Saborío, better known as "Pipe", has been notably recognized for his accomplishments with Deportivo Saprissa, and the high number of goals he has scored in a short period. But after a year at the club his Costa Rican coach got a hold of him and he took part in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He was mostly a substitute for Costa Rica national football team, behind Rónald Gómez and former Man City forward Paulo César Wanchope. He also scored the first goal ever in the Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica, in the inaugural match against China. Saborío was at the centre of much controversy in the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, criticized heavily for his misses, including two penalty kicks in the quarter final against Honduras, and for a training pitch incident where he allegedly kicked a ball at a child who was in the stands.