COSTA RICA
How they qualified With a game to spare, even though they only won four of their last 10 matches in the final round. The key result was a 2-0 away victory against the United States as they came second only to Mexico in Concacaf qualifying. A good defensive record, conceding only eight goals in 10 games, helped.
Manager Oscar Ramirez. A veteran of Costa Rica’s 1990 World Cup campaign and a winner of five league titles as a manager. He had been Paulo Wanchope’s assistant with the national team before the former striker resigned after being involved in a brawl. Ramirez got the top job and prospered.
Player to watch Keylor Navas. One of the outstanding goalkeepers of the 2014 World Cup, when he only conceded two goals in five games, the Real Madrid shot-stopper may be his country’s greatest player. A second World Cup of defensive heroics would help cement his case to that title.
Talking point Can they repeat their form of 2014? Most of the surprise quarter-finalists are available again but some are very much in the autumn of their careers – Johnny Acosta and Christian Bolanos are both 34 while captain Bryan Ruiz turns 33 in August. Some others have struggled to replicate those exploits. Forward Joel Campbell has had an injury hit season while Ruiz has not been a regular starter for Sporting Lisbon. With only two players under 25 in the squad, Costa Rica benefit from experience and understanding, but lack young blood and are very reliant on the old guard. And some of them arguably played above their natural level four years ago.
Prediction The Costa Ricans started off as the outsiders in a group with three former winners, England, Italy and Uruguay, four years ago and won the pool before reaching the last eight for the first time. They will be underdogs again. With Brazil their second opponents, much seems to rest on the opening game against Serbia. Win that and Costa Rica could spring a surprise. Fail to, and they may be looking at a repeat of 2002 and 2006 instead, where they exited in the group stages. As their games can be low-scoring affairs, the margin between success and failure may be narrow.