Key Info and Odds: How Costa Rica look ahead of the World Cup

Head coach Ramirez has been at the helm since summer 2015. Formerly assistant of La Sele from 2006-08, he went on to have good stints at Costa Rican club sides Santos de Guapiles and Alajuelense.

It’s been ‘so far, so good’ for Ramirez in the national team job. A semi-final appearance at the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2017 has been followed by World Cup qualification.

But the current boss has plenty of work to do if he wants to emulate the feats achieved by Jorge Luis Pinto four years ago.

World Cup Group

Costa Rica upset the odds in the group stage four years ago – and they’ll have to do so again if they want to progress in Russia.

Two of their opponents this summer – Brazil and Switzerland – are currently in the top six of the FIFA World Rankings.

Costa Rica are nine places above fellow groupmates Serbia. But while they’re hardly world-beaters, Mladen Krstajic’s side do have the benefit of multiple squad-members currently plying their trade in Russian football.

Tournament Odds

If La Sele are to have a realistic shot at progression, they’ll need a positive result against Serbia in their first game.

It’s 3/1 for a Costa Rica victory in that clash, while the solid Central American side are 5/1 to Win to Nil.

Ramirez’s men are 10/3 to Qualify fron Group E, while Coral’s odds make it 20/1 they’re eliminated in the quarter-finals, as they were in 2014.

However, their focus for the time being is on Thursday’s trip to Wembley. Take a draw or more against England, and it could be just the boost La Sele need.

Big match previews, betting tips and transfer news – Coral have it all.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing