Summary
The Costa Rica women's national football team (Spanish: Selección femenina de fútbol de Costa Rica) represents Costa Rica in women's international football. The national team is controlled by the governing body Costa Rican Football Federation. They are one of the top women's national football teams in the Central American region along with Guatemala and Panama.
 | |||
| Nickname(s) | Las Ticas La Sele (The Selection) La Tricolor (The Tricolor) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Association | Federación Costarricense de Fútbol (FCRF) | ||
| Confederation | CONCACAF (North America, Central America and the Caribbean) | ||
| Sub-confederation | Central American Football Union (Central America) | ||
| Head coach | Benito Rubido | ||
| Captain | Katherine Alvarado | ||
| Most caps | Katherine Alvarado (133) | ||
| Top scorer | Raquel Rodriguez (55) | ||
| Home stadium | Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica | ||
| FIFA code | CRC | ||
| |||
| FIFA ranking | |||
| Current | 44  1 (15 March 2024)[1] | ||
| Highest | 29 (June–December 2016) | ||
| Lowest | 50 (March 2007) | ||
| First international | |||
 Canada 6–0 Costa Rica  (Port-au-Prince, Haiti; 16 April 1991) | |||
| Biggest win | |||
 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0–19 Costa Rica (Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis; 4 December 2023) | |||
| Biggest defeat | |||
 Brazil 8–0 Costa Rica (Hershey, United States; 22 June 2000)  United States 8–0 Costa Rica (Louisville, United States; 25 June 2000) United States 8–0 Costa Rica (Pittsburgh, United States; 16 August 2015) | |||
| World Cup | |||
| Appearances | 2 (first in 2015) | ||
| Best result | Group stage (2015, 2023) | ||
| CONCACAF Championship | |||
| Appearances | 8 (first in 1991) | ||
| Best result | Runners-up (2014) | ||
Medal record | |||
Since 2010s, Costa Rica has emerged in women's football, and akin to their men's counterparts, its women's side is also visibly recognised as a stern and competitive opponent despite relative recent entrance to the big stage. In Costa Rica's first World Cup in 2015, despite being rated the weakest team in the group, Costa Rica shocked the tournament with two points by drawing against strong Spain and South Korea sides, and was only eliminated by a late goal from Brazil.[2][3][4]
History edit
The Costa Rican team just started to play an international match in 1990, when Central America was on struggle about developing women's football. The success of men's team helped the FCF to believe on the women's team. Their first tournament, was the 1991 CONCACAF Women's Championship when Costa Rica finished third and was out from the group stage.
Despite this, Costa Rica started gaining success in the 1998 CONCACAF Women's Championship and 1999 Pan American Games when Costa Rica won bronze both. But later, Costa Rica did not gain much successful achievement, as the national team was still on struggle under the shadow of men's team.
At the 2014 CONCACAF Women's Championship, Costa Rica surprisingly won silver, after losing 0–6 to the USA in the final. Their second-place finish secured them a spot in the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. This marked the first time Costa Rica would play in a FIFA Women's World Cup.
Costa Rica was drawn into a group with Brazil, South Korea and Spain for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. Costa Rica secured two shocking draws over Spain (1–1) and South Korea (2–2), but then lost 1–0 to Brazil and were eliminated in the group stage.[5]
At the 2018 CONCACAF Women's Championship, Costa Rica was hoping to once again qualify for the FIFA Women's World Cup. They won their first group match 8–0 over Cuba. However they lost their second match 1–0 to Jamaica in which they controversially had a goal disallowed in the second half.[6] Costa Rica would lose their final group match to Canada 3–1, elimating their chances of qualifying for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.[7]
Costa Rica has done much better in the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship, taking second place after wins over Panama and Trinidad and Tobago. Though unable to repeat the 2014 feat, only finished fourth in process, the win allowed Costa Rica to return to the Women's World Cup in 2023.
Team image edit
Nicknames edit
The Costa Rica women's national football team has been known or nicknamed as "La Sele (The Selection)" or "La Tricolor (The Tricolor)".
Home stadium edit
Costa Rica plays their home matches on the Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica.
Results and fixtures edit
The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
- Legend
Win Draw Loss Fixture
2023 edit
| 29 June CAC games group stage | Costa Rica | 0–4 |  Venezuela | Santa Tecla, El Salvador |
| 11:00 CST (UTC−6) | Report |
|
Stadium: Estadio Las Delicias Referee: Amairany García (Mexico) |
| 1 July CAC games group stage | Centro Caribe Sports  [a] | 2–1 | Costa Rica | Santa Tecla, El Salvador |
| 11:00 CST (UTC−6) |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Estadio Las Delicias Referee: Sandra Benítez (El Salvador) |
| 3 July CAC games group stage | Costa Rica | 2–0 |  Haiti | Santa Tecla, El Salvador |
| 14:00 CST (UTC−6) |
|
Report | Stadium: Estadio Las Delicias Referee: Neressa Goldson (Jamaica) |
| 15 July Friendly | South Africa  | 2–0 | Costa Rica | Christchurch, New Zealand |
|
Stadium: Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub |
| 21 July 2023 FIFA World Cup Group stage | Spain  | 3–0 | Costa Rica | Wellington, New Zealand |
| Report | Stadium: Wellington Regional Stadium Attendance: 22,966 Referee: Casey Reibelt (Australia) |
| 26 July 2023 FIFA World Cup Group stage | Japan  | 2–0 | Costa Rica | Dunedin, New Zealand |
Naomoto  25'Fujino 27' |
Report | Stadium: Forsyth Barr Stadium Attendance: 6,992 Referee: Maria Sole Ferrieri Caputi (Italy) |
| 31 July 2023 FIFA World Cup Group stage | Costa Rica | 1–3 |  Zambia | Hamilton, New Zealand |
| Report | Stadium: Waikato Stadium Referee: Bouchra Karboubi (Morocco) |
| 21 September 2023 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup qualification | Haiti | 1–0 | Costa Rica | Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) |
| 20:00 |
|
Report | Stadium: Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez Referee: Myriam Marcotte (Canada) |
| 25 September 2023 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup qualification | Costa Rica | 11–0 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | Alajuela |
| 21:00 (19:00 UTC−6) |
|
Report | Stadium: Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto Referee: Astrid Gramajo (Guatemala) |
| 22 October Pan American Games Group | Costa Rica | 0–0 |  Argentina | Viña del Mar, Chile |
| 20:00 PET (UTC−3) | Report | Stadium: Estadio Sausalito Referee: Priscila Vasquez (Peru) |
| 25 October 2023 Pan American Games | United States | 3–1 | Costa Rica | Valparaíso, Chile |
| 12:00 ET | Report |
|
Stadium: Estadio Elías Figueroa Brander Attendance: 300 Referee: Maria Belen Lupera Reto (ECU) |
| 28 October 2023 Pan American Games | Costa Rica | 0–0 |  Bolivia | Viña del Mar, Chile |
| 18:00 | Report | Stadium: Estadio Sausalito Referee: Stefani Escobar (Venezuela) |
| 31 October 2023 Pan American Games | Paraguay  | 3–1 | Costa Rica | Viña del Mar, Chile |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Estadio Sausalito Referee: Maria Belen Lupera Reto (Ecuador) |
| 30 November 2023 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup qualification | Costa Rica | 2–1 | Haiti |
| 4 December 2023 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup qualification | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 0–19 | Costa Rica |
2024 edit
| February 22 W Gold Cup Group C | Costa Rica | 0–1 | Paraguay | Houston, United States |
| Stadium: Shell Energy Stadium |
| February 25 W Gold Cup Group C | El Salvador  | 0–2 | Costa Rica | Houston, United States |
| Stadium: Shell Energy Stadium |
| February 28 W Gold Cup Group C | Canada | 3–0 | Costa Rica | Houston, United States |
| Stadium: Shell Energy Stadium |
| March 2 W Gold Cup QF | Canada | 1–0 (a.e.t.) | Costa Rica | Los Angeles, United States |
|
Report | Stadium: BMO Stadium Referee: Odette Hamilton (Jamaica) |
| 6 April Friendly | Costa Rica | 5–1 |  Peru | Alajuela, Costa Rica |
| 15:00 |
|
|
Stadium: Stade Alejandro Morera Soto |
| 9 April Friendly | Costa Rica | 2–1 | Peru | Alajuela, Costa Rica |
| 10:00 | Report | Flores 22' |
Stadium: FCRF Sports Complex |
| 16 July Friendly | United States | v | Costa Rica | Washington, D.C., United States |
| 19:30 ET | Stadium: Audi Field |
- See Also
- Costa Rica Results and Fixtures – Soccerway.com
- Costa Rica Results and Fixtures – FIFA.com
-
Coaching staff edit
Current coaching staff edit
| Name | Nat | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Benito Rubido [10] |
|
Head coach |
| Edgar Rodríguez |
|
Assistant coach |
| Patricia Aguilar |
|
Assistant coach |
| Eli Avila |
|
Goalkeeping coach |
| Bryan Mora |
|
Physical coach |
Manager history edit
| Name | Nat | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Jorge Álvarez |
|
1976 |
| Guillermo Soto |
|
1991 |
| Didier Castro |
|
1998-1999 |
| Luis Diego Castro |
|
2000 |
| Leroy Lewis |
|
2000 |
| Didier Castro |
|
2001 |
| Ricardo Rodríguez |
|
2002-2006 |
| Allan Brown |
|
2006 (interim) |
| Juan Diego Quesada |
|
2008 - 2009 |
| Randall Chacón |
|
2010 |
| Karla Alemán |
|
2011 - 2012 |
| José Luis Díaz |
|
2013 |
| Garabet Avedissian [11] | 
|
2014 |
| Amelia Valverde |
|
2015-2023 |
| Ana Patricia Aguilar |
|
2023 (interim) |
| Edgar Rodríguez |
|
2023 (interim) |
| Benito Rubido |
|
2023–Present |
Players edit
Up-to-date caps, goals, and statistics are not publicly available; therefore, caps and goals listed may be incorrect.
Current squad edit
- The following players were named for two Friendly game against
Peru on 6 and 9 April 2024 .[12]
Caps, goals, and players' numbers accurate as of 4 December 2023 after match vs.
Saint Kitts and Nevis.
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Noelia Bermúdez | 20 September 1994 | 30 | 0 | Alajuelense
| |
| GK | Dinnia Díaz | 14 January 1988 | 29 | 0 | Dimas Escazú
| |
| GK | Daniela Solera | 21 July 1997 | 25 | 0 |  Atlas
| |
| GK | Priscilla Tapia | 2 May 1991 | 16 | 0 | Saprissa
| |
| DF | María Elizondo | 30 November 1998 | 15 | 0 | Saprissa
| |
| DF | Valeria del Campo | 15 December 2000 | 14 | 0 | Monterrey
| |
| DF | Lixy Rodríguez | 4 November 1990 | 98 | 5 | León
| |
| DF | Stephannie Blanco | 13 December 2000 | 11 | 1 | Alajuelense
| |
| FW | Fabiola Villalobos | 13 March 1998 | 38 | 3 | Alajuelense
| |
| DF | Gabriela Guillén | 1 March 1992 | 83 | 2 | Alajuelense
| |
| DF | María José Morales (third captain) | 22 February 1996 | 6 | 1 | Saprissa
| |
| DF | Marilenis Oporta | 24 March 1998 | 3 | 0 | Alajuelense
| |
| MF | Emily Flores | 19 November 2001 | 3 | 0 | Sporting
| |
| MF | Yirlany Hernández | 0 | 0 | Saprissa FC
| ||
| MF | Gloriana Villalobos | 20 August 1999 | 76 | 10 | Saprissa
| |
| MF | Alexandra Pinell | 18 October 2002 | 7 | 0 | Alajuelense
| |
| MF | Emilie Valenciano | 15 February 1997 | 14 | 0 | Alajuelense
| |
| MF | Raquel Rodríguez (captain) | 18 October 1993 | 108 | 58 | Angel City FC
| |
| FW | Anyela Mesén | Alajuelense
| ||||
| FW | Julia García | Dimas Escazu
| ||||
| FW | Kelsey Arroyo | Saprissa FF
| ||||
| FW | María Figuero | Dimas Escazu
| ||||
| FW | Laura Vargas | puerto Viejo
| ||||
| FW | Cristel Sandí | 23 January 1998 | 8 | 1 | Dimas Escazú
| |
| FW | Melissa Herrera | 10 October 1996 | 94 | 20 | Tijuana
| |
| FW | María Paula Salas | 12 July 2002 | 37 | 8 | Atlas
| |
Recent call-ups edit
The following players have been called up to a Costa Rica squad in the past 12 months.
Notes:
- PRE: Preliminary roster
Previous squads edit
|
|
Records edit
- As of 21 February 2021
- Players in bold are still active, at least at club level.
Most capped players edit
|
Top goalscorers edit
|
Competitive record edit
FIFA Women's World Cup edit
| FIFA Women's World Cup record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Result | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | |
 1991 |
Did not qualify | |||||||
 1995 |
Did not enter | |||||||
| 1999 |
Did not qualify | |||||||
| 2003
| ||||||||
| 2007
| ||||||||
 2011
| ||||||||
| 2015 |
Group stage | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
 2019 |
Did not qualify | |||||||
  2023 |
Group stage | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 8 | |
| Total | Group stage | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 12 | |
- *Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
| FIFA Women's World Cup history | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Date | Opponent | Result | Stadium |
| 2015
|
Group stage | 9 June | Spain |
D 1–1 | Olympic Stadium, Montreal |
| 13 June |  South Korea |
D 2–2 | |||
| 17 June | Brazil |
L 0–1 | Moncton Stadium, Moncton | ||
| 2023
|
Group stage | 21 July | Spain |
L 0–3 | Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington |
| 26 July | Japan |
L 0–2 | Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin | ||
| 31 July | Zambia |
L 1–3 | Waikato Stadium, Hamilton | ||
Olympic Games edit
| Summer Olympics record | Qualifying record | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | |
| 1996 |
Did not enter | 1995 FIFA WWC | |||||||||||||
| 2000 |
Did not qualify | 1999 FIFA WWC | |||||||||||||
 2004
|
5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 11 | |||||||||
| 2008
|
6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 7 | |||||||||
 2012
|
8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 25 | 12 | |||||||||
| 2016
|
7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 22 | 10 | |||||||||
| 2020
|
6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 8 | |||||||||
 2024
|
9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 29 | 6 | |||||||||
| Total | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 41 | 25 | 1 | 15 | 110 | 54 | |
- *Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
CONCACAF Women's Championship edit
| CONCACAF Women's Championship record | Qualification record | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Result | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | |
| 1991 |
Group stage | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 11 | Invited | ||||||
| 1993 |
Did not enter | Did not enter | ||||||||||||
| 1994
| ||||||||||||||
| 1998 |
Third place | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 23 | 3 | |
| 2000 |
Group Stage | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 5 | |
| 2002 |
Fourth place | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 14 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 3 | |
| 2006 |
Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | |||||||
| 2010 |
Fourth place | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2014 |
Runners-up | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2018 |
Group stage | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 2 | |
| 2022 |
Fourth place | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | |
| Total | Runners-up | 34 | 15 | 1 | 18 | 53 | 80 | 24 | 20 | 1 | 3 | 118 | 17 | |
- *Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
CONCACAF W Gold Cup edit
| CONCACAF W Gold Cup record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Result | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA |
| 2024
|
Quarterfinals | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Total | 1/1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
- *Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
Pan American Games edit
| Pan American Games record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Result | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA |
| 1999
|
 Bronze medal |
6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 17 |
 2003
|
Group stage | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 2007
|
Did not enter | ||||||
| 2011
|
Group stage | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 |
| 2015
|
Group stage | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
 2019
|
Bronze medal |
5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 6 |
| Total | Bronze medal |
19 | 5 | 3 | 11 | 23 | 41 |
- *Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
Central American and Caribbean Games edit
| Central American and Caribbean Games record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Result | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | |
 2010 |
Did not enter | |||||||
| 2014
|
Bronze medal |
5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 5 | |
 2018
|
 Silver medal |
5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 5 | |
| 2022 |
To be determined | |||||||
| Total | Silver medal |
10 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 22 | 10 | |
- *Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
Central American Games edit
| Central American Games record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Result | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | |
 2001
|
 Gold medal |
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 3 | |
| 2013
|
Gold medal |
5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 1 | |
 2017
|
Gold medal |
5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 2 | |
| 2022 |
Cancelled | |||||||
| Total | Gold medal |
14 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 64 | 6 | |
- *Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
FIFA World Ranking edit
Last update was on June 25, 2021 Source:[13]
Best Ranking Worst Ranking Best Mover Worst Mover
| Costa Rica's FIFA World Ranking History
| ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Year | Best | Worst | |||||
| Rank | Move | Rank | Move | |||||
| 36 | 2021 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 35 | 2020 | 35 |  1 |
36 | 1
| |||
| 37 | 2019 | 36 | 1 |
38 | 1
| |||
| 37 | 2018 | 32 | 1 |
37 | 3
| |||
| 33 | 2017 | 30 | 1 |
33 | 1
| |||
| 29 | 2016 | 29 | 4 |
30 | 
| |||
| 34 | 2015 | 34 | 3 |
37 |
| |||
| 37 | 2014 | 37 | 3 |
40 |
| |||
| 40 | 2013 | 40 | |
40 |
| |||
| 40 | 2012 | 40 | 1 |
40 |
| |||
| 41 | 2011 | 41 | 3 |
44 | 2
| |||
| 41 | 2010 | 41 | 6 |
47 | 4
| |||
| 46 | 2009 | 46 | |
46 |
| |||
| 46 | 2008 | 45 | 3 |
48 | 1
| |||
| 48 | 2007 | 48 | 1 |
50 | 1
| |||
| 49 | 2006 | 46 | 2 |
49 | 1
| |||
| 46 | 2005 | 45 | |
46 | 1
| |||
| 45 | 2004 | 45 | 1 |
45 |
| |||
| 46 | 2003 | 45 | |
46 | 1
| |||
See also edit
- Sport in Costa Rica
- Football in Costa Rica
- Women's football in Costa Rica
- Football in Costa Rica
- Costa Rica women's national football team
- Costa Rica women's national football team results
- List of Costa Rica women's international footballers
- Costa Rica women's national under-20 football team
- Costa Rica women's national under-17 football team
- Costa Rica men's national football team
Notes edit
- ^ Due to the suspension of the Guatemalan Olympic Committee in 2022,[8] Guatemala is competing at the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games under the Centro Caribe Sports flag.[9]
References edit
- ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking". FIFA. 15 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ^ "Costa Rica draws with Spain 1–1 at FIFA Women's World Cup opening match in Canada". 10 June 2015.
- ^ "FIFA Women's World Cup: Costa Rica ties 2–2 with South Korea, makes it to second place in its group". 14 June 2015.
- ^ "Brazil eliminates Costa Rica in Women's World Cup". USA Today.
- ^ "COSTA RICA". Retrieved 13 October 2018.
- ^ "Jamaica stuns Costa Rica, controversially, to set up dramatic Group B finale". 8 October 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
- ^ "Jamaica advance to face USWNT, Canada eliminates Costa Rica". 11 October 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
- ^ Jensen Toussaint (18 October 2022). "Guatemala gets suspended by International Olympic Committee". Al Dia. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
- ^ Viana, Diego (20 June 2023). "Atletas de Guatemala no podrán representar a su país en Juegos San Salvador 2023". La Prensa (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 June 2023.
- ^ "Español Beni Rubido es el nuevo Director Técnico de la Selección Mayor Femenina - Federación Costarricense de Fútbol".
- ^ "Avedissian leaves Costa Rica women's post". concacaf.com. 5 January 2015. Archived from the original on 3 October 2015.
- ^ "Tricolor Femenina enfrentará fogueos ante Perú con 26 jugadoras". www.fcrf.cr (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 March 2024.
- ^ "Costa Rica in the FIFA World Ranking". Retrieved 26 July 2021.
External links edit
- Official website (in Spanish)
- Costa Rica profile at FIFA.com