The World Cup atmosphere is heating up in Costa Rica. For Ticos, it’s the most wonderful time of the year; time to sit back, wear the red shirt, and cheer on the National Team until the last minute. The entire country is ready to unite and pray for another historic feat, just like the one in 2014.
Yesterday was a crucial and long-awaited day for Costa Ricans. Coach Luis Fernando Suarez announced the squad that would be flying to Qatar. The coach publicized it at 9 am at the Scotiabank Arena of the FCRF-Plycem Sports Complex. The President of the Soccer Federation, Rodolfo Villalobos, also participated.
The press conference began as Ticos glanced at their phones, joining live streams or watching the news.
“It was very difficult to make a list because there are more than 26 eligible players. We value many things, such as what we need for each match or the current situation of each one… I see in all of them the capacity, dedication, and character to respond to such high demand,” the coach said.
Seconds after the list was posted on social media, eager Costa Ricans flooded posts with comments. Some were surprised to see specific names there, others couldn’t believe players were missing, and some just wanted to show their support.
Meanwhile, Suarez praised his group and explained some decisions made by the staff.
“I see this group is focused; I also see a continuous improvement since we started, professionalism, dedication to a country, intelligence, and leadership. And I could go on much longer talking about the qualities that made me fall in love with this group of players,” he added.
The Federation’s leader informed us that almost all the tickets for the farewell match against Nigeria, including a series of additional events, are already sold out. Thus, the Sele will travel to the World Cup adventure with the warmth of a packed stadium.
“I want to thank the coaching staff and all the people who allowed us to get here, giving the expected list of players who will represent us in the World Cup. The selection of the players is and will always be the exclusive responsibility of the coach; we have full confidence in the deep analysis that was made for this choice,” Villalobos said.
At the National Stadium, thousands were enjoying the World Cup Trophy Tour. Costa Ricans enjoyed many fun activities throughout the different areas, such as soccer challenges and photo and video stations that referred to the emotions generated by an event as big as the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
‘Los Ticos’ are just waiting to send off ‘La Sele’ in a way only they can. The World Cup fever is on, and over five million people are ready to support their beloved National Team until the last moment.
