Costa Rica

THE BOSS LUIS FERNANDEZ SUAREZ

LED Ecuador to the knockouts in 2006 — where they were beaten by England — and managed Honduras in 2014. Settled Costa Rica impressively after overseeing a bad start to the qualifiers.

THE BIG STAR JOEL CAMPBELL FORMER Arsenal attacker is now 30 and playing in Mexico. Still a key figure in the No 10 role, though his best days are probably behind him.

THE RISING STAR JEWISON BENNETTE

SUNDERLAND winger will play to the left of Campbell and at 18 there are high hopes he will have a breakthrough tournament in a difficult group.

FORM ENCOURAGING

BEAT New Zealand to qualify after finishing behind Canada, Mexico and USA but won’t be short of confidence after one defeat in 12 games in 2022, winning nine.

KEOWN’S VERDICT

COSTA RICA a team in a transitional period, still reliant on senior players such as 37-year-old Bryan Ruiz and 34-year-old Celso Borges from the 2014 tournament, when they finished above England in the group stage and went all the way to the quarter-finals. They won seven of their last eight games to qualify, including a playoff against 10-man New Zealand, though Costa Rica still only managed 33 per cent possession in that match.