Can Luis Enrique finally lead Spain to international glory after coming so close in the recent past?
Spain, who last won a World Cup in 2010, go up against a Costa Rica side that reached the quarter-final of the 2014 edition, at the Al Thumama Stadium.
Spain come on the back of a 3-1 win against Jordan last week, following with a 1-0 win over Portugal in the UEFA Nations League. La Roja find themselves in a rich vein of form and should be the favourites to win against Costa Rica.
The Costa Ricans were the last team to qualify for the World Cup. Although they crashed out of the group stage in 2018, they did top their group in 2014 which consisted of Uruguay, Italy, and England – all better teams than Costa Rica. This should give them enough confidence to progress to the Round of 16 from a group that also includes Germany and Japan.
Spain vs Costa Rica confirmed lineups
Spain XI (4-3-3): Simón; Carvajal, Rodri, Laporte, Alba; Pedri, Busquets, Gavi; F. Torres, Asensio, Olmo
Costa Rica XI (5-2-3): Navas; C. Martínez, Calvo, Duarte, Fuller, Oviedo; Tejeda, Celso Borges; Bennette, Contreras, Campbell
Spain vs Costa Rica LIVE updates
Spain and Costa Rica’s upcoming World Cup fixtures
Spain next face European counterparts Germany on Sunday, 27th November, at the Al Bayt Stadium, while Costa Rica will lock horns with Japan earlier that day.
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