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.

Atlético Balboa

Full name	Club Deportivo Atlético Balboa
Nicknames	Los Porteños, La Ciclón
Founded	1950
Ground	Estadio Marcelino Imbers, La Unión, El Salvador
Capacity	4,000
Chairman	Kevin Rubio
Manager	David Paz
League	Segunda División
Home colours Away colours Third colours

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.^[1] 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.^[2]

After 10 years, It was announced the club would be returning to the third division and professional football.^[3]

On June 18, 2024 Atletico Balboa announced due to lack of financial support the club would be selling their spot in the Segunda Division.^[4]

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

Sponsorship

Companies that Atletico Balboa currently has sponsorship deals with for 2025–2026 includes:

• Huriver  – Official kit suppliers
• CAMSEB – Official sponsors
• Alcadia de La Union Sur – Official sponsors
• TBD – Official sponsors
• TBD – Official sponsors

Current squad

Updated July 2025. 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  SLV Carlos Alemen 2  SLV Angel Echevarria 5  SLV Juan Antonio Benitez 6  SLV Jonathon Salmeron 7  SLV Juan Angel Benitez 8  SLV Orlando Martinez 9  COL Manuel Murrillo 10  SLV Edgar Cruz 11  SLV Carlos Hernandez 12  SLV Bryan Ramirez 13  SLV Osmaro Orellana 14  SLV Jan Carlos Cruz

No. Pos. Nation Player 15  SLV Ariel Romero 16  SLV Anthony Diaz 17  SLV Gabriel Alvarez 18  SLV Christopher Reyes 19  SLV Fredy Meza 20  SLV Kevin Berrios 22  SLV Alcides Gomez 24  SLV Diego Guerrero 26  SLV Franklin Villatoro 27  SLV Josue Ronaldo —  SLV Ronaldo Cabrera

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. Pos. Nation Player —  SLV Edgar Cruz (From Dragon) —  SLV Ronaldo Cabrera (From Ancla de Oro F.C.) —  SLV Osmaro Orellana (From Santa Clara) —  SLV Diego Guerrero (From Ancla de Oro F.C.) —  SLV Fredy Meza (From Dragon) —  SLV Christopher Reyes (From Ancla de Oro F.C.) —  SLV Bryan Ramirez (From Atlas) —  SLV Carlos Hernandez (From Atlas) —  SLV Franklin Villatoro (From Aguila Reserva) —  SLV Anthony Diaz (From TBD) —  COL Manuel Murillo (From Los Laureles) — GK  SLV Alcides Gomez (From Cacahuatique) —  SLV Kevin Berrios (From TBD) —  SLV Carlos Aleman (From TBD)

No. Pos. Nation Player —  SLV Orlando Martinez (From TBD) —  SLV Angel Echevarria (From TBD) —  SLV Juan Antonio Benitez (From TBD) —  SLV Juan Angel Benitez (From TBD) —  SLV Jonathon Salmeron (From TBD) —  SLV Jan Carlos Cruz (From TBD) —  SLV Ariel Romero (From TBD) —  SLV Gabriel Alvarez (From TBD) —  SLV Josue Ronaldo (From TBD) —  SLV TBD (From TBD)

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. Pos. Nation Player —  SLV TBD (To TBD) —  SLV TBD (To TBD) —  SLV TBD (To TBD) —  SLV TBD (To TBD)

No. Pos. Nation Player —  SLV TBD (To TBD) —  SLV TBD (To TBD) —  SLV TBD (To TBD)

Coaching staff

As of June, 2025

Position	Staff
Manager	Carlos Romero
Assistant Manager	TBD
Reserve Manager	TBD
Ladies's Manager	TBD
Physical coach	TBD
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
Carlos Antonio Meléndez	1991
TBD	2000
Daniel Sagastizado	2001
Armando Mercado	2004
Jefrey Francisco Cruz	2022
Francisco Valladarez	2023-2024
Hiatus	2024-2025
Gabriel Alvarez	2025-Present

Notable Players Atletico Balboa

Players marked in bold gained their caps while playing at Atletico Balboa.

• 
• 
• 
• Ernesto Aquino
• Franklin Webster (all time goalscorer)
• Juan Carlos Mosquera Pérez
• Luis Carlos Asprilla (top goalscorer 2003 season)

Internationals who have played at Atletico Balboa

Players marked in bold gained their caps while playing at Atletico Balboa.

• Alexander Campos
• Nildeson
• Washington de la Cruz
• Jorge Garay
• Daniel Sagastizado
• Yuvini Salamanca
• Alexander Pinto
• Carlos Alberto López
• Héctor Antonio Morales
• Mario Deras
• Reynaldo Argueta
• Marvin Benítez
• Martín Paredes
• Roberto Ochoa
• José René Galán
• Francisco Abimael Ramirez
• Marlon Medrano
• Magdonio Corrales
• Mario Siguenza
• Víctor Fuentes
• José Manuel Martínez
• Selvin Zelaya
• José Abraham Monterrosa
• Elmer Martínez
• Cristián Bautista
• Víctor Turcios
• René Edgardo Peñate
• José Nelson Reyes
• Salvador Coreas
• Gustavo Alonso López
• Nelson Nerio
• Luis Miguel Hernández
• Isaac Zelaya
• Cristian Esnal
• Elder Figueroa
• Otoniel Carranza
• Misael Alfaro
• Juan Alberto Díaz
• Josué Galdámez
• René Ramos
• Dennis Salinas
• Manfredi Portillo
• Julio Castro
• Henry Hernández
• Rommel Mejia
• Carlos Antonio Meléndez
• Nestor Ayala
• Camilo Bonilla
• Carlos Asprilla

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
Saúl Molina [5]	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
Jorge García	2006	2007
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	May 2024
Hiatus	June 2024	June 2025
Carlos Romero	June 2025	Present

Notable managers

The following managers have won at least one trophy while in charge at Atletico Balboa:

Name	Nationality	From	To	Honours
José Mario Martínez	El Salvador	1 June 1998	1 February 2001	1 Segunda División Salvadorean (1999-2000)
Fausto Omar Vásquez	El Salvador	1 January 2008	1 June 2008	1 Segunda División Salvadorean (2008)
Jorge García	Argentina	1 June 2006	1 June 2007	1 Copa Presidente (2006)

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

Most Goals

No.	Player	Period	Goals
1	Franklin Webster	2000-2002, 2005, 2008–2009, 2011-2012	77
2	Alexander Campos	2010–2011	14
3	Luis Carlos Asprilla	TBD-TBD	30
4	TBD	TBD-TBD	92
5	TBD	TBD-TBD	71