The 2017 edition will be Costa Rica’s tenth appearance at the U-17 World Cup with their golden run coming between 2001 and 2007, when they reached the knockout stage four times. They failed to qualify for 2011 and 2013 but in the last edition in 2015, they eliminated France in round of 16 before bowing out to Belgium in the quarter-finals. ‘Los Ticos’ cruised through the all qualification for the 2017 CONCACAF U-17 Championship where they finished among the top-four teams to advance to the finals.
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KNOW THE COACH: Breansse Camacho
An assistant to Argentine Marcelo Herrera during the 2015 event, he took the reins of his country’s U-17 side in 2016. Camacho has held numerous roles as assistant and coach in the various Costa Rican youth sides, notably heading to the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 as part of the coaching set-up.
PAST PERFORMANCE: Quarter-finals: 2001, 03, 05, 07, 15. Group stage: 1985, 1995, 1997, 2009. Did not qualify: 1987, 89, 91, 93, 99, 2011, 2013.
PASSAGE TO INDIA: Finished runners-up to Mexico to second group stage of the 2017 CONCACAF U-17 Championship to qualify.
Results in 2017 CONCACAF U-17 Championship: Bt Canada 2-1; bt Suriname 3-0; bt Cuba 3-1; bt Panama 2-1; lost 1-6 to Mexico.
{{/usCountry}}Results in 2017 CONCACAF U-17 Championship: Bt Canada 2-1; bt Suriname 3-0; bt Cuba 3-1; bt Panama 2-1; lost 1-6 to Mexico.
{{/usCountry}}POSSIBLE GAME-CHANGERS
Walter Cortes
Age: 17
Club: Deportivo Saprissa
Position: Left-back
He was the only Costa Rico player to make it to the Best XI of the CONCACAF Under-17 Championship. His overlapping runs and perfect crosses will be the key in their quest to make it to the knockouts.
Name: Julen Cordero
Age: 16
Club: Deportivo Saprissa
Position: Midfielder
Why he is special: He has put in consistent shifts since the turn of the year and he will be first names on coach Camacho team sheet come October.
Name: Rodolfo Alfaro
Age: 17
Club: Carmelita
Position: Forward
Why he is special: Coach Camacho will hope his partnership with Cordero blooms during the October event. Alfaro scored vital goals as Costa Rica made it to the Under-17 World Cup.