# Kenneth Vargas

Kenneth Gerardo Vargas Vargas (born 17 April 2002) is a Costa Rican professional footballer who plays as a forward for Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian.

## Club career
### Herediano and Grecia loan

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. He went on to score 10 goals in 41 appearances in the Liga FPD, the Costa Rican first division, in 2022.

### Heart of Midlothian

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.
Vargas was permanently signed by Hearts on 26 March 2024 on a five-season contract.

## International career

Capped at under-23 level, Vargas received his first call-up to the Costa Rica senior national team in 2021. In October 2022 he was again called up to the national team set-up but didn't make an appearance from the substitute bench.

## Personal life

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”.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of 10 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Grecia (loan) | 2020–21 | Liga FPD | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 11 | 2 |
| Grecia (loan) | 2021–22 | Liga FPD | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 17 | 3 |
| Grecia (loan) | Total | Total | 28 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 5 |
| Herediano | 2021–22 | Liga FPD | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 14 | 2 |
| Herediano | 2022–23 | Liga FPD | 33 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 52 | 12 |
| Herediano | 2023–24 | Liga FPD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Herediano | Total | Total | 45 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 67 | 14 |
| Heart of Midlothian (loan) | 2023–24 | Scottish Premiership | 33 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 42 | 9 |
| Heart of Midlothian | 2024–25 | Scottish Premiership | 26 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 4 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 132 | 27 | 14 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 174 | 31 |
* 1 2 Appearance in the Liga FPD play-offs
* ↑ Appearances in the CONCACAF League
* ↑ Appearance in the Costa Rican Super Cup
* ↑ Appearances in the UEFA Europa Conference League
* 1 2 Appearances in the Scottish League Cup
* ↑ Appearances in the UEFA Europa League

### International

    As of match played 18 November 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Costa Rica | 2023 | 3 | 0 |
| Costa Rica | 2024 | 7 | 1 |
| Total | Total | 10 | 1 |
Scores and results list Costa Rica's goal tally first.
List of international goals scored by Kenneth Vargas :
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 15 October 2024 | Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica | Guatemala | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2024–25 CONCACAF Nations League A |