URUGUAY, COSTA RICA, ENGLAND, ITALY

BRIEFLY: Costa Rica are the most successful team in Central America having qualified to four World Cups, including reaching the last sixteen on their debut in Italy 1990. In 2006, Costa Rica qualified for the World Cup in Germany- their worst World Cup to date, finishing 31st out of 32 teams. Costa Rica has qualified first in the CONCACAF Final Round in both the 1990 World Cup qualification final round and 2002 World Cup qualification final round.

Ahead of the 2014 World Cup, Costa Rica seized upon Mexico ' s struggles to follow the United States as the pacesetters in the CONCACAF section.

MISSION: The players are going to the World Cup to showcase themselves to the football world as eagle-eyed scouts gather to discover the next big things from such countries as Costa Rica. The coach also would not delude himself of going further than his resources can carry him; so Brazil 2014 affords him the chance to enhance his coaching CV.

PREPARATION: Costa Rica

STAR MAN

AMBITIOUS GANG: Costa Rican players celebrate their second goal against Jamaica during the qualifiers

BRYAN RUIZ: The PSV forward who is on loan from Fulham is the chief creator of the Costa Rican national side. Blessed with a deft touch and an eye for goal, the skilful forward will be keen to make an impression at the biggest stage of world football and possibly launch himself into the next big league of the world ' s best followed up their impressive World Cup campaign with a promising 2-1 win over Paraguay in an international friendly on March 6th. Goals from Joel Campbell and Alvaro Alberto ensured that the team head for final lap of preparations with some confidence.

HIGH POINT: The team have players with industry and discipline. The Costa Ricans are not bookmakers ' favourites to create any upset in Brazil which could give room for some shocking results as p r e c e d e n c e h a s shown. The North A m e r i c a n s a r e a m b i t i o u s nonetheless, but going any further than the group stage will a huge success.

LOW POINT: Costa Rica lean on a sturdy defensive line and work their three centre-backs to the bone. It made for a

KEY MAN

COACH JORGE LUIS PINTO: After an unsuccessful stint coaching Costa Rica in 2004-2005, Pinto returned to Colombia to coach a recently promoted team Corporacion Nuevo Cucuta Deportivo which he led to win their 1st championship in their history.

Urana

Navarro

JOEL CAMPBELL: The Arsenal starlet who is on loan at Greek side Olympiakos is another great prospect who will grace the World Cup finals for his country, hoping to impress his parent club, Arsenal, with a view to returning to the North London club next summer where his career could blossom even

seriously impressive record of 476 minutes without conceding during the Hexagonal qualifiers, and the run was only ended by a Clint Dempsey( USA) penalty— that deflected in off the goalkeeper!

Aesthetically, though, Costa Rica

STRONGEST LINE-UP

Miller

Campbell

Navas

Tejeda Urena

Gonzalez

Ruiz

FORMATION: 4-4-2

DIaz

Gamboa

COSTA RICA FA INFO

Foundation year: 1921

WORLD CUP HISTORY Costa Rica have participatec at the FIFA World Cup three times previously. They appeared at the 1990, 2002 and 2006 finals, the latter being their worst record thus far as they finished 31st. In their debut appearance, Costa Rica reached the Round of 16

ROAD TO BRAZIL 2014 3RD ROUND

4TH ROUND

1ST ROUND FIXTURES

Date Venue Teams Time l14 / 06 Fortaleza URU vs COS 16:00 l19 / 06 Recife ITA vs COS 13:00 l 24 / 06 Belo COS vs ENG 13:00

KEY

MAN CHRISTIAN BOLANOS N AVA R R O: T h e s k i l f u l midfielder who plays on the right wing is a very skilled dribbler and fast player who usually run his markers ragged and make deadly crosses. Navarro also commands a very delicate kicking technique and is capable of shooting with both legs. He is also a decent freekick taker and is known to be a player who is capable of making the

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