Manfred Ugalde: Bio, Salary, Net worth, Lifestyle, Club, and International Career

Manfred Ugalde is a promising young prospect hailing from Costa Rica, the same country that has gifted us players like Keylor Navas, Bryan Luis, Paulo Wanchope, and Joel Campbell. The Heredia-born forward made his debut for local club Saprissa in 2019. Ugalde scored a brace in a 3–1 victory over the Belmopan Bandits in the CONCACAF League on 31 July 2019. A few months later, he scored his first professional hat-trick against Limon in a one-sided thrashing, with the match ending 6-0.

Ugalde then made a move to Belgian club Lommel and Dutch side FC Twente. The talented attacker became a record-breaking sale for Twente when he left the club to sign for Spartak Moscow for 15 million euros. According to Transfermarkt, the Russian club had already reached a verbal agreement with Ugalde before he signed the contract.

Manfred Ugalde Bio

Manfred Ugalde Family and Early

Little is known about Ugalde's early life. His father's name is Rafael Ugalde, and his mother is Andrea. The Costa Rican is not active on Instagram, as it seems his entire focus remains on his game at the moment.

Playing Style and Strengths

Manfred Ugalde is an all-around player who has good finishing, accurate passing ability, and can even contribute defensively. He is particularly known for his heading prowess and often forces fouls, which helps teams in dead-ball situations. Ugalde also doesn't hesitate to throw in zesty challenges to win possession. He can also alternate as a deep-lying forward, which adds another dimension to his game. Ugalde's ball control is also noteworthy, in addition to his offensive awareness, making him one of the most sought-after young finishers in Europe.

Manfred Ugalde Net Worth

Manfred Ugalde's exact net worth is not publicly disclosed. Looking at his career graph, it's safe to say that his net worth is only going to increase with time.

Manfred Ugalde Salary

Ugalde had a weekly salary of 494 euros and earned 25,670 euros per year in the 2023-24 season. His exact salary at Spartak has not been revealed yet, but it is estimated to be way more than what Twente had offered.

Manfred Ugalde Partner

Whether Manfred Ugalde is seeing someone or not is a matter of speculation for now. He did, however, share a picture on his official Instagram account with a mysterious woman named Josseline Vargas. It's still not clear if Ugalde and Vargas are dating or not, but the photo no doubt created intrigue in the minds of his fans. Vargas also keeps her Instagram account private, so nothing can be concluded.

Manfred Ugalde Career

Manfred Ugalde stands out for his brilliant footballing mind. Already adjudged the Best Younger Player of the 2019 CONCACAF League tournament, with four goals in seven matches, Manfred seems destined for big things. Fast forward a few years, and we can see the 23-year-old thriving in Russia, scoring goals at a brisk pace. In terms of his national duties, Ugalde has been a part of 21 senior team matches and scored seven goals.

Club Career

After making his debut for Deportivo Saprissa in early 2019, Ugalde scored two goals in a 3–1 victory over Belmopan Bandits in the CONCACAF League in July 2019. His first professional hat-trick came a few months later in a 6–0 victory over Limón on 21 October. In November, Ugalde was named the Best Younger Player of the 2019 CONCACAF League tournament, registering four goals in seven matches. It demonstrated that his trajectory was on the rise, and leaving home to find more feasible opportunities would do well for his career.

Ugalde did just that, signing with Belgian second division club Lommel, scoring 11 goals in his 23 appearances. He also had four assists to his name. Ugalde joined Eredivisie side Twente on a season-long loan in June 2021. In July 2022, his contract was renewed for the 2022–23 season. The Twente management was happy with his positive displays on the pitch and handed Ugalde a four-year contract.

On 29 January 2024, Ugalde moved to Russian Premier League club Spartak Moscow on a four-and-a-half-year contract. His transfer fee was reportedly around 15 million. The striker integrated with the Russian club like “bread to butter” and pulled off a memorable campaign.

His best performance came against Lokomotiv Moscow. The former Saprissa player appeared at his devastating best against them, scoring 4 goals in a 5–2 victory. Powered by his goal-scoring spree, Ugalde also became the top goalscorer with 12 goals. Eventually, he finished the season with 19 goals.

International Career

Ugalde made his international senior debut for Costa Rica in the year 2020, coming on against the United States as a substitute in a 1–0 defeat. He also had a dispute with his national team coach, Luis Fernando Suarez. As a result, Ugalde refused to play for the Los Tricos as long as the Colombian remained the coach. He rejoined the team after an offer from the new interim coach, Claudio Vivas, to play in a game against Saudi Arabia.

Manfred Ugalde Awards and Achievements