Appearances: 4
Best finish: Quarter-finals in 2014
Manager: Oscar Ramirez
Star player: Bryan Ruiz
Playing for the fourth time in the competition, Costa Rica were one of three unbeaten teams (before penalties) at the 2014 Fifa World Cup - along with Germany and the Netherlands - who beat Costa Rica on penalties in the quarter-finals.
Going into the competition, no one had given Costa Rica a chance when drawing Uruguay, Italy and England in 2014’s ‘Group of Death’. However, victories over Uruguay and Italy, followed by a 0-0 draw with England, saw them top the group against all odds and make people take notice of coach Oscar Ramirez’s men.
The star man will once again be Bryan Ruiz - now in the 100-cap club - as the Sporting winger looks to lead Costa Rica out once more in Russia after having netted twice during the 2014 World Cup. This time too Costa Rica have been heavily reliant on teamwork after finishing second behind Mexico in the North, Central America and Caribbean standings.
Costa Rica have been one of the teams that have evolved post-1990s – proved by the fact that they have made four World Cup appearances since then. Their best performance came in Brazil four years back where they managed to reach the quarter-finals before that tie-breaker loss to The Netherlands in the quarter-finals.
In Marco Urena Costa Rica have a lethal striker. The 28-year-old forward, who recently moved to Los Angeles FC, scored three goals during qualification, and was on target in his country’s 3-1 win over Uruguay in 2014.
Costa Rica begin their campaign against Serbia on June 17 followed by their second match against the mighty Brazil on June 22 and then their last one against Switzerland on June 17.
But prior to that will be a few friendlies starting off with their first one against Northern Ireland at the Estadio Nacional Costa Rica on June 3, followed by a second one against England at Elland Road in Yorkshire on June 7 and a last one against Belgium on June 11.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Keylor Navas, Patrick Pemberton, Leonel Moreira
Defenders: Cristian Gamboa, Ian Smith, Ronald Matarrita, Bryan Oviedo, Oscar Duarte, Giancarlo Gonzalez, Francisco Calvo, Kendall Waston, Johnny Acosta
Midfielders: David Guzman, Yeltsin Tejeda, Celso Borges, Randall Azofeifa, Rodney Wallace, Bryan Ruiz, Daniel Colindres, Christian Bolanos
Forwards: Johan Venegas, Joel Campbell, Marco Urena.
