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.
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.El Salvador 2007/08 – RSSSF 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.
After 10 years, It was announced the club would be returning to the third division and professional football.
On June 18, 2024 Atletico Balboa announced due to lack of financial support the club would be selling their spot in the Segunda Division.
In June 2025, The club returned to the Segunda Division for the Apertura 2025 season, under the leadership of newly hired manager Carlos Romero. Atletico Balboa finished forth in the regular season standing before defeating Fuerte Aguilares 4–2 on aggregate and Batanecos 3–2 on aggreate. They reached the final against Dragon, which they won 2-1 thanks to a double by Colombian Miguel Murillo.
On 18th of June, 2026 Atletico Balboa announced they had made a mutual agreement to purchase Hércules spot in the Primera Division. They just waiting for FESFUT to approve the transfer of spot
On July 6, 2026 FESFUT approved the purchase of Atletico Balboa from Hércules so long Atletico Balboa meets the leage pre-requisites
Honours
League Primera División Salvadorean and predecessors Runners-up (1): Apertura 2004 Segunda División Salvadorean and predecessors Champions (3): 2000, 2008, Apertura 2025 Promotion Play-off Runners up (1): 2025-2026
Cups Copa Presidente and predecessors Champions (1): 2006
Sponsorship Companies that Atletico Balboa currently has sponsorship deals with for 2026–2027 includes: Mimagen Sport – Official kit suppliers CAMSEB – Official sponsors Alcadia de La Union Sur – Official sponsors Electrolit – Official sponsors Pupuseria Marthita – Official sponsors Agua Envasada Palmeras del Golfo – Official sponsors TBD – Official sponsors
List of Kit sponsprship Period Company 1986 Pony 1996 Nil 2000 Milan 2004 Fila 2025–2026 Huriver 2026–present Mimagen Sport
Current squad Updated August 16, 2026.
Players with dual citizenship TBD
In
Out
Coaching staff As of September, 2026 PositionStaffManager Roberto GamarraAssistant Manager TBDReserve Manager TBDLadies's Manager TBDPhysical coach TBDAssistant Physical coach TBDGoalkeeper Coach TBDKineslogic TBDUtility Equipment TBDFootball director TBDTeam Doctor TBD
Notable players
Team captains NameYears Mario Marconi BurroTBD Carlos Rivas1979 Domingo Escobar1986 Carlos Antonio Meléndez1991 Manrique Vargas Romero1996 TBD2000 Daniel Sagastizado2001 Armando Mercado2004 Jefrey Francisco Cruz2022 Francisco Valladarez2023-2024Hiatus2024-2025 Gabriel Alvarez2025-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) Kevin Rubio (2021–2024) Francisco Cruz Martínez (2025-Present)
List of coaches NameFromTo Salvador Churrillo Rivas19791979 Juan Evangelista Zelaya19811981 Francisco Jovel19851985 Jose Mario Martínez19901990 Salvador Reyes19961996 Jose Mario Martínez1998February 2001 Óscar BenítezFebruary 2001October 2001 Saúl MolinaNovember 2001December 2001 Juan QuarteroneJanuary 2002December 2002 Nelson BrizuelaJanuary 2003April 2003 Carlos BaroneApril 2003April 2003 Carlos Garabet AvedissianJune 2003August 2003 Manuel Alberto Solano MadrigalSeptember 2003December 2003 Paulo Roberto de OliveiraDecember 2003December 2003 Jesus FuentesDecember 2003January 2004 Óscar BenítezJanuary 2004June 2004 Jorge GarcíaJune 2004October 2004 Juan QuarteroneOctober 2004January 2005 Henry VanegasFebruary 2005September 2005 Jorge GarcíaSeptember 2005December 2005 Nelson AnchetaJanuary 20062006 Jorge García20062007 Fausto Omar Vásquez2008June 2008 Gustavo de Simone25 July 200830 Aug 2008 Roberto Gamarra2007Jan 2009 Carlos de Toro21 Jan 2009Feb 2009 Luis ZapataFeb 2009June 2009 Eduardo SantanaJune 2009Aug 2009 Angel OrellanaAug 2009Sep 2009 Jorge GarcíaSep 2009Sep 2009 Luis ZapataSep 2009Dec 2009 Carlos MijangosJan 2010June 2010 Roberto GamarraJune 2010December 2010 Mario MartínezDecember 2010June 2011HiatusJuly 2011June 2021 Luis Carlos AsprillaJuly 2021February 2022 William ChevesFebruary 2022February 2022 Roberto GamarraFebruary 2022May 2022 Omar SevillaMay 2022November 2022 Luis Carlos AsprillaNovember 2022December 12, 2022 Misael AlfaroDecember 13, 2022October 11, 2023 David PazOctober, 2023May 2024HiatusJune 2024June 2025 Carlos RomeroJune 2025September 2026 Roberto GamarraSeptember 2026Present
Notable managers The following managers have won at least one trophy while in charge at Atletico Balboa:
NameNationalityFromToHonoursJosé Mario Martínez El Salvador1 Segunda División Salvadorean (1999–2000)Fausto Omar Vásquez El Salvador1 Segunda División Salvadorean (2008)Jorge García Argentina1 Copa Presidente (2006)Carlos Romero El Salvador1 Segunda División Salvadorean (2025 Apertura)
Records Most appearances No. Player period Appearances 1 TBD TBD-TBD 71 2 TBD TBD-TBD 71 3 Yuvini Salamanca 2004–2005; 2007–2010 94 4 Adan Reyes 2007–2010 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 2002–2005 30 4 TBD TBD-TBD 92 5 TBD TBD-TBD 71
References