José Saturnino Cardozo, coach of Municipal Liberia, announced on Mar. 10 that Shawn Johnson has been called up to the Costa Rica national football team for upcoming matches against Jordan and Iran. The games are scheduled to take place in Turkey on March 27 and 31.
This announcement marks the first player selection under new head coach Fernando Batista. Cardozo shared the news during a press conference following Liberia’s 1-0 victory over Guadalupe.
Cardozo said, “More than that, there is good news and it is that Shawn Johnson was called up to the Costa Rica National Team. We are very happy because it shows he can compete. I am proud of this because I believe Liberia, in its history, has had few opportunities to send players; now we have one.”
When asked if only Johnson was called up from his team, Cardozo confirmed this and added, “Yes, but it is the best thing that can happen to a player: defending his country.”
Reflecting on the team’s recent performance, Cardozo said, “We had talked about being a different team—more dynamic. This makes me happy for the players. We changed our dynamics and attitude. We attacked, stayed focused and with good attitude. I always insist a lot on tactical order and I feel we had it.” He also commented on Erick ‘Cubo’ Torres scoring the winning goal: “He scored a fantastic goal. I am happy for Cubo Torres and for the group.”
Looking ahead to the rest of the season as Liberia aims for playoff qualification, Cardozo said they will continue planning carefully: “We want to compete at the top. I understand we are going against stronger teams but we will compete with effort and desire. We have to surprise our rivals.”
The call-up of Shawn Johnson represents an important milestone for both Municipal Liberia and its players as they seek greater recognition at national level.
