The lowest ranked team in their group by FIFA, Costa Rica should logically suffer elimination in the first round.
But carried by their star goalkeeper Keylor Navas, the Costa Ricans have everything to gain, as in 2014 when they surprised everyone by reaching the quarter-finals in Brazil.
Too bad for them that they find themselves in such a raised hen.
The story
Since its first participation in 1958, Costa Rica has only passed the first round once, in 2014.
Team form
Costa Rica remains on 4 games without defeat, and was offered at the beginning of the year Canada and the United States during the Qualifying for the World Cup.
Two solid wins against tougher teams than most of Costa Rica's neighbors in Central America.
Recently, the Costa Ricans won against Uzbekistan (1-2) after bringing back a draw from South Korea in numerical inferiority (2-2).
Player to watch: Jewison Bennette
Costa Rican Jewison Bennette celebrates his goal against South Korea during their match in Seoul on November 4, 2022.
At only 18 years old, Jewison Bennette represents the future of his selection.
The left winger joined Sunderland in the summer and has already scored one goal in just two games.
With Costa Rica, he became the youngest player to step on the lawn in selection at 17 years old.
His precocity and his talent make Sunderland observers say that they have potentially got their hands on a "star" in the making.
The list of 26 players
Few surprises in the list announced by Luis Fernando Suarez.
PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas is obviously there despite his low playing time with Paris this season.
He will be captain and holder in the cages of the "Sele".
The coach of Costa Rica has chosen to take 26 players to Qatar.
Goalkeepers:
Keylor Navas, Esteban Alvarado and Patrick Sequeira.
Defenders:
Francisco Calvo, Juan Pablo Vargas, Kendall Waston, Óscar Duarte, Daniel Chacón, Keysher Fuller, Carlos Martínez, Bryan Oviedo and Ronald Matarrita.
Midfielders:
Yeltsin Tejeda, Celso Borges, Youstin Salas, Roan Wilson, Gerson Torres, Douglas López, Jewison Bennette, Alvaro Zamora, Anthony Hernández, Brandon Aguilera and Bryan Ruiz.
Attackers:
Joel Campbell, Anthony Contreras and Johan Venegas.
The typical team
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Always guarded by its star Keylor Navas, the goal of Costa Rica has a last bastion of renown, even if it is now more used to sitting on the bench of Paris Saint-Germain.
He remains the main executive of this team, just like Joel Campbell, Celso Borges or Oscar Duarte, all present in Brazil in 2014.
Costa Rica's diary