Copa America 2024 Team Previews: Costa Rica

Copa America 2024 Team Previews: Costa Rica

The 2024 Copa America begins on June 20th in the U.S., with 10 CONMEBOL and six CONCACAF teams set to compete in the tournament. Over the next couple of weeks, we will preview every team playing in the competition. Next up is Costa Rica.

Despite having strong teams in the past, Costa Rica has struggled in international tournaments of late. While they have been to the last three World Cups, they last got out of the group in 2014. In the CONCACAF Gold Cup, they have not advanced past the quarterfinals since 2017. They also missed out on the 2023-24 CONCACAF Nations League Finals after getting smoked 6-1 on aggregate by Panama. Costa Rica is the definition of an underdog story heading into this summer’s Copa, but that might suit them well as they look to wreak havoc in a group consisting of Brazil, Colombia and Paraguay.

Copa America Appearances

This will be Costa Rica’s 6th Copa America appearance. As a CONCACAF team, however, they are not always invited to participate. Los Ticos’s first Copa America appearance came in 1997.

Best Finish in Copa America

Costa Rica reached the quarterfinals of the 2001 and 2004 Copa Americas. These two showings were the only time Los Ticos made it out of the group stage.

Key Players

Joel Campbell (Alajuelense) is Costa Rica’s most experienced player. The 31-year-old forward has 139 caps with the national team and enjoyed a career in Europe and Mexico before returning to his home country in 2023. His experience and attacking ability will be needed if Costa Rica wants to make a shock return to the knockout stage, especially with Los Ticos having the youngest squad in the tournament.

Along with Campbell, Ariel Lassiter (CF Montréal), Francisco Calvo (Juárez) and Brandon Aguilera (Bristol City) will also be valuable members of Los Ticos.

Manager

Yet another Argentine manager at this summer’s Copa, Gustavo Alfaro will be Costa Rica’s head coach. Before taking the Costa Rican job in 2023, he was Ecuador’s head coach during the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He also managed multiple teams in Argentina and Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia at the club level.

Biggest Game — vs Colombia on June 28

Costa Rica realistically will not beat Brazil in its Group D opener. While Paraguay is on paper the best opportunity for Los Ticos to pick up points, that game does not happen until matchday three. Costa Rica cannot wait until their final group stage game to pick up points if they want to advance out of the group, so they will need to get a positive result in its matchup against Colombia. This is easier said than done, but in a group that also includes Brazil, the Costa Ricans are going to need to shock the Colombians.

Prediction

I do not see Costa Rica advancing out of Group D. In fact, I think it is likely that they will finish bottom of the group. A challenging Copa America awaits Los Ticos.

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