Football

Football is the most popular sport in the Central American state of Costa Rica. This is due in part to the strength of the Costa Rica national football team.

Costa Rica National Football Team

The Costa Rica national football team, nicknamed La Sele, is the national team of Costa Rica and is controlled by the Federación Costarricense de Fútbol. Costa Rica is the third most successful team in CONCACAF after Mexico and the United States.

They are clearly the most successful team in Central America having qualified for three World Cups, reaching the last sixteen on their debut in Italy 1990 and putting on a solid showing in 2002 where they were drawn in the same group as eventual champions Brazil and third-place finishing Turkey.

In 2006, Los Ticos qualified for the World Cup in Germany, with their worst World Cup to date, finishing 31st out of 32 teams. Costa Rica has qualified first in the CONCACAF Final Round in both the 1990 World Cup qualification final round and 2002 World Cup qualification final round.

The edge in both CONCACAF and UNCAF Nations Cup titles is also significant over regional national teams. Costa Rica have been CONCACAF champions three times (1963, 1969, 1989) and have won the UNCAF Nations Cup six times. The nation has also participated in four Copa América tournaments, making the quarterfinals in 2001 and 2004.

Costa Rica at the Olympics

Costa Rica first participated at the Olympic Games in 1936, but then missed the next four Olympiads. The nation returned to the Games in 1964, and has participated in every Summer Olympic Games since then. Costa Rica has also participated in several Winter Olympic Games since 1980.

Costa Rican athletes have won a total of four medals, all by Silvia Poll and Claudia Poll in swimming.

The National Olympic Committee for Costa Rica was created in 1936 and recognized by the International Olympic Committee in the same year.