CONCACAF · Central America
Costa Rica
Los Ticos — Giant Slayers
Costa Rica delivered football's greatest underdog story at the 2014 World Cup — topping a group containing Uruguay, Italy and England before reaching the quarter-finals against Netherlands. La Sele proved that organisation, belief, and an unbreakable goalkeeper can topple any giant on earth.
🎸Hey, I am Ace!
Hey! I'm Ace, and Costa Rica's story is one of my all-time favourite football tales! Imagine being put in a group with Uruguay, Italy and England at a World Cup — and then beating ALL of them! La Sele showed the world that with a brilliant goalkeeper, great organisation, and total belief, any team can be giant slayers. What an incredible journey!
Quick Facts
Nickname
La Sele (The Selection)
Confederation
CONCACAF (Central America)
Best World Cup Result
Quarter-final (1990, 2014)
Greatest Player
Keylor Navas — legendary goalkeeper
2014 Group Stage
Beat Uruguay, Italy AND England
First World Cup
1990 Italy (debut quarter-final!)
Discover Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a small Central American country nestled between Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south, with coastlines on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Despite its small size, Costa Rica is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth — containing over 5% of the world's biodiversity despite covering less than 0.03% of the planet's surface. Rainforests, cloud forests, active volcanoes, and pristine beaches all exist within this remarkable country.
Costa Rica is famous worldwide for being one of the most progressive and peaceful nations in the Americas. In 1948, it abolished its military — one of the few countries in the world to do so — and redirected that spending into education and healthcare. Today, Costa Rica has one of the highest literacy rates and life expectancies in Latin America. The country is also a global leader in renewable energy, regularly generating over 99% of its electricity from clean sources including hydropower, geothermal, and wind.
With a population of around 5 million people, Costa Rica is known as the "Switzerland of Central America" for its stability and prosperity. The country is a world leader in eco-tourism — visitors come from around the globe to see sloths, toucans, sea turtles, and jaguars in their natural habitat. The pura vida (pure life) philosophy — a relaxed, joyful approach to life — defines Costa Rican culture and makes it one of the happiest countries in the Americas.
Map of Costa Rica
🌍 Where in the World
Flag of Costa Rica
Costa Rica's flag features five horizontal bands — blue, white, red (double width), white, and blue — with the national coat of arms on the red band. The blue represents the sky and opportunities, white symbolises peace and wisdom, and red represents the warmth of the Costa Rican people.
La Sele — The World's Greatest Underdog Story
Costa Rica's very first World Cup appearance in 1990 was an immediate sensation. Making their debut in Italy, La Sele defeated Scotland and Sweden to advance from the group stage — and then won the Round of 16, defeating Czechoslovakia. A quarter-final defeat to Czechoslovakia ended the dream, but a statement had been made: this small Central American nation could compete with the world.
For over two decades, Costa Rica were reliable World Cup participants who rarely threatened to repeat the 1990 heroics. But in 2014, under coach Jorge Luis Pinto, everything came together in the most spectacular fashion.
Their group at Brazil 2014 was brutal — Uruguay (quarter-finalists in 2010), Italy (four-time world champions) and England. The bookmakers dismissed Costa Rica. And then Costa Rica beat Uruguay 3-1. Then they beat Italy 1-0. Then they beat England to top the group on nine points out of nine, without conceding a single goal.
The engine room of this miracle was goalkeeper Keylor Navas — an extraordinary, brave, and acrobatic keeper who saved penalty after penalty in the Round of 16 shootout against Greece. The Netherlands finally ended the dream on penalties in the quarter-finals, but Costa Rica had already written their chapter in football history. Navas went on to become Real Madrid's first-choice goalkeeper and win three Champions League titles.
Key Results
- 1990Quarter-final (debut!)
- 2002Group Stage
- 2006Group Stage
- 2014Quarter-final (legendary run)
- 2022Group Stage
2014
Costa Rica topped a group with Uruguay, Italy and England — one of the greatest World Cup group stage performances ever
✨ Did You Know?
1990 Debut Quarter-final
Costa Rica's very first World Cup appearance in 1990 ended in the quarter-finals — defeating Scotland and Sweden before beating Czechoslovakia in the Round of 16. Making it to the last eight on debut is one of football's most remarkable achievements for any nation.
The Group of Death — Won!
At the 2014 World Cup, Costa Rica were placed in a group with Uruguay, Italy and England — considered one of the toughest World Cup groups ever assembled. Most experts predicted they would finish bottom. Costa Rica won all three games, topping the group with a perfect nine points.
Keylor Navas — Real Madrid's No.1
Keylor Navas was so impressive at the 2014 World Cup that Real Madrid signed him. He went on to become one of the world's best goalkeepers, winning three consecutive Champions League titles with Real Madrid (2016, 2017, 2018). All of that started with his heroic performances for La Sele.
🌟 Famous Players
Costa Rica has produced players who have gone on to star at Europe's biggest clubs — with Keylor Navas as the nation's greatest ever export.
Keylor Navas
2008–presentCosta Rica's greatest ever player and one of the most decorated goalkeepers in football history. After heroic World Cup performances in 2014, he joined Real Madrid and won three consecutive Champions League titles. Known for extraordinary reflexes and unshakeable composure under pressure.
Paulo Wanchope
1996–2007Costa Rica's all-time leading scorer and the nation's first true star in world football. A tall, awkward, yet technically gifted striker who played for Derby County, Manchester City, and West Ham in England. Wanchope's 45 goals in 73 games is a phenomenal international record.
Bryan Ruiz
2005–2018The captain who led Costa Rica through their magical 2014 World Cup campaign. An elegant attacking midfielder who played for Fulham and PSV Eindhoven, Ruiz scored important goals and provided the leadership and technical quality central to Costa Rica's historic run.
Joel Campbell
2011–presentA dynamic forward who came through Arsenal's academy and became an important player for Costa Rica at the 2014 World Cup, scoring against Uruguay. Campbell has played across Europe and brings pace, skill, and directness to the Costa Rican attack.
Christian Bolaños
2006–2018A skilful winger who was one of Costa Rica's most consistent performers for over a decade. Bolaños provided the attacking creativity and width that helped unlock defences in the famous 2014 World Cup campaign and across multiple CONCACAF qualifying cycles.
Celso Borges
2009–presentThe engine of Costa Rica's midfield for over a decade. Borges combines intelligent pressing, defensive awareness, and technical quality in a way that has made him one of CONCACAF's most respected midfielders. His performances at the 2014 World Cup were outstanding.
📰 Recent Events
World Cup — Group Stage
Costa Rica qualified for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar via the intercontinental play-offs, defeating New Zealand. They ultimately exited in the group stage, but the qualification itself was a significant achievement for the Central American nation.
CONCACAF Nations League
Costa Rica competed in the CONCACAF Nations League, continuing their development under coaching staff and building towards the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with a new generation of players.
Copa América
Costa Rica competed in Copa América 2024 in the United States, testing themselves against South America's finest teams as part of their ongoing preparation for 2026 World Cup qualification.
2026 World Cup Qualification
With the 2026 World Cup hosted partly in the United States — and expanded to 48 teams — Costa Rica have a strong chance of qualification. A new generation of players hopes to capture even a fraction of the magic created by the 2014 squad.
Explore More Football Nations
Costa Rica's 2014 World Cup campaign is one of the greatest sporting achievements in Central American history — a small nation beating giants through organisation, belief, and the brilliance of Keylor Navas. With the 2026 World Cup expanding to 48 teams, La Sele is ready to dream again. Explore more football nations and their incredible stories.