Short name:
CRC
Middle size name:
Costa Rica
Costa Rica are no strangers to shaking higher-ranked opponents, as they reached the quarter-finals in 2014 after topping a pool which featured Uruguay, Italy and England. Los Ticos started slowly in qualifying for Qatar but an eight-game unbeaten run contained seven wins.
Having failed to win a game in Russia four years ago, the Costa Rica World Cup 2022 odds point to a similar scenario occurring with Germany, Spain and Japan also in Group E.
Luis Fernando Suarez’s side are the overwhelming outsiders to progress to the knockout stage, with Japan the realistic game they could get something from.
Captain Bryan Ruiz is now 36, PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas a year younger while Joel Campbell, once of Arsenal, is their biggest threat in attack at the age of 30.
Goalkeepers: Keylor Navas (PSG), Esteban Alvarado (Herediano), 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), Ronald Matarrita (Cincinnati)
Midfielders: Yeltsin Tejeda (Herediano), Celso Borges (Alajuelense), Youstin Salas (Saprissa), Roan Wilson (Grecia), Gerson Torres (Herediano), Douglas Lopez (Herediano), Jewison Bennette (Sunderland), Alvaro Zamora (Saprissa), Anthony Hernandez (Puntarenas), Brandon Aguilera (Nottingham Forest), Bryan Ruiz (Alajuelense)
Forwards: Joel Campbell (Leon), Anthony Contreras (Herediano), Johan Venegas (Alajuelense)
