The Costa Rican men’s soccer team’s new manager has arrived in the country with his sights on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
“Very happy to be here, with great enthusiasm and desire to reach a World Cup again,” Luis Fernando Suárez told reporters upon his arrival at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) on Thursday.
Suárez toured the fields, the dressing room area, the weight gym, the futsal gym and the other facilities at the Fedefútbol Plycem Sports Complex before his official introduction during a Friday press conference.
“It is a dream to return to a World Cup,” said the manager, who has previously led Honduras (2014) and Ecuador (2006) to the premier international tournament.
“There is a defined objective for which we have already started to do the work,” he added.
The first challenge for the new helmsman will be the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which will begin on July 10. In that tournament, the Ticos will face Suriname, Jamaica and a rival yet to be defined in the group stage.
In September, World Cup qualifying will begin, with the schedule as follows:
- September 2021: Costa Rica at Panama, home vs. Mexico, and home vs. Jamaica.
- October 2021: Costa Rica at Honduras, home vs. El Salvador, and at the United States.
- November 2021: Costa Rica at Canada, and home vs. Honduras.
- January 2022: Costa Rica home vs. Panama, at Mexico, and at Jamaica.
- March 2022: Costa Rica home vs. Canada, at El Salvador, and home vs. the United States.
The Colombian is replacing Ronald González, who was dismissed after accumulating 11 winless games with La Sele.
