🇨🇷🇲🇽 Top scorer in Costa Rica, Jesus Godinez has unfinished business
The forward is chasing a title with El Team and, maybe, another shot in Liga MX
As a universal debate, perhaps only chicken vs. egg has raged longer. Is it best to be a small fish in a big pond or a big fish in a smaller pond?
Both have their benefits and their drawbacks. When you’re the big fish, you rule. All the fish food goes to you, but so does all the attention. Do your work as a small fish and you can often gobble up your fair share of spoils falling from the mouth of the big boys. Sometimes, though, you want people to notice the work you’re putting in.
Jesus Godinez wasn’t thinking about all that when he moved to Herediano at the start of 2023. All he wanted was a team where he’d play all the time.
After years of wandering the Liga MX wilderness on loan from Chivas at León, in the second division, with Queretaro, at Necaxa, the forward wanted a chance to play and play frequently.
The former Mexico youth international got those minutes this season at Herediano, leading the Costa Rican league in scoring with 13 goals and now is in the playoffs seeking a league title.
“I had to leave my country to find that regularity. Honestly, I feel like it was the right decision because I’m happy here,” Godinez said in a Zoom call this week. “Life here is very laid-back, though people are really passionate about soccer. They get into it, and I really like that. It feels great.”
While an increasing number of Mexican players are looking beyond Liga MX1, many swim in the big pond for years and years and never leave. Godinez sought out fresh waters and took the chance to go to Herediano, one of Costa Rica’s three grandes.
Doing so definitely is a risk, if nothing else because it’s unconventional in Mexico. Success can earn plaudits and perhaps another chance with a big Liga MX team. Failure, though, can earn a fair bit of scorn.
“Honestly, it’s sort of like flipping a coin,” Godinez said. “It could go really well and people from other leagues see you, but if it doesn’t go that well it’s not seen in a good light.
“Maybe it’s the fear of wanting to - I don’t know if it’s leaving a comfort zone - but taking on the challenge of looking for something different.”
He also acknowledged that many times clubs’ front offices will make it hard for a player to move abroad as well, though he noted in his case Chivas, who still hold his rights, have been supportive rather than complicating the process.
After accepting the new test, Godinez still had a learning curve. Godinez struggled in the first half of 2023, getting used to the style of play in Costa Rica and learning to work with his teammates. Godinez scored five goals in 19 appearances in the Clausura, a fine return but not one notably better than what he’d delivered in Liga MX.
This season, he scored 13 goals in 20 regular season contests and opened his playoff account in El Team’s 3-0 victory Saturday over Alajuelense in the first leg of the semifinal.
Godinez was pleasantly surprised by the level of the Costa Rican league, saying every team has several players who “are really technical” and “play good football”.
While it was a decent season for Herediano, Costa Rica’s unique playoff format means there’s plenty of work to be done. Godinez and his teammates would need to avoid losing the semifinal series to Alajuelense in Sunday’s second leg, then beat No. 1 seed Saprissa2 in the final and again in the grand final to win the title.
Games against Liga, as Alajuelense is known, have had extra spice this season since the teams also faced off in the first edition of Concacaf’s Copa Centroamericana.
“They won that time, so we had some unfinished business,” Godinez said. “Luckily we got a good result (Saturday), though we still have to play the second leg, but it’s nice to play against this type of opponent.
“The fans can celebrate now and you feel that energy and live through those moments. Honestly, it makes me really happy.”
While the 26-year-old is loving life as a star in Costa Rica, does he want to return to Mexico or jump to another league and see if he can be a bigger fish in an even bigger pond? Again, he insists he’s not thinking about any dichotomies right now but rather enjoying the waters where he’s currently swimming.
“I was just talking with my agent and told him honestly I don’t want to get into those sorts of things right now,” he said. “I’m concentrated on the end of this tournament, hopefully scoring more goals and becoming champion. At the end of the tournament, we’ll see what happens.
“I’m really happy here, but if a good opportunity comes up, I might say ‘Why not?’ If it’s another challenge or the revenge factor of going back to Mexico and getting more minutes could be an option. But, honestly, right now I’m focused on closing out the season well and being able to win the championship.”
That philosophy is simple: Big fish or small, big pond or tiny, it feels pretty great to lift a trophy.
Godinez is one of three Mexicans at Herediano and Erick “Cubo” Torres also finished top five in scoring with nine goals for Guanacasteca
Provided Saprissa doesn’t lose their second leg to Cartagines on Saturday.