# Atlético Balboa

Club Deportivo Atlético Balboa, commonly known as Atlético Balboa or simply Balboa, is a Salvadoran football club. The team play in La Unión, La Unión department.

## History
### Foundation

The foundation of Atletico Balboa occurred in 1950 in La Union. Mauro "El Turco" Granados, Simón Reyes, Paulino Cáceres, Pablo Rubio, Rodolfo Guzmán, Carlos Villalta, Carlos Juárez, René Pantoja, Luis Ávila, Chico Osorio, Juan Guevara, Chico Ruíz and Timoteo Hernández were the original members of the team. The team was intended to be a baseball team, but it was changed to a football team. The club was named "Balboa" after the Panamanian balboa and its first match was played against the Honduran team América de Choluteca. The team's first colours were white with green diagonal stripes which were soon changed by the team's president Ricardo Flores to black and red.

### Primera División

After becoming champions of the Segunda División in 1998, Atlético Balboa ascended to the Salvadoran Primera División where in their first season they finished runner-up while being coached by Mario Martínez and Óscar Benítez. The team's player lineup that season included Franklin Webster and Elvis Perreira.

### Irregular way

The team's results and goal count declined between 1999 and 2001. During this time the team was coached by Óscar Benítez, Saúl Molina and Juan Quarterone. Luciano Suárez, Manuel Díaz, Camilo Bonilla and Carlos Edgar Villareal played for Balboa in this period.

### Days of crisis

The team had just started the 2002–2003 season when the team ran into economic and performance problems. Juan Quarterone was replaced by the Paraguayan Nelson Brizuela. Under Brizuela, the team was only able to achieve 3 draws from 6 games. Brizuela was soon replaced by Argentine-Italian Carlos Barone whose team's last four games almost got them relegated but in the end Dragón had a poorer record. Atlético Balboa purchased many foreign players during the season but the only successful one was the Colombian Carlos Asprilla. Webster, the highest scoring player from the team was sold to San Salvador F.C. The club then changed its coach several times during the 2003-2004 season, with Costa Rican Manuel Solano, Gabriel Avedissian and Paulo Roberto de Oliveira serving as coach at various points in time. These coaches, except for assistant coach Jesús Fuentes, all failed to produce a high number of wins.

### Almost glory

After the events of 2002-2004 season, Balboa advanced in the rankings of the Primera División. The team finished in second place in the 2006-2007 while being coached by Juan Quarterone and Jorge Alberto García. Then, the tension between the board and the two coaches divided the club. The team, including Colombian player Henry Vargas did not participate in the UNCAF tournament due to losing a playoff to C.D. Luis Ángel Firpo. However the next season Atlético Balboa was relegated from the Primera División when they lost to C.D. Vista Hermosa.

### Current history

The club was promoted to the Salvadoran Primera División again after defeating Juventud Independiente in the 2008 season. Two years of moderate success followed under Guatemalan coach Carlos Alberto Mijangos and Argentine coach Roberto Gamarra, during which the team came close to entering the finals series in both seasons. However, financial problems appeared again and after two subsequent years of debt, the club was demoted to the Second Division in the 2011 season. It then disbanded and played its last game in 2011.
After 10 years, It was announced the club would be returning to the third division and professional football.
On June 18, 2024 Atletico Balboa announced due to lack of financial support the club would be selling their spot in the Segunda Division.

## Honours
### League

* Primera División Salvadorean and predecessors
** Runners-up (1): Apertura 2004
* Segunda División Salvadorean and predecessors
** Champions (2): 2000, 2008

### Cups

* Copa Presidente and predecessors
** Champions (1): 2006

## Current squad

Updated February 2024.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | SLV | Julian Chicas |
| 4 | | SLV | Javier Fuentes |
| 5 | | SLV | Juan Hernandez |
| 7 | | SLV | Floretin Alvarez |
| 9 | | SLV | Edgar Cruz |
| 14 | | SLV | Eldin Aparicio |
| 15 | | SLV | Heriberto Velasquez |
| 17 | | SLV | Gabriel Alvarez |
| 20 | | SLV | Francisco Valladarez |
| 21 | | SLV | Wanner Hernandez |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 23 | | SLV | Cristian Reyes |
| 25 | GK | SLV | Carlos Aleman |
| 28 | | SLV | Cristopher Portillo |
| 29 | | SLV | Leonel Alberto |
| 30 | | SLV | Leonel Alberto |
| 33 | | SLV | Angel Echeverria |
| 34 | | SLV | William Molina |

### Players with dual citizenship

* TBD

### In

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Nation | Player |
| — | SLV | Josue Ronaldo Cabrera (From Atletico Balboa Jr) |
| — | SLV | Jefferson Diaz Molina (From Atletico Balboa Jr) |
| — | SLV | Hector Luis Guzman (From CD Peces Voladores) |
| — | SLV | Dilber Leonel Hernandez (From Atletico La Union) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | | SLV | Marcos Antonio Velasquez (From Ancla de Oro) |
| — | | SLV | Jose Roberto Martinez (From Perlas FC) |

### Out

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Nation | Player |
| — | SLV | Yuvini Salamanca (To Platense) |
| — | SLV | Erick Orellana (To TBD) |
| — | COL | Walter Gomez (To TBD) |
| — | SLV | Oscar Coreas (To TBD) |
| — | SLV | Levis Romero (To TBD) |
| No. | Nation | Player |
| — | SLV | Levis Romero (To TBD) |
| — | SLV | Luis Alvarenga (To TBD) |
| — | SLV | Jonathan Salgado (To TBD) |

## Coaching staff

As of November, 2023
| Position | Staff |
| Manager | David Paz |
| Assistant Manager | Roberto Chavez |
| Reserve Manager | TBD |
| Ladies's Manager | TBD |
| Physical coach | Marvin Vasquez (Nimbo) |
| Assistant Physical coach | TBD |
| Goalkeeper Coach | TBD |
| Kineslogic | TBD |
| Utility Equipment | TBD |
| Football director | TBD |
| Team Doctor | TBD |

## Notable players
### Team captains

| Name | Years |
| Mario Marconi Burro | TBD |
| Carlos Rivas | 1979 |
| TBD | 2000 |
| Daniel Sagastizado | 2001 |
| Armando Mercado | 2004 |
| Jefrey Francisco Cruz | 2022 |
| Francisco Valladarez | 2023-Present |

## List of presidents

* Ricardo Flores
* Juan Pablo Robles (2003)
* Noel Benítez (2004, 2006–2007)
* Mario Sorto (2005)
* Andrés Alonso Gómez (2007–2008)
* Juan Pablo Robles (2009–2011)

## List of coaches

| Name | From | To |
| Salvador Churrillo Rivas | 1979 | 1979 |
| Juan Evangelista Zelaya | 1981 | 1981 |
| Francisco Jovel | 1985 | 1985 |
| Jose Mario Martínez | 1990 | 1990 |
| Jose Mario Martínez | 1998 | February 2001 |
| Óscar Benítez | February 2001 | October 2001 |
| Saul Molina | November 2001 | December 2001 |
| Juan Quarterone | January 2002 | December 2002 |
| Nelson Brizuela | January 2003 | April 2003 |
| Carlos Barone | April 2003 | April 2003 |
| Carlos Garabet Avedissian | June 2003 | August 2003 |
| Manuel Alberto Solano Madrigal | September 2003 | December 2003 |
| Paulo Roberto de Oliveira | December 2003 | December 2003 |
| Jesus Fuentes | December 2003 | January 2004 |
| Óscar Benítez | January 2004 | June 2004 |
| Jorge García | June 2004 | October 2004 |
| Juan Quarterone | October 2004 | January 2005 |
| Henry Vanegas | February 2005 | September 2005 |
| Jorge García | September 2005 | December 2005 |
| Nelson Ancheta | January 2006 | 2006 |
| Fausto Omar Vásquez | 2008 | June 2008 |
| Gustavo de Simone | 25 July 2008 | 30 Aug 2008 |
| Roberto Gamarra | 2007 | Jan 2009 |
| Carlos de Toro | 21 Jan 2009 | Feb 2009 |
| Luis Zapata | Feb 2009 | June 2009 |
| Eduardo Santana | June 2009 | Aug 2009 |
| Angel Orellana | Aug 2009 | Sep 2009 |
| Jorge García | Sep 2009 | Sep 2009 |
| Luis Zapata | Sep 2009 | Dec 2009 |
| Carlos Mijangos | Jan 2010 | June 2010 |
| Roberto Gamarra | June 2010 | December 2010 |
| Mario Martínez | December 2010 | June 2011 |
| Hiatus | July 2011 | June 2021 |
| Luis Carlos Asprilla | July 2021 | February 2022 |
| William Cheves | February 2022 | February 2022 |
| Roberto Gamarra | February 2022 | May 2022 |
| Omar Sevilla | May 2022 | November 2022 |
| Luis Carlos Asprilla | November 2022 | December 12, 2022 |
| Misael Alfaro | December 13, 2022 | October 11, 2023 |
| David Paz | October, 2023 | Present |

## Records
### Most appearances

| No. | Player | period | Appearances |
| 1 | TBD | TBD-TBD | 71 |
| 2 | TBD | TBD-TBD | 71 |
| 3 | Yuvini Salamanca | TBD-TBD | 94 |
| 4 | Adan Reyes | TBD-TBD | 92 |
| 5 | TBD | TBD-TBD | 71 |