol-rovers/bristol-rovers-brandon-aguilera-nottingham-forest-league-one-premier-league-matt-taylor-memorial-stadium-carlisle-united-4529875|title=Bristol Rovers confirm loanee returns to Premier League side Nottingham Forest for 'rehab' on injury|publisher=Bristol World|last=Langstaff|first=Harry|date=22 February 2024|accessdate=22 February 2024}} At the Bristol Rovers end of season awards, he was awarded the club's Goal of the Season for his debut strike. {{cite web|url=https://www.bristolrovers.co.uk/news/20242/april/rovers-celebrate-campaign-at-end-of-season-awards/|title=Rovers celebrate campaign at End Of Season Awards|website=www.bristolrovers.co.uk|date=22 April 2024|accessdate=22 April 2024}}
On 2 July 2024, Aguilera signed with Portuguese Primeira Liga side Rio Ave on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee.{{cite web | url=https://rioavefc.pt/destaque/brandon-aguilera-assina-e-reforca-meio-campo/ | title=Brandon Aguilera assina e reforça meio-campo | date=2 July 2024 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/news/2024/july/02/aguilera-joins-rio-ave/ | title=Aguilera departs | date=2 July 2024 }}
International career
A youth international for Costa Rica since 2018, Aguilera made his senior team debut against the United States on 30 March 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/62201165|title=Brandon Aguilera: Nottingham Forest sign Costa Rica midfielder|date=17 July 2022|work=BBC Sport}}{{cite web|url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/nottingham-forest-sign-costa-rica-teenager-brandon-aguilera-from-ld-alajuelense-1658079602000|work=FourFourTwo|title=Nottingham Forest sign Costa Rica teenager Brandon Aguilera from LD Alajuelense|date=17 July 2022 }} In November 2022 he was named to the 26-man Costa Rica squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.{{cite tweet|author=FCRF|user=fedefutbolcrc|number=1588191966612914177|title=Les dejamos la imagen también|date=3 November 2022|access-date=3 November 2022}}
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|22 April 2025}}{{Soccerway|brandon-aguilera/562962|accessdate=27 July 2022}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | |||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division
!Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals | |||||||||||
| Carmelita
|4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | |
| rowspan="4"|Alajuelense
|Liga FPD |2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2020–21
|Liga FPD |26 | 1 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 3{{efn|Two appearances in CONCACAF League, one appearance in CONCACAF Champions Cup}} | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 1 | |
| 2021–22
|Liga FPD |12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!40 | 1 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 1 | |
| rowspan="3"|Nottingham Forest
|0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24
|1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 3 | 0 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 3 | 0 | ||
| rowspan="3"|Guanacasteca (loan)
|Liga FPD |18 | 4 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 4 | |
| 2022–23
|Liga FPD |10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!28 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 4 |
| Estoril (loan)
|0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nottingham Forest U21
|colspan="3"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 1{{efn|Appearance in EFL Trophy}} | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Bristol Rovers (loan)
|2023–24{{soccerbase season|158941|2023|accessdate=3 February 2024}} |12 | 2 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2 | |||
| Rio Ave
|25 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 29 | 3 | ||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!106 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 118 | 11 |
{{notelist}}
=International=
{{updated|match played 18 June 2025}}{{NFT player|id=87172|name=Aguilera, Brandon|accessdate=15 April 2024}}
| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="4"|Costa Rica
|2022 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 3 | 0 | |
| colspan=2|Total
!27 | 0 |
Honours
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://athleticupdates.com/brandon-aguilera-wiki-net-worth-career-stats/ Brandon Aguilera] at Athletic updates
{{Rio Ave F.C. squad}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Costa Rica squads
| bg = #ce1126
| fg = white
| bordercolor = blue
| list1 =
{{Costa Rica squad 2022 FIFA World Cup}}
{{Costa Rica squad 2024 Copa América}}
{{Costa Rica squad 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aguilera, Brandon}}
Category:People from Grecia (canton)
Category:Footballers from Alajuela Province
Category:Costa Rican men's footballers
Category:21st-century Costa Rican sportsmen
Category:Costa Rica men's youth international footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:A.D. Carmelita footballers
Category:Liga Deportiva Alajuelense footballers
Category:A.D. Guanacasteca players
Category:Nottingham Forest F.C. players
Category:G.D. Estoril Praia players
Category:Bristol Rovers F.C. players
Category:Premier League players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Primeira Liga players
Category:2022 FIFA World Cup players
Category:2024 Copa América players
Category:2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup players
Category:Costa Rican expatriate men's footballers
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England
Category:Costa Rican expatriate sportspeople in England