Team profile: Costa Rica
‘Los Ticos’ arrive at their third World Cup, but had a dreadful away record during their qualifying campaign. They only managed wins on the road against Panama and Canada so the test in Germany is likely to be a stern one.
Published On 5 Jun 2006
FIFA Ranking: 26
Coach: Alexandre Guimaraes
Key players: Paulo Wanchope, Danny Fonseca, Ronald Gomez
World Cup record: Third appearance
Best Finish: Second Round 1990
Last appearance: First Round 2002
Qualifying route: Third in CONCACAF’s final group.
Key question: Can Costa Rica’s ageing stars lift their side to the required standard?
Squad:
| Goalkeepers | # |
| Alvaro Mesen | 1 |
| Jose Porras | 18 |
| Wardy Alfaro | 23 |
| Defenders | |
| Jervis Drummond | 2 |
| Luis Marin | 3 |
| Michael Umana | 4 |
| Gilberto Martinez | 5 |
| Leonardo Gonzalez | 12 |
| Harold Wallace | 15 |
| Gabriel Badilla | 17 |
| Michael Rodriguez | 22 |
| Midfielders | |
| Danny Fonseca | 6 |
| Christian Bolanos | 7 |
| Mauricio Solis | 8 |
| Walter Centeno | 10 |
| Randall Azofeifa | 14 |
| Carlos Hernandez | 16 |
| Douglas Sequeira | 20 |
| Forwards | |
| Paulo Wanchope | 9 |
| Ronald Gomez | 11 |
| Kurt Bernard | 13 |
| Alvaro Saborio | 19 |
| Victor Nunez | 21 |
Group matches:
v Germany, 16:00 GMT, Friday 9th June – Munich
v Ecuador, 13:00 GMT, Thursday 15th June – Hamburg
v Poland, 14:00 GMT, Tuesday 20th June – Hanover