Spain will be well aware of opponents Costa Rica’s taste for a World Cup shock ahead of the sides contesting their opening Group E game on Wednesday.
Eight years ago, the Costa Ricans beat Uruguay and Italy and drew with England to emerge from a group containing all three before going on to reach the quarterfinals.
With Germany and Japan also in their group this time, Spain can ill afford to fall victim to a similarly surprising result at Al Thumama Stadium.
Below are the projected lineups for both teams.
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Spain vs Costa Rica lineups
Luis Enrique has insisted he won’t play favourites when it comes to selecting his lineup to face Costa Rica.
The 52-year-old is using training sessions as his guide before naming a team for Spain’s opening game in Group E.
“I will only pick players who are fully fit and up to the intensity of training here”, he said.
“I still don’t have my 11 for Costa Rica, but I have a slight idea.”
Spain projected starting 11
Spain predicted lineup (4-3-3, right to left): 23. Simon (GK) — 20. Carvajal, 4. P. Torres, 24. Laporte, 18. Alba — 26. Pedri, 5. Busquets, 9. Gavi — 11. F. Torres, 7. Morata, 22. Sarabia
- Injured: Guillamon
- Suspended: none
With Ferran Torres and Alvaro Morata looking like certain starters on the right wing and up front, respectively, Enrique’s biggest decision arguably comes on the left of his attack.
Ansu Fati, Marcos Asensio and Pablo Sarabia are all in contention, with the latter perhaps most likely to get the nod on the basis of his involvement in recent starting lineups.
Costa Rica projected starting 11
(4-3-3, right to left): 21. Navas (GK) — 12. C. Martinez, 17. Calvo, 5. Duarte, 13. Oviedo — 9. Tejeda, 23. Bennette, 8. G. Torres — 7. Borges, 10. Contreras, 11. Campbell
- Injured: none
- Suspended: none
Costa Rica have no injury concerns ahead of their opener and will be able to name an experienced lineup to take on the might of Spain.
Keylor Navas is in line for his 108th cap between the sticks, while Celso Borges will extend a national team record in making his 156th appearance.
Spain vs Costa Rica World Cup squads
Here are the 26 names on each team’s squad lists at the World Cup in Qatar:
Spain
| Position | No. | Player | Club | Age | Caps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | 13 | David Raya | Brentford (ENG) | 27 | 2 |
| GK | 1 | Robert Sanchez | Brighton (ENG) | 24 | 2 |
| GK | 23 | Unai Simon | Athletic Bilbao (SPA) | 25 | 27 |
| DEF | 18 | Jordi Alba | Barcelona (SPA) | 33 | 87 |
| DEF | 15 | Hugo Guillamon | Valencia (SPA) | 22 | 3 |
| DEF | 2 | Cesar Azpilicueta | Chelsea (ENG) | 33 | 42 |
| DEF | 20 | Dani Carvajal | Real Madrid (SPA) | 30 | 31 |
| DEF | 3 | Eric Garcia | Barcelona (SPA) | 21 | 19 |
| DEF | 14 | Alejandro Balde | Barcelona (SPA) | 19 | 0 |
| DEF | 24 | Aymeric Laporte | Manchester City (ENG) | 28 | 16 |
| DEF | 4 | Pau Torres | Villarreal (SPA) | 25 | 22 |
| MID | 5 | Sergio Busquets | Barcelona (SPA) | 36 | 146 |
| MID | 9 | Gavi | Barcelona (SPA) | 18 | 13 |
| MID | 8 | Koke | Atletico Madrid (SPA) | 30 | 68 |
| MID | 6 | Marcos Llorente | Atletico Madrid (SPA) | 27 | 17 |
| MID | 26 | Pedri | Barcelona (SPA) | 19 | 14 |
| MID | 16 | Rodri | Manchester City (ENG) | 26 | 35 |
| MID | 19 | Carlos Soler | PSG (FRA) | 25 | 12 |
| FWD | 21 | Dani Olmo | RB Leipzig (GER) | 24 | 25 |
| FWD | 10 | Marco Asensio | Real Madrid (SPA) | 26 | 30 |
| FWD | 25 | Ansu Fati | Barcelona (SPA) | 19 | 5 |
| FWD | 7 | Alvaro Morata | Atletico Madrid (SPA) | 29 | 57 |
| FWD | 17 | Yeremi Pino | Villarreal (SPA) | 20 | 7 |
| FWD | 11 | Ferran Torres | Barcelona (SPA) | 22 | 31 |
| FWD | 12 | Nico Williams | Athletic Bilbao (SPA) | 20 | 3 |
| FWD | 22 | Pablo Sarabia | Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) | 30 | 25 |
Costa Rica
| Position | No. | Player | Club | Age | Caps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | 18 | Esteban Alvarado | Herediano (CRC) | 33 | 24 |
| GK | 1 | Keylor Navas | PSG (FRA) | 35 | 107 |
| GK | 23 | Patrick Sequeira | CD Lugo (SPA) | 23 | 2 |
| DEF | 15 | Francisco Calvo | Konyaspor (TUR) | 30 | 75 |
| DEF | 6 | Oscar Duarte | Al-Wehda (SAU) | 33 | 70 |
| DEF | 4 | Keysher Fuller | Herediano (CRC) | 28 | 29 |
| DEF | 16 | Carlos Martinez | San Carlos (CRC) | 23 | 5 |
| DEF | 22 | Ronald Matarrita | FC Cincinnati (USA) | 28 | 52 |
| DEF | 8 | Bryan Oviedo | Real Salt Lake (USA) | 32 | 74 |
| DEF | 3 | Juan Pablo Vargas | Millonarios (COL) | 27 | 11 |
| DEF | 19 | Kendall Waston | Saprissa (CRC) | 34 | 61 |
| DEF | 2 | Daniel Chacon | Colorado Rapids (USA) | 21 | 8 |
| MID | 20 | Brandon Aguilera | Guanacasteca (CRC) | 19 | 4 |
| MID | 9 | Jewison Bennette | Sunderland (ENG) | 18 | 7 |
| MID | 5 | Celso Borges | Alajuelense (CRC) | 34 | 154 |
| MID | 25 | Anthony Hernandez | Puntarenas (CRC) | 21 | 2 |
| MID | 21 | Douglas Lopez | Herediano (CRC) | 24 | 2 |
| MID | 10 | Bryan Ruiz | Alajuelense (CRC) | 37 | 144 |
| MID | 14 | Youstin Salas | Saprissa (CRC) | 26 | 3 |
| MID | 17 | Yeltsin Tejeda | Herediano (CRC) | 30 | 73 |
| MID | 13 | Gerson Torres | Herediano (CRC) | 25 | 12 |
| MID | 24 | Roan Wilson | Grecia (CRC) | 20 | 2 |
| MID | 26 | Alvaro Zamora | Saprissa (CRC) | 20 | 2 |
| FWD | 12 | Joel Campbell | Club Leon (MEX) | 30 | 118 |
| FWD | 7 | Anthony Contreras | Herediano (CRC) | 22 | 8 |
| FWD | 11 | Johan Venegas | Alajuelense (CRC) | 33 | 80 |
Credit: sportingnews.com