by Jorge Ceron (26/6/23)
Above: Costa Rica celebrate their World Cup qualification. Photo: Periódico Diez.
After missing out on France 2019, Costa Rica are back for this year’s World Cup and are out to ensure that their second tournament is even more memorable than their first.
Squad
At the time of writing, Costa Rica have named preliminary list of 30 players. Most of the squad are from the local league. However, there are three players in the Mexican league, one in the American league and two more play in Europe. Star striker Priscila Chinchilla with Scottish champions Glasgow City and Melisa Herreira is with Bordeaux in France. Additionally, Génesis Pérez is with an American university.
Goalkeepers: Priscila Tapia (Saprissa), Daniela Solera (Sporting), Noelia Bermúdez (Alajuelense), Génesis Pérez (University of Central Florida, USA).
Defenders: Mariana Benavides (Saprissa), María Paula Elizondo (Saprissa), Daniela Cruz (Atlas, México), Lixi Rodríguez (Libre), Valeria del Campo (Monterrey, México), María Paula Porras (Sporting), Yesmi Rodríguez, (Sporting), Fabiola Villalobos (Alajuelense), María Paula Coto (Alajuelense), Gabriela Guillén (Alajuelense).
Midfielders: Katherine Alvarado (Saprisssa), Mariela Campos (Saprissa), Gloriana Villalobos (Saprissa), Emilie Valenciano (Libre), Melisa Herrera (Bordeaux, France), Cristin Granados (Sporting), Yerling Ovares (Sporting), Emily Flores (Sporting), Alexandra Pinell (Alajuelense) Sheika Scott (Alajuelense), Raquel Rodríguez (Portland, USA).
Forwards: Catalina Estrada (Saprissa), Priscila Chinchilla (Glasgow City), Carolina Venegas (Libre), Sofía Varela (Libre), María Paula Salas (Monterrey, México).
Head Coach
Amelia Valverde. A 36-year-old Costa Rican who has guided her country in both of their World Cup campaigns. In her career as a player, she played in the popular teams of Herediano and Saprissa, with her country’s team she was part of one of the only two times that Costa Rica qualified for the U17 World Cup. She represented her nation in the 2008 tournament.
In 2011 she began her career as a coach, and four years later she had the opportunity to lead her country’s national team, replacing Carlos Garabet. Valverde coached Costa Rica for its historic debut in the women’s World Cup. A couple of medals in the Central American games, and a medal in the Pan American games are some of her achievements in addition to a second World Cup qualification.
World Cup Record
Costa Rica’s sole previous appearance was in Canada 2015. Drawn in a group with Spain, Brazil, and South Korea, three defeats were expected, but the outcome was very different.
The Central Americans achieved a draw with Spain with their historic first goal at the tournament coming from Raquel Rodriguez. They also obtained a point against South Korea, with an equalising goal from Gloriana Villalobos a minute before the end. This meant that they went into their final group game with Brazil with qualification for the knockout stages alive. In the end they went down by just a single goal to nil.
How they qualified
Finishing fourth at the CONCACAF Women’s Championship was enough for Costa Rica to celebrate their return to the World Cup. They finished second in their group with victories over both Trinidad and Tobago and Panama, plus defeat to Canada before going down 3-0 to the USA in the semi-finals.
Strengths
The technical direction of Amelia Valverde. She knows all the strengths and weaknesses of her team – one that she has led for the last eight years, including an impressive World Cup debut. This experience will be passed on to her younger players.
Development Areas
With the majority of their team based in the domestic Costa Rican league, big-game experience against the top players and teams is limited.
Key Player
Priscila Chinchilla, the 21-year-old striker, has just had the best season of her very young career. Named player of the year 2022 in Scotland with champions Glasgow City, Chinchilla is a powerful striker with a real presence in the box. A born goalscorer, she will give defences a great deal to think about.
Success would be
Clearly, a qualification to the second round would be a success, but it is something that looks very complicated. The Central Americans have a difficult group. They face Spain, Japan, and Zambia. Getting a point from either Spain or Japan would be a triumph. Their encounter with Zambia offers an opportunity to gain a historic first win at the World Cup, but that wouldn’t be enough for a second-round place.
Prediction
Third place in the group.
Group C Fixtures
21st July – Spain, Sky Stadium, Wellington.
26th July – Japan, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dundein.
31st July – Zambia, Waikato Stadium, Hamilton.
To read the other World Cup nation previews published so far, click on this link: https://impetusfootball.org/international-football/
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