Women’s World Cup 2023: Everything you need to know about Costa Rica

Costa Rica World Cup 2023 fixtures, betting odds and statistics

You can read all about Spain, Japan and Zambia by clicking on their names here.

How did Costa Rica qualify?

Costa Rica qualified via the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship. They finished second in their group, below Canada but above Trinidad & Tobago and Panama, before losing to the United States in the semi-finals. All four semi-finalists qualified for the World Cup.

Costa Rica’s major tournament record:

World Cup

Best World Cup result: Group stage- 2015.

CONCACAF W Championship

Best CONCACAF W Championship result: Runners-up- 2014.

Costa Rica at World Cup 2023

Will Costa Rica claim their very first World Cup win?

Eight years ago, los Ticas made their World Cup debut in Canada, holding Spain and Korea Republic to respectable draws, before a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Brazil ended their hopes of progression.

Four years later, the Costa Rican flag was not flying in France, after they were eliminated by Jamaica in qualifying.

This time though, following wins over St. Kitts & Nevis, U.S. Virgin Islands, Curaçao, Guatemala, Trinidad & Tobago and Panama, they will return to the world stage.

Since last summer’s run to the CONCACAF W Championship semi-finals, Amelia Valverde’s team have played 11 friendlies but have lost seven of them, their sole win coming against Philippines in San José.

Back in April, in a mini-European tour, Costa Rica were beaten 2-1 by Poland in Łódź and 4-0 by Scotland at Hampden, which isn’t a great sign, given that neither of those two qualified for the World Cup via UEFA.

Los Ticas begin their campaign Down Under by facing two of the world’s best, Spain and Japan, with their third match, taking on Zambia in Wellington, representing by far their best shot of that illusive maiden World Cup victory.

Costa Rica team news

Veteran Shirley Cruz has not been called up since last summer’s CONCACAF W Championship.

Costa Rica′s key players: Raquel Rodríguez

One of three midfielders in this squad with over 100 caps to her name, Raquel Rodríguez made her international debut 15 years ago.

She scored Costa Rica’s first-ever World Cup goal eight years ago, equalising against Spain in Montreal, mere moments after la Roja had broken the deadlock.

Rodríguez started all three matches at that tournament, and remains a key player to this day.

The 29 year old took her international goal haul to 50 earlier this year by netting against Poland in Łódź, making her, by some distance, her country’s leading scorer of all-time.

At club level, Rodríguez began her senior career in NWSL with Sky Blue FC, named rookie of the year in 2016, the only non-American player to ever win this award.

She then spent the 2017/18 season on loan at Australian outfit Perth Glory, before returning stateside and signing for Portland Thorns in January 2020.

With the Thorns, she won the Challenge Cup and NWSL Shield in 2021, before picking up the Championship title in 2022.

So far this year, Rodríguez has scored one goal for Portland, this coming in their only defeat of the year against Houston back in mid-May.

By some distance, Raquel Rodríguez is Costa Rica’s most talented player, so they’ll need her to be in top form this summer.

Costa Rica′s key players: Priscila Chinchilla

Alongside her in midfield will be 21 year old Priscila Chinchilla, who was just 13 year old when Costa Rica made their World Cup debut in Canada.

Since making her own international debut five years ago, she’s accumulated 40 caps, becoming a key figure, starting all nine CONCACAF W Championship matches en route to this tournament.

Chinchilla is a rare member of this team who plies their trade in Europe, joining Glasgow City from Alajuelense just before Christmas 2020.

During her time at City, she’s played in the Champions League and won two SWPL titles, scoring 13 goals this season as Glasgow retained the title in dramatic fashion on the final day.

In 2021/22, Chinchilla was named PFA Scotland player of the season, the inaugural year of the women’s award, so can she raise her own personal profile in New Zealand?

Costa Rica′s key players: Melissa Herrera

Just like the aforementioned Raquel Rodríguez, Melissa Herrera is hoping to score at two different World Cups.

In 2015, a teenager at the time, she broke the deadlock as Costa Rica held South Korea to a 2-2 draw at the Big O in Montreal.

That was her first-ever senior international goal, taking that tally to 20 in the intervening years, featuring in all five CONCACAF W Championship finals matches 12 months ago.

On the club side, Herrera has been playing in France since 2018, initially representing Stade de Reims before moving to Girondins de Bordeaux two years ago.

Bordeaux finished seventh in Division 1 Féminine this season, but Herrera struggled for minutes, with half of her 16 appearances, in league and cup, coming as a substitute, failing to score a single goal.

This means her most-recent goal for les Girondins came against Paris FC on 27 May 2022, which is far from ideal for a striker.

So, Herrera certainly does not come into this competition on top form, but still remains a key figure in Amelia Valverde’s team.

Costa Rica′s possible starting line-up for World Cup 2023

Costa Rica′s full squad for World Cup 2023

Goalkeepers

Defenders

Midfielders

Forwards

FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Group C table