Costa Rica national football team

Costa Rica national football team. The team, known as La Sele or Los Ticos, is governed by the Federación Costarricense de Fútbol and represents Costa Rica in international football. A consistent force within the CONCACAF region, the team has qualified for six FIFA World Cup finals, with its most celebrated achievement being a run to the quarter-finals at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. The side plays its home matches primarily at the Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica in San José, Costa Rica.

History

The national team played its first official match in 1921 against El Salvador. Early international success came in regional tournaments, with Costa Rica winning the inaugural CCCF Championship in 1941. The team's rise in CONCACAF was cemented by winning the 1963 CONCACAF Championship on home soil, a feat repeated in 1969 and 1989. A historic milestone was reached at the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy, where a squad coached by Bora Milutinović and featuring stars like Hernán Medford and Juan Cayasso advanced to the round of 16. The golden generation of the 2010s, under managers Jorge Luis Pinto and Óscar Ramírez, achieved legendary status by topping a group containing Italy, England, and Uruguay at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, eventually losing to the Netherlands in a penalty shootout in the quarter-finals. Subsequent qualifications for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments in Russia and Qatar have solidified their status as a perennial World Cup participant.

Team image

The traditional home kit features a iconic red shirt, blue shorts, and red socks, reflecting the colors of the national flag. The team's nickname, **Los Ticos**, is a colloquial term for Costa Ricans. Their playing identity has often been characterized by organized defending, tactical discipline, and rapid counter-attacks, as exemplified during the 2014 World Cup campaign. Key historical kits include the designs by Lotto and current supplier New Balance. The passionate home support, known as **La Selección**, creates a formidable atmosphere at the Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica, a venue that also hosted matches during the 2014 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.

Results and fixtures

Recent competitive cycles have seen Costa Rica regularly contest the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualification, known as the Hexagonal. Notable recent results include a 1-0 victory over Japan at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The team consistently participates in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, reaching the quarter-finals in the 2023 edition before losing to Mexico. Upcoming fixtures typically include friendlies against CONMEBOL opponents and crucial CONCACAF Nations League matches, a competition where they finished as runners-up to the United States in the 2022 finals.

Players

The current squad is a mix of experienced veterans from the 2014 era and a new generation of talent. The team's iconic figure is captain and goalkeeper Keylor Navas, a three-time UEFA Champions League winner with Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain. The midfield has long been anchored by the nation's most-capped player, Celso Borges. Other key veterans include defender Óscar Duarte and forward Joel Campbell. Emerging talents such as Jewison Bennette of Sunderland and Anthony Contreras are seen as crucial for the future. Historical legends include all-time top scorer Rolando Fonseca, playmaker Walter Centeno, and striker Paulo Wanchope.

Honours

Costa Rica's trophy cabinet includes three major continental titles. The team were champions of the CONCACAF region by winning the 1963 CONCACAF Championship, the 1969 CONCACAF Championship, and the 1989 CONCACAF Championship. They have also been runners-up in the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2002, losing to the United States. The team won the now-defunct CCCF Championship in 1941, 1946, 1948, 1953, 1955, 1960, and 1961. Their greatest honor= 1960-11 1960-1961, 1960-1960-1960-1960-1960-1960-1960-1960-1960-1960-1961-1960-1960-1960-1960-1960-1960-1960-1960-1960-1960-1960-1960-1960-1960-1960-1960-1960-0-

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