The Ticos will be the only team in mighty Group D not ranked among the top 10 in the world. Costa Rica begins its World Cup campaign against 7th-ranked Uruguay on June 14, followed by 9th-ranked Italy on June 20 and finally 10th-ranked England on June 24.
It's a relatively minor procedure, but with the surgery so close to the start of the World Cup it'll come down to the wire whether Suarez is ready for the team's opener -- which is against Costa Rica on June 14.
Italy go to the World Cup finals looking to equal the record of hosts Brazil and lift the trophy for a fifth time.
With the first Group D game against England and tricky encounters with Uruguay and Costa Rica to follow, Coach Cesare Prandelli still has tough decisions to make.
Having landed themselves a nightmare group at the World Cup, Costa Rica hopes a blend of tactical stability and technical effervescence will enable them to pull off a shock in Brazil.
FIFA President Joseph Blatter probably figured he'd be hearing this question from the press during his visit to Costa Rica on Thursday. And when the time came answer it Blatter turned toward the head of the Costa Rican Football Federation, and smirked.
The clash between President José Mujica and a football association could lead to FIFA removing Uruguay from the World Cup if the organization sees Mujica's decision as "interference in football affairs," according to leading newspapers El País and El Observador in Uruguay.
Costa Rica takes on Paraguay in a crucial World Cup warm-up at 8 p.m. at San José's National Stadium. But before that match could even begin, the three other teams in Costa Rica's World Cup group completed their friendlies today.
