Costa Rican striker Warren Madrigal, one of the most promising young talents in Central American soccer, will continue his professional career in the United States after being signed by Nashville SC of Major League Soccer (MLS).
The transfer was confirmed by Deportivo Saprissa, the club that owns his pass, and marks a new chapter in the career of the 21-year-old striker, who arrives in U.S. soccer after a formative experience in Spain.
From Costa Rica to Europe and now to MLS
Welcome to the family, Madrigal 🤝
We’ve signed 21-year-old Costa Rican forward Warren Madrigal from Deportivo Saprissa through 2028-29 with an option for 2029-30 🇨🇷⚡️ pic.twitter.com/zRj25qdsY8
– Nashville SC (@NashvilleSC) December 31, 2025
During the 2024-2025 season, Madrigal was on loan at Valencia Mestalla, Valencia CF’s subsidiary, where he played an important role.
According to Saprissa’s official press release, the striker played 18 games and scored 8 goals with the subsidiary team, figures that caught the attention of the Spanish club’s coaching staff.
His performance even allowed him to make his debut with Valencia’s first team in a Copa del Rey match, in addition to receiving several call-ups for LaLiga matches, although he never played in the local championship.
Despite these opportunities, Saprissa and Valencia were unable to reach an agreement for a definitive transfer or to extend the loan, so Madrigal returned to the Costa Rican club in June 2025.
Back in Costa Rica, the striker was once again a starter and a key player in the purple team’s scheme, which ended up opening the door to his arrival in MLS.
A significant signing for Nashville and MLS
The arrival of Warren Madrigal to Nashville SC represents a commitment to youth and projection in a league that continues to grow and consolidate itself as an attractive destination for Latin American players.
For the Hispanic public living in the United States, MLS has become an increasingly close and representative competition, both in terms of the presence of players from the region and the expansion of clubs and audiences.
Madrigal comes to Nashville with international experience and national team experience.
He has been regularly called up to Costa Rica’s senior national team in recent World Cup qualifiers, as well as in high-level tournaments such as the CONCACAF Gold Cup and the Copa America.
This experience brings added value to his new club, which is looking to consolidate its position in a highly competitive league.
His history with Saprissa and professional numbers
Warren Madrigal made his professional debut with Deportivo Saprissa on August 15, 2020.
Since then, he has played a total of 100 official games for the Costa Rican club, scoring 19 goals and contributing 9 assists.
In addition, he was part of four national titles, consolidating his position as one of the institution’s most important young players in recent years.
Saprissa itself emphasized that his good performances were the key for him to make the leap to European soccer and, subsequently, to arouse the interest of an MLS club.
His transfer to Nashville also reflects an increasingly common trend: young Central American players finding the United States an ideal platform to grow both athletically and professionally.
