Youstin Delfín Salas Gómez (Latin American Spanish: [ˈjus.tin delˈfin ˈsa.las ˈɡo.mes];[2] born 17 June 1996) is a Costa Rican professional footballer who plays as a midfielder or right-back for Sporting San José.
.jpg) Salas with Wellington Phoenix in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Youstin Delfín Salas Gómez[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 17 June 1996[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Cariari, Costa Rica | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[1] | ||
| Positions | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Sporting San José | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2014–2018 | Santos de Guápiles | 41 | (2) |
| 2018–2019 | Herediano | 6 | (0) |
| 2019 | → La U Universitarios (loan) | 11 | (0) |
| 2020–2022 | Municipal Grecia | 88 | (7) |
| 2022–2025 | Saprissa | 77 | (1) |
| 2024 | → Wellington Phoenix (loan) | 12 | (0) |
| 2025 | → Sporting San José (loan) | 16 | (0) |
| 2025– | Sporting San José | 5 | (0) |
| 2025–2026 | → Brisbane Roar (loan) | 26 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2012 | Costa Rica U17 | 3 | (0) |
| 2021–2023 | Costa Rica | 7 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 28 April 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 8 September 2023 | |||
Early life
editSalas was born in Cariari, Limón Province, Costa Rica, and began playing football at the age of six in El Progreso, Cariari, where his father coached a local team.[3]
Club career
editSantos de Guápiles
editSalas made his debut with Santos de Guápiles on 23 April 2014, in the final matchday of the 2014 Campeonato de Verano against La U Universitarios, starting for 60 minutes in a 3–0 defeat.[4]
He made his international competition debut on 1 August 2017, in the first leg of the 2017 CONCACAF League round of 16 against San Juan Jabloteh of Trinidad and Tobago, a match in which he also scored his first goal in a 6–2 win.[5]
Herediano and La U Universitarios
editOn 23 May 2018, Salas signed with Herediano.[6] Later that year, he won the 2018 CONCACAF League title on 1 November, defeating Motagua on aggregate,[7] and the 2018 Apertura on 23 December, with a victory over Saprissa.[8]
On 27 May 2019, he was loaned to La U Universitarios along with four other players.[9]
Municipal Grecia
editOn 13 December 2019, Salas joined Municipal Grecia.[10]
Saprissa and Wellington Phoenix
editOn 30 June 2022, Salas signed with Saprissa on a contract through June 2025.[11]
On 30 January 2024, he moved on loan to A-League Men side Wellington Phoenix for the remainder of the 2023–24 season, becoming the third Costa Rican to play for the club after Kenny Cunningham and Carlos Hernández.[12] He made 12 appearances and provided one assist.[13]
Sporting San José and Brisbane Roar
editOn 27 December 2024, Saprissa announced Salas's loan to Sporting San José for one year.[14] The move was made permanent in July 2025, when Sporting signed him to a two-year contract.[13]
On 15 September 2025, deadline day, Salas returned to the A-League Men by joining Brisbane Roar on a one-year loan.[15] He was nominated A-League Player of the Month for October/November 2025.[16]
International career
editYouth
editOn 5 December 2012, Salas was named in Edson Soto's Costa Rica under-17 squad for the 2013 CONCACAF U-17 Championship qualifiers.[17] He did not feature in the opening match against Honduras (3–0 defeat),[18] but appeared in the remaining games against El Salvador (2–1 win),[19] Nicaragua (0–0 draw),[20] and Guatemala (2–0 win).[21] Costa Rica advanced to the final tournament after finishing second in the group.
Senior
editSalas made his senior international debut for Costa Rica on 12 November 2021, in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Canada (1–0 defeat), starting for 64 minutes before being substituted by Keysher Fuller.[22] He was later named in Costa Rica's 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar,[23] appearing in two matches.[12]
On 30 August 2023, he was called up by head coach Claudio Vivas for a European tour with friendlies against Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.[24][25] On 8 September, he played against Saudi Arabia, coming on at the start of the second half in a 3–1 win.[26]
Style of play
editPrimarily a defensive midfielder, Salas can also operate as a right-back or as an attacking midfielder.[12]
Honours
editHerediano
Deportivo Saprissa
- Liga FPD: 2022 Apertura, 2023 Clausura, 2023 Apertura
- Supercopa de Costa Rica: 2023
- Recopa de Costa Rica: 2023
Individual
- 2015 Campeonato de Invierno Best Under-21 Breakthrough[27]
References
edit- 1 2 3 "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022: List of players: Costa Rica" (PDF). FIFA. 15 November 2022. p. 7. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
- ↑ https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPgMejriQcW/?igsh=MW5jNm1odnBvemcwbQ==
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbXy5WK99I4
- ↑ German Matamoros (23 April 2014). "Universidad de Costa Rica clasificó a las semifinales del Verano 2014 tras golear al Santos". La Nación. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
- ↑ Redacción (2 August 2017). "Un Santos de Guápiles efectivo superó a San Juan Jabloteh". Concacaf. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
- ↑ Redacción (23 May 2018). "Youstin Salas es la nueva cara del Herediano". Monumental. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
- ↑ José Pablo Segura Vargas (1 November 2018). "Herediano conquista la Liga Concacaf". Everardo Herrera. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
- ↑ Juan Ugalde (23 December 2018). "¡Celebren Campeones! Herediano llegó a 27 Títulos tras vencer al Saprissa". Everardo Herrera. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
- ↑ Redacción (27 May 2019). "Herediano cede a préstamo a Daniel Cambronero a la UCR". Everardo Herrera. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
- ↑ Mauricio León (13 December 2019). "Grecia quiere volver a tener protagonismo: Ficha siete nuevos jugadores". AM Prensa. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
- ↑ "Oficial: Saprissa anuncia fichajes de Pablo Arboine y Youstin Salas". Teletica (in European Spanish). 30 June 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
- 1 2 3 Phoenix, Wellington (29 January 2024). "Costa Rica international joins the Nix". Wellington Phoenix. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
- 1 2 ""Oferta formal": recordado campeón con Saprissa podría continuar su carrera lejos de Costa Rica". Fútbol Centroamérica (in European Spanish). 17 July 2025. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
- ↑ @deportivo_saprissa; (27 December 2024). "El Deportivo Saprissa informa que Youstin Salas jugará a préstamo con Sporting FC por un lapso de un año" – via Instagram.
- ↑ jesposito (15 September 2025). "Costa Rican International with World Cup experience lured to the Roar". Brisbane Roar. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
- ↑ "Roar import Salas named Shark Player of the Month". A-League Men. 11 December 2025. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
- ↑ Redacción (5 December 2012). "Seleccionados Sub-17 que viajarán a Guatemala". Federación Costarricense de Fútbol. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
- ↑ Redacción (9 December 2012). "Costa Rica fue superada por Honduras en su debut". Federación Costarricense de Fútbol. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
- ↑ Redacción (11 December 2012). "Costa Rica se remonta y vence a El Salvador". Federación Costarricense de Fútbol. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
- ↑ Graciela Fonseca (13 December 2012). "Costa Rica Sub 17 apenas pudo empatar con Nicaragua". CrHoy.com. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
- ↑ Redacción (15 December 2012). "Selección Sub 17 avanza a Panamá". Antorcha Deportiva. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
- ↑ Elmer Durán Jara (12 November 2021). "Costa Rica continúa cavando su propia tumba, ahora en suelo canadiense (0-1)". Everardo Herrera. Archived from the original on 8 November 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
- ↑ "Suárez eligió a sus 26 jugadores para la aventura mundialista en Catar" [Suarez chooses 26 players for the Qatar World Cup adventure]. FCRF (in Spanish). 3 November 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
- ↑ ESPN (30 August 2023). "Claudio Vivas sorprende con el regreso de Manfred Ugalde y Randall Leal a la selección de Costa Rica". Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ↑ Pablo Rocca (30 August 2023). "Oficial: Claudio Vivas dio su primera convocatoria con Costa Rica para los amistosos internacionales". Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ↑ Pablo Rocca (8 September 2023). "Costa Rica venció 3-1 a Arabia Saudita en el amistoso internacional [VIDEO]". Retrieved 8 September 2023.
- ↑ José Pablo Molina Salas (26 May 2016). "En la variedad estuvo el gusto de los Premios FPD". UNAFUT. Archived from the original on 17 June 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
External links
edit
- Youstin Salas at National-Football-Teams.com
- Youstin Salas at Soccerway
- Youstin Salas at Global Sports Archive