Costa Rica’s coach has handed in his final 23-man squad that will head to Brazil for the World Cup 2014 games starting June 12.
Joel Campbell and Bryan Ruiz are the main stars.
Campbell’s potential was spotted early by Arsenal, but he spent the 2013/14 campaign impressing at Olympiakos.
Ruiz has spent three years at Fulham, but he was loaned out to PSV Eindhoven in January and will be expected to make a permanent move when the transfer window re-opens following the Cottagers’ relegation into the Championship.
While the pair have issues to resolve regarding their futures at club level, international matters are of greater concern at present.
Costa Rica face a tough task among football’s elite in Brazil, having been placed in Group D alongside England, Italy and Uruguay.
They’re definitely huge underdogs and are expected struggle in the first round of play, and unlikely to repeat the feat of 1990, advancing to the next level.
Costa Rica squad for the 2014 World Cup:
Goalkeepers: Keilor Navas (Levante), Patrick Pemberton (Alajuelense), Daniel Cambronero (Herediano)
Defence: Johnny Acosta (Alajuelense), Giancarlo Gonzalez (Columbus Crew), Michael Umaña (Saprissa), Oscar Duarte (Club Bruges), Waylon Francis (Columbus Crew), Heiner Mora (Saprissa), Junior Diaz (Mainz 05), Cristian Gamboa (Rosenborg), Roy Miller (New York Red Bulls)
Midfielders: Celso Borges (AIK Stockholm), Christian Bolanos (FC Copenhagen), Oscar Esteban Granados (Herediano), Michael Barrantes (Aalesund), Yeltsin Tejeda (Saprissa), Diego Calvo (Valerenga Oslo), Jose Miguel Cubero (Herediano)
Forwards: Bryan Ruiz (PSV Eindhoven), Joel Campbell (Arsenal/Olympiakos), Randall Brenes (Cartagines), Marco Urena (FC Kuban Krasnodar)
