Costa Rica National Football Team Formation

Starting Lineup

Costa Rica looks to absorb pressure and strike on the break using a five two three. This formation is built to play a counter attacking style that relies on defensive solidity and quick transitions. The team stays compact to deny space in the middle before looking to move the ball forward rapidly.

Navas stays between the posts where his shot stopping and commanding presence help organize the back line. The defensive unit operates as a back five with Acosta and Duarte acting as the wide centre backs to cover the channels. G. González sits in the center to win the header and clear the lines. Gamboa acts as an attacking wing back to provide width on the right, while Oviedo works as an attacking wing back on the left. This unit can shift across the pitch to maintain a narrow defensive block.

The midfield relies on a two man pairing with Borges and Guzmán. They must work to squeeze the space in the middle and pick up runners from deep. Guzmán and Borges need to protect the space in front of the defenders and then quickly carry the ball forward to start an attack. These players are responsible for connecting the defensive unit to the front three by playing short from the back and then looking to split the defence with a through ball.

Three attackers stretch the opposition across the front line. Ureña plays as a lone striker to hold up the ball and fight for second balls. Bryan Ruíz © operates as an inverted winger from the left to cut inside and find the feet of the striker. Venegas plays on the right to pull wide and provide width. They look to hit in behind on the transition to exploit the space left by the opposition.

One major strength is the ability to maintain compactness when defending. The back five and the two midfielders make it very difficult for opponents to play through the lines. Costa Rica also benefits from the speed of transition when they win the ball in a mid block. The movement of Gamboa and Oviedo allows the team to create wide overloads and whip it in from the byline.

This five two three formation provides a strong defensive base for Costa Rica. It is best suited for games against heavy possession teams where the goal is to defend deep and counter at pace.