Costa Rica begins its participation in the Copa America against Brazil | OneFootball

MIAMI – The 2024 CONMEBOL Copa America continues with Concacaf nation Costa Rica facing nine-time champions Brazil in Group D on Monday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

Costa Rica will participate in its sixth Copa America and hopes to match its best-ever finish of reaching the quarterfinals.

Head coach Gustavo Alfaro looks to maintain a winning record in 2024 that includes a victory in the 2023/24 Concacaf Nations League Play-In match over Honduras, the result that signaled the qualification to Copa America, and a two-match winning streak in World Cup Qualifying. The team’s only defeat this year came in a friendly to FIFA World Cup champions and reigning tournament champions Argentina in March.

Experienced names like Joel Campbell, Francisco Calvo, and Juan Pablo Vargas form part of the Costa Rica squad. Campbell won two Concacaf trophies in 2023 by helping Club Leon to the Champions Cup and Alajuelense to the Central American Cup.

Los Ticos also boast five members of the CS Herediano squad that reached the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals in Aaron Cruz, Fernan Faerron, Orlando Galo, Haxzel Quiros, and Andy Rojas.

Five players from domestic champions Deportivo Saprissa round out Alfaro’s call-ups, with Kevin Chamorro, Jefferson Brenes, Warren Madrigal, Joseph Mora, Gerald Taylor, and Douglas Sequeira all available for selection.

Costa Rica seeks new heights at 2024 Copa America

Brazil hosted the last two editions of the Copa America, winning in 2019 and finishing second in 2021. The Verde-Amarela is managed by Brazilian head coach Dorival Junior, who led Flamengo to the 2022 CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores title.

The 2019 winners on the current squad are Alisson, Marquinhos, Eder Militão, and Lucas Paqueta. Along with those names, Danilo, Douglas Luiz, and Vinicius Junior were part of the run to the final in the previous edition. João Gomes was a player on Dorival Junior’s Flamengo squad to add another player with championship experience.

They will meet for the 3rd time in the Copa América.

The first time was in the 1997 edition in Bolivia, in Group C, a 5x0 victory for Brazil, with goals by Djalminha (20’) Ronald González (own goal 34’) and Ronaldo Nazário (47’,54’,60’).

The last time was in the 2004 edition in Peru, in Group C, in July, a 4x1 victory for Brazil, with goals by Adriano Leite (45’, 54’, 58’) and Juan (49’), and for Costa Rica, Luis Marín (81’).

Costa Rica has a streak of 9 consecutive defeats against Brazil since 1960. Costa Rica’s only victory against Brazil was in the Pan American Games on March 10, 1960, 3x0 with goals by Guillermo Valenciano (14’), Edgar Quesada (28’), and Rubén Jiménez (76’), more than 63 years have passed since that victory.

All-Time Series: 11 games

1-win Costa Rica

0 draws

10 wins Brazil (9 of them consecutive)

9 goals Costa Rica

34 goals Brazil