Costa Rica, ranked 34th in the FIFA World Rankings, participated to the World Cup three times in the past. The South American team, nicknamed la Sele or los Ticos, went the furthest during Italy’s 1990 campaign, where it was eliminated during the round of 16.
Costa Rica competed for a spot in the 2014 World Cup in the same group as the United States and Mexico and ranked second after the Americans. Los Ticos managed to win five games, tie three, and lose only two games against the U.S. and Honduras.
Team Costa Rica has been very impressive throughout the last few years
Amongst la Sele’s most notable players, Keylor Navas surely deserves a special mention. Levante’s goalkeeper had an impressive season in Spain and, as Joaquin Caparros said, after the win against Atletico Madrid:
“In key moments, Keylor Navas has helped us.”
Keylor Navas with the Costa Rican national team
Another player who will be instrumental for Costa Rica is Alvario Saborio. With 93 appearances and 32 goals, Saborio is the sixth most capped player for the South Americans and the third highest scorer for his country.
Saborio celebrates a goal against Mexico during the qualifiers
Colombian manager of Los Ticos, Jorge Luis Pinto Afanador, had already coached Costa Rica in 2004/05 but with no success. He later led newly promoted team Corporación Nuevo Cúcuta Deportivo to win their first Championship title and was given a second chance with la Sele, which Afanador guided to the fourth appearance in the World Cup.
Fans celebrate los Ticos' qualification to their fourth World Cup
Costa Rica will face Uruguay, England and Italy in Brazil
