Reaction: Costa Rica World Cup squad announced
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by Bobo
Costa Rica have never necessarily over or underachieved in any World Cup tournament thus far. They simply don't have the same levels of expectation brought upon them as the rest of the teams in the tournament. This, their second consecutive, is something they've never before achieved.
The main Costa Rican goalkeeper is Alvaro Mesen, who had previously been the team’s backup keeper at the 2002 World Cup. He has six Costa Rican Championships under his belt and played in the 2003 and 2005 Gold Cup. He has also taken part in a football related anti-child labour movement.
Defender general is Jervis Drummond. He was a champion at the 2004 UNCAF Cup, and has also played in the preliminary stages of the 1998 World Cup as well as in 2002. He has won the national championship three times with his club Saprissa.
Luis Marin has also won the UNCAF Championship three times, and has won his national league seven times with his team Alajuelense. He is another member of the squad who was available for selection at both the 1998 and 2002 Finals.
Michael Umana is a Major League player who has played for the Los Angeles Galaxy since 2005. He played during the 2004 Olympics and was within Costa Rica’s best XI. He is a solid, stocky defender who blocks shots continuously and perfectly.
Gilberto Martinez is one of the few Costa Rican players who makes his living in Italy, currently doing so with Brescia. His tackling is immensely skilful, and his back line patrol is one of the best examples for any team within this World Cup.
Danny Fonseca is an expert man-marker whose skills in leadership are not to be underestimated. Having played in the World Youth Championship in 1999, this is Fonseca’s first senior World Cup appearance.
Cristian Bolanos participated in the World Club Championship for Saprissa and was instantly noticed, scoring the winner against Sydney United in one of the most important matches in the tournament. Having nearly signed a deal at Liverpool F.C., Bolanos is the most talented and diverse player in the Costa Rican lineup.
Mauricio Solis has won four Costa Rican national championships, the first of which came in 1993, and has also played in two World Cups. He is most likely one of the greatest Costa Rican defenders of modern times, and fully deserves such an accolade.
Paulo Wanchope is one of the few Costa Rican players who most people can identify, either on the pitch, on the training ground, or in press conferences. He has also represented Costa Rica in basketball, but took up football where he entered the national side with ease. His most recent travelling exploits took him to the far reaches of Qatar, though he is currently back in his home country doing what he does best.
Walter Centeno is one of the most creative midfielders within the Costa Rican side, quashing the image of the direct, straight-to-goal approach of the team with which they have become so identified. Though he started his career with a lower-league side, Centeno is one of the most dedicated one-club men in the Costa Rican game, choosing to stick with his club Saprissa through thick and thin.
Ronald Gomez's most important moment came during the last World Cup, and is an image which most Costa Ricans will never want to forget. An acrobatic goal against the 1998 World Champions France showed his country and opposing countries precisely what he was made of. In the same model as Wanchope, he is quick, clinical, and has a deadly left foot.
Leonardo Gonzalez will be making his first appearances in the World Cup finals this time around, having made his debut in the warm-up stages for the last tournament, and having not earned a full international cap until November of the same year. An expert marker, Gonzalez had good years in both 2004 and 2005, and is looking to impress during this tournament.
Kurt Bernard has been the leading scorer in Costa Rica in the season just gone, and has the chance to take this cup by storm. If his domestic form translates to his country form, then we know we’re in for an impressive show from him. Bernard owns the most clinical eye for finishing in the whole of the team.
Randall Azofeifa is a fierce shot taker, and one of the most clinical finishers within the side, but is also blessed with the innate ability to just keep on going. With his skills in defence as well as his long range shooting, Azofeifa is one to watch in the upcoming tournament.
Harold Wallace is a veteran of the 2002 World Cup, where he played in all three games. Having just returned to fitness, Wallace will be looking to impress all comers, as a left-sided defender, and a midfielder who has sometimes been known to make blazing attacks.
Carlos Hernandez is able to move defences with the awesome power of his right foot. He was also a part of the team who reached the Quarter Finals of the 2004 Olympics, though this is his first senior World Cup campaign. He most recently won the 2004 CONCACAF championship with his team, Alajuelense.
Gabriel Badilla is another defender from the mighty power of Saprissa. He played for Costa Rica in the 2001 Under-17 championships, and his performances guided the team to a third-place finish at the World Championships. And having had a place in the national side since 2003, he is looking to be one of the main powers in this World Cup.
José Porras won a national championship as early as 1993 and has several cups under his belt. However, he had to wait until very recently until he got his national place, because of the retirement of Erick Lonnis. However, he played in the Under-20 World Championship in Saudi Arabia, which was to give him more than a fighting chance of gaining a place in the team.
Alvaro Saborío was the lead scorer in the domestic league in the 2003/04 season, and his form since then has simply carried through. He was joint top scorer of the FIFA World Championship, and carries his form to the national team.
Douglas Sequeira currently plays for newly set-up Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer, first played for his national team during the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship, and made his senior international debut in 2004, appearing 27 times since. Sequeira has spent much of his career abroad, first in the Netherlands, before moving to Germany, and finally (having spent four years at Saprissa) in America, for the most recently set-up two Major League franchises of Chivas and Salt Lake.
Victor Núñez is a Dominican-born player who on his debut performance for Costa Rica, brought about a penalty which brought the goal, which gave Costa Rica a memorable victory against South Korea. “El Mambo” was the domestic league’s top scorer of 2000/01.
Michael Rodríguez has currently got two international caps, and favours a role on the right hand side of the midfield. He first played in February in a game against Korea, but was also a part of the Under-23 squad at the 2004 Olympics.
Goalkeeper Wardy Alfaro made his first appearance against Korea in exactly the same match as Rodríguez, and made his name at Alajuelense during the side’s 2006 campaign.
Costa Rica will be looking to impress this time around, but do not have much of a previous record to draw upon. Once again players will be sought after if they make decent appearances for the team, but with a poor record, individual performances are the key to happy players.
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