Grouped with Spain, Germany and Japan, can Costa Rica conjure the magic of 2014 with an experienced core giving it one more run?
Costa Rica got off to quite a tumultuous start to its World Cup qualifying campaign in the Concacaf octagonal, going winless in its first four matches. After just one win from seven matches (half of the qualifying campaign), Los Ticos didn’t lose again in qualifying, collecting 19 of a possible 21 points to finish fourth in the table. Costa Rica then survived a tense intercontinental playoff against Oceania representative New Zealand in June to book a return trip to Qatar.