Kenneth Gerardo Vargas Vargas (born 17 April 2002) is a Costa Rican professional footballer who plays as a forward for Super League Greece club Kalamata, on loan from club Heart of Midlothian and the Costa Rica national team.
Club career
Herediano and Grecia loan Vargas played for Municipal Grecia on loan from C.S. Herediano. After returning to Herediano, he scored on his senior league debut for the club, against Grecia, on 15 January 2022. He went on to score 10 goals in 41 appearances in the Liga FPD, the Costa Rican first division, in 2022.
Heart of Midlothian On 7 August 2023, Vargas joined Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian on a season-long loan deal from Herediano, with an option to purchase outright.
Vargas was permanently signed by Hearts on 26 March 2024 on a five-season contract.
On 17 September 2025, Vargas returned to Herediano on loan until January 2026. Heredia was willing to pay only 6% of his salary loan from Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian. Due to the disagreement on his salary and personal growth, Vargas decided signed with Liga Deportiva Alajuelense, since the club was able to afford 100% of his salary and growth opportunities with the club's training camp CAR.
International career Capped at under-23 level, Vargas received his first call-up to the Costa Rica senior national team in 2021. In October 2022 he was again called up to the national team set-up but didn't make an appearance from the substitute bench.
Personal life His father, also called Kenneth Vargas and nicknamed “Huevo”, was a professional footballer in Costa Rica who played as a striker. Kenneth Vargas Jnr is subsequently nicknamed “Huevito”.
Career statistics Club
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational cupContinentalOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGrecia (loan)2020–21Liga FPD11200——1122021–22Liga FPD17300——173Total285000000285Herediano2021–22Liga FPD12200—201422022–23Liga FPD331082308052122023–24Liga FPD0000—1010Total451282301106714Heart of Midlothian (loan)2023–24Scottish Premiership336432030429Heart of Midlothian2024–25Scottish Premiership294308010414Herediano2025–26Liga FPD500000—50Career total1402714413015018231
International
+ Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsCosta Rica2023302024712025112Total213
Scores and results list Costa Rica's goal tally first.
+ List of international goals scored by Kenneth Vargas No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition115 October 2024Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica2–03–02024–25 CONCACAF Nations League A221 March 2025FFB Stadium, Belmopan, Belize3–07–02025 CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification39 September 2025Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica1–03–32026 FIFA World Cup qualification
References
External links