Costa Rica will play theirsixth World Cup in history at Qatar. During the last two decades, the country has established itself as one of the main National Teams in CONCACAF accompanying Mexico and the United States. The 2022 tournament will be their third consecutive World Cup appearance and the fifth in the last six editions.
Costa Ricaarein Group E, the toughest in the 2022 World Cup, alongside Spain, Germany and Japan. Luis Fernando Suarez’s team is no stranger to these complicated scenarios. In Brazil 2014, they survived and won a group which included three World Champions such as Uruguay, Italy and England. That was the best participation ever for the Ticos reaching the quarterfinals. They lost in a penalty shootout thriller with the Netherlands.
During the 2022 qualification process, Costa Rica werealmost eliminated after seven matches. With six points at the half-mark, the challenge looked impossible. Then, everything changed. They got 21 of the last 24 points available with six victories in the last seven games. That way, Costa Rica secured a ticket to the inter-confederation playoffs, where they beat New Zealand (1-0) and clinched a berth for the World Cup.
Costa Rica’s roster for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar
There are no secretswith Costa Rica. The veteran players left from that 2014 magical run at Brazil are the ones leading the charge in Qatar. Keylor Navas, Bryan Ruiz, Joel Campbell, CelsoBorges, Oscar Duarte and Yeltsin Tejeda will be on their third World Cup. This is the official 26-man roster announced by manager Luis Fernando Suarez.
Goalkeepers: Keylor Navas (PSG), Esteban Alvarado (Herediano) and Patrick Sequeira (Club Deportivo Lugo).
Defenders: Francisco Calvo (Konyaspor), Juan Pablo Vargas (Millonarios), Kendall Waston (Saprissa), Oscar Duarte (Al-Wehda), Daniel Chacon (Colorado Rapids), Keysher Fuller (Herediano), Carlos Martinez (San Carlos), Bryan Oviedo (Real Salt Lake) and Ronald Matarrita (Cincinnati).
Midfielders: Yeltsin Tejeda (Herediano), Celso Borges (Alajuelense), Youstin Salas (Saprissa), Roan Wilson (Municipal Grecia), Gerson Torres (Herediano), Douglas Lopez (Herediano), Jewison Bennette (Sunderland), Alvaro Zamora (Saprissa), Anthony Hernandez (Puntarenas), Brandon Aguilera (Nottingham Forest) and Bryan Ruiz (Alajuelense).
Forwards: Joel Campbell (Club Leon), Anthony Contreras (Herediano) and Johan Venegas (Alajuelense).
