England’s opponents for their pre-World Cup friendly next month have been caught up in controversy after three players were dropped from the national team following an incident outside a bar
Three Costa Rica players have been dropped for disciplinary reasons ahead of a pre-World Cup friendly against England following a shooting incident outside a bar.
The two countries are due to face each other in Florida on June 10 but the national team has been thrown into chaos after one player had bullet holes left in their car.
Alejandro Bran, Kenneth Vargas and Warren Madrigal have been told they will not participate in the match following the weekend incident in which Bran’s agent has already admitted his car sustained several bullet impacts in an incident now under police investigation.
Midfielder Bran, 25, was the first to get his marching orders followed by forward Vargas, on loan to Costa Rican club side LD Alajuelense from Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian and Madrigal, who plays for MLS club Nashville SC. Bran also played in England with Burton Albion during his career.
In an initial statement yesterday the Costa Rican Football Federation confirmed: “Player Alejandro Bran is no longer part of the group called up for the National Team’s June friendly matches.
“It was determined that, at this time, the conditions are not in place for his continuation within the group.”
Hours later it added in a new statement: “The national team’s coaching staff has made the decision to exclude players Kenneth Vargas and Warren Madrigal from the current training camp.
“The decision responds to guidelines established for all members of the national teams. The Costa Rican Football Federation reiterates that discipline and respect for the rules are the fundamental pillars in all our national teams.
“These values are an essential part of the responsibility that comes with representing the country.”
News of the shooting incident in Los Yoses, one of Costa Rica’s most stylish and cosmopolitan neighbourhoods near the capital San Jose, first emerged on Monday (May 25).
Photos were published in local press showing a vehicle with at least five bullet impacts belonging to a “well-known footballer” who was later identified as Vargas’ Alajuelense teammate Bran.
Local government officials said: “The incident occurred at approximately 1.40am on Monday with an alert about alleged gunfire in the area.”
Confirming a police investigation, officers said: “An investigation has been opened after a vehicle was damaged by gunfire in Los Yoses.”
Police chief Abraham Guix said officers had been told two groups had been asked to leave a nightspot after an altercation and gunshots were subsequently overheard.
Bran’s agent Saul Araiza confirmed the early-hours incident overnight but blamed the damage on drunks who attacked the vehicle after being kicked out of a bar-restaurant and said his client had not been involved.
He told Fox Costa Rica: “What Bran tells me, and I believe his word, is that he was having dinner with his companions and there were some drunk people in the restaurant bar who were there, people who started causing trouble.”
Insisting the footballer wasn’t drinking and didn’t get into a row with anyone, he added: “In the end they kick these people out of the bar, already drunk and angry, and they shoot at Bran’s vehicle.
“He’s sad and disappointed and don’t think it’s something that fills him with pride. He made the mistake of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
As well as being ruled out of the upcoming friendly against England, Bran and Vargas have also been suspended by their club.
Top-flight Costa Rican team LD Alajuelense said in a statement: “After a thorough analysis of the recent events and in strict adherence to the principles that govern our institution, it has made the decision to immediately separate players Alejandro Bran and Kenneth Vargas from the organization.”
Bran was filmed in handcuffs in March after a reported altercation with police. He later released a statement admitting cops had been called over a breach of noise regulations at a private apartment block.Images of him and Vargas at a bar hours earlier later emerged and both players ended up being sanctioned.
Costa Rica failed to qualify for this year’s World Cup. It finished third in its group behind Haiti and Honduras.
They had qualified for the last three World Cups and even reached the quarter-finals in 2014, where they were knocked out on penalties by the Netherlands.