World Cup 2022: Costa Rica's Squad and Team Profile
World Cup 2022: Costa Rica's Squad and Team Profile
The World Cup 2022 in Qatar is upon us. Everything you need to know about Costa Rica's champions who have been drawn into Group E of the 2022 World Cup along with Japan, Germany and Spain.
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Costa Rica's players attend a training session at the Al Ahli SC Stadium in Doha on November 20, 2022, during the Qatar 2022 World Cup football tournament. (Photo by Alfredo ESTRELLA / AFP via GETTY)
COSTA RICA
- Best World Cup performance: Reached quarter-finals at 2014 World Cup.
- Other honours: CONCACAF Championship/Gold Cup winners: 1963, 1969, 1989
- FIFA ranking: 31
- How they qualified: Defeated New Zealand 1-0 in a CONCACAF-Oceania playoff.
Advanced to playoff after finishing fourth in CONCACAF qualifiers behind Canada, Mexico and the United States.
- Coach: Luis Fernando Suarez
The 62-year-old Colombian is best known for leading Ecuador to their best ever showing at a World Cup, when they reached the last 16 at the 2006 finals only to be eliminated by England after a David Beckham free-kick in a 1-0 defeat.
He was sacked during qualifiers for the 2010 tournament but made a triumphant return to football's greatest stage after guiding Honduras to the 2014 finals in Brazil, where the team were beaten by France, Switzerland and Ecuador in the group stage.
- Key player: Keylor Navas
The 35-year-old goalkeeper is an icon in his homeland, beloved after his heroics at the 2014 World Cup where his saves in a penalty shoot-out win over Greece helped Costa Rica reach the quarter-finals for the first time.
He produced another man-of-the-match performance in the last eight against the Netherlands despite finishing on the losing side in the shoot-out.
Blessed with agility and superb reflexes, Navas enjoyed a dazzling career with Real Madrid, winning three Champions League titles in 2016, 2017 and 2018, before joining French giants Paris Saint-Germain in 2019.
Group Fixtures & Matches
- November 23: Costa Rica v Spain
- November 27: Costa Rica v Japan
- December 1: Costa Rica v Germany
🇨🇷 Costa Rica@fedefutbolcrc | #FIFAWorldCup (8/33) pic.twitter.com/JngfXPfFAK
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 16, 2022
Costa Rica's World Cup 2022 Squad
Goalkeepers: Keylor Navas (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Esteban Alvarado (Herediano), Patrick Sequeira (Lugo/ESP)
Defenders: Keysher Fuller (Herediano), Oscar Duarte (Al Wehda/KSA), Juan Pablo Vargas (Millonarios/COL), Kendall Waston (Saprissa), Bryan Oviedo (Real Salt Lake/USA), Carlos Martínez (San Carlos), Francisco Calvo (Konyaspor/TUR), Ronald Matarrita (Cincinnati/USA), Daniel Chacon (Colorado Rapids/USA)
Midfielders: Celso Borges (Alajuelense), Yeltsin Tejeda (Herediano), Bryan Ruiz (Alajuelense), Anthony Hernandez (Puntarenas), Brandon Aguilera (Nottingham Forest/ENG) Jewison Bennette (Sunderland/ENG), Youstin Salas (Saprissa), Roan Wilson (Grecia), Douglas Lopez (Herediano), Alvaro Zamora (Saprissa), Gerson Torres (Herediano)
Forwards: Joel Campbell (Leon/MEX), Johan Venegas (Alajuelense), Anthony Contreras (Herediano)
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