Costa Rica National Team World Cup Betting
Los Ticos are the biggest underdogs at the 2022 World Cup. They are a whopping 45-1 to win Group E as they were placed in a group with titans Germany and Spain. However, Costa Rica has played the role of giant killer in the recent past, putting together a dazzling performance at the 2010 World Cup. They will need star goalkeeper Keylor Navas to come up big again if they are going to make an improbable run to the knockout rounds. We saw Costa Rica score an early goal against New Zealand and then park the bus in the Inter-continental Playoff, and that’s likely to be the formula in Qatar too.
Manager: Luis Fernando Suárez
Nicknames: The Selection, The Ticos
Confederation: CONCACAF (North, Central America & Caribbean)
FIFA Ranking: 31 (March 2022)
Costa Rica World Cup Betting Odds
To Win Group E: +4500
To Win 2022 World Cup: +55000
*Odds as of June 14, 2022
Costa Rica Group Stage Schedule
Spain vs. Costa Rica, Wednesday, November 23, 2022, 11 a.m. ET, at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha (FOX)
Japan vs. Costa Rica, Sunday, November 27, 2022, 5 a.m. ET, at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan (FS1)
Costa Rica vs. Germany, Thursday, December 1, 2022, 2 p.m. ET, at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor (FS1)
History at the World Cup
Appearances: 5 (first in 1990)
Best Result: Quarter-finals (2014)
We have seen Costa Rica have a surprising amount of success at the World Cup for a country of its size. Los Ticos didn’t qualify for the World Cup until 1990, but they immediately proved that they belonged with a 1-0 win over Scotland in their first match. They fell 1-0 to Brazil in their second game, but they bested Sweden with a spot in the knockout rounds on the line to make the Round of 16. Costa Rica was picked apart 4-1 by Czechoslovakia in that match, yet it was a solid first run.
The next time that Costa Rica made the World Cup came in 2002. Los Ticos knocked off China and drew Turkey, but a three-goal loss to Brazil in their final match meant that Costa Rica was unable to advance due to goal differential. They had a tough go of it at the 2006 World Cup too, losing their three matches by a combined tally of 9-3.
Costa Rica was placed in the Group of Death at the 2014 World Cup. No one expected this team to make it out of the Group Stage as they were massive underdogs to Uruguay, Italy, and England, but they shocked the world by topping the table. Los Ticos used three second half goals to beat Uruguay 3-1 in their first match and then stunned Italy 1-0. A scoreless draw against England was enough to lock down the group, and they withstood a late charge from Greece to win in penalties and move on to the quarterfinals. They had an opportunity to advance to the semifinals after a scoreless 120 minutes against the Netherlands, but they lost in penalties this time.
What to Watch
Keylor Navas was a nominee for the Golden Glove at the 2014 World Cup, and he arguably should have won the honor over Manuel Neuer for his performance in leading Costa Rica to the quarterfinals. Navas has spent the last eight years playing for two of the best club teams in the world in Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, and he is the star of this team although he will turn 36 during the competition.
There are three players that have over 100 caps and 20 goals for Costa Rica. Joel Campbell is the most talented of the bunch with 23 goals in 109 appearances as captain Bryan Ruiz is now past his prime. Ruiz will turn 37 in August and has 28 goals in 137 appearances. He plays on a domestic team with Celso Borges who has 24 goals in 145 matches.
Most of the players on Costa Rica play club football for either Alajuelense or Herediano domestically. The exception is in the back line as veteran defenders Oscar Duarte and Bryan Oviedo still ply their trade in Europe. Those are the two best back line players on the roster, and they are the lynchpins of the defense.
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