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Bryan Ruiz may have tasted disappointment at Craven Cottage but he doesn’t expect Costa Rica to be the kind of whipping boys that Fulham became in the Premier League.
Judging by the way their hotel in Fortaleza was besieged by chanting fans, their supporters share the Costa Rica captain’s hope that, by the time they face England for the final Group D game, they still have something to play for.
“Playing against England in the last game of the group will be special for me after my time at Fulham,” said Ruiz (above), who finished a poor season by being loaned out to PSV Eindhoven. “It is a dream I have waited my whole life for, but it has to be more than this. We have got to believe we have a chance of making the last 16, and everything in the first two games has got to be about making sure we are still in the World Cup when we play England.”
World Cup 2014: Costa Rica team guide
Costa Rica are not expecting to face Luis Suarez in their opening game against Uruguay in the Estadio Castelao. He returned to training yesterday but his knee is unlikely to be risked.
Diego Forlan did not train yesterday because of a stomach upset, but the 35-year-old is expected to start alongside Edinson Cavani against a Costa Rica defence missing the Deportivo Saprissa wing-back Heiner Mora, who suffered a stress fracture of the heel in training.
