Costa Rica put faith in veterans for World Cup
Costa Rica head coach Luis Fernando Suarez entrusted veterans Keylor Navas, Bryan Ruiz, Joel Campbell and Oscar Duarte to lead their challenge at the Qatar World Cup as he named his 26-man selection for the tournament on Thursday.
The tournament will be the quartet’s third World Cup finals appearance, with Suarez also including the likes of Francisco Calvo, Yeltsin Tejeda and Kendall Waston.
There was also a place for young Sunderland striker Jewison Bennette who opened his international account with two goals against South Korea in September.
“It was very difficult (to make the list) because there are not only 26 players eligible to be in Qatar, we asked ourselves more questions about what we needed for the games, the current situation of each of them,” Suarez told reporters.
“(It is) a group that is focused on what it wants, has a lot of desire, a continuous improvement since we started.”
Costa Rica, who failed to make it out of their group in Russia four years, are drawn in group E alongside Spain, Japan and Germany.
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They play friendlies against Nigeria and Iraq on 9 and 17 November, respectively, before kicking off their campaign against former world champions Spain on 23 November.
SQUAD:
Goalkeepers: Keylor Navas (Paris St Germain), Esteban Alvarado (Herediano), Patrick Sequeira (CD Lugo)
Defenders: Francisco Calvo (Konyaspor), Juan Pablo Vargas(Millonarios FC), Kendall Waston (Saprissa), Oscar Duarte (Al-Wehda), Daniel Chacon (Colorado Rapids), Keysher Fuller (Herediano), Carlos Martinez (San Carlos), Bryan Oviedo (Real Salt Lake), Ronald Matarrita (Cincinnati)
Midfielders: Yeltsin Tejeda (Herediano), Celso Borges (Alajuelense), Youstin Salas (Saprissa), Roan Wilson (Grecia), Gerson Torres (Herediano), Douglas Lopez (Herediano) Jewisson Bennette (Sunderland), Alvaro Zamora (Saprissa), Anthony Hernandez (Puntarenas FC), Brandon Aguilera (Nottingham Forest), Bryan Ruiz (Alajuelense)
Forwards: Joel Campbell (Leon), Anthony Contreras (Herediano) Johan Venegas (Alajuelense)