José Miguel Cubero

José Miguel Cubero Loría, affectionately known as El Cucu, was born on February 14, 1987, in Costa Rica. He carved out a notable career as a professional footballer, primarily playing as a defensive midfielder. His journey in football began at the youth academy of Herediano, where he honed his skills before making his professional debut in 2006.

Throughout his career, Cubero experienced various stints with different clubs. After his initial years with Herediano, he was loaned to Puntarenas, only to return to his roots. In 2014, he took a significant step by moving to England to join Blackpool, but his time abroad was short-lived as he returned to Herediano two years later. His career also included a brief loan to Alcoyano in Spain before he joined Alajuelense in 2018. In 2023, he made a brief return to Puntarenas before signing with Sporting San José later that same year. His final playing years saw him at Sarchí, a club he owned, before retiring from professional football in 2025.

On the international stage, Cubero's contributions to the Costa Rican national team were significant. After representing the U20 team, he made his senior debut in 2010. He participated in the 2011 Copa Centroamericana and the prestigious 2011 Copa América. Notably, he was part of the Costa Rican squad that reached the quarter-finals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, a historic achievement for the nation. His international career continued with appearances in the 2014 Copa Centroamericana and the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup, culminating in a total of fifty-four appearances and two goals for his country.