Costa Rica went to the knockout round of 16 in their very first World Cup appearance, but 2014 proved to be their most successful tournament yet. They beat Greece 5-3 on penalty kicks in extra time to advance to the round of eight for the first time ever. And they fought extremely hard in the quarter-final round, finally being vanquished on penalty kicks. Yes, coming within inches of making the sem-finals was HUGE for Costa Rica.
And the team’s heroics have created more interest in the Central American nation. For those traveling to Costa Rica, or interested in exploring the idea, there is so much to see and do. They nation has a tremendous amount of natural beauty, with many bodies of water for aquatic sports. The nation is bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the West and the Caribbean Sea on the East. Plus, there are many rivers and lakes which provide excellent opportunities to explore Caribbean Canal tours.
Additionally, Costa Rica provides numerous opportunities to visit both mountains and rain forests. I spoke with a famous Costa Rican, Gonzalo Segares, nicknamed “Sega,” who’s played for the Chicago Fire of the MLS since 2005. He’s made numerous appearances for the Costa Rican national team.
Segares, a native of the capital city of San Jose, on what sports are popular in Costa Rica:
“Soccer takes everything completely- I don’t think people would be able to enjoy themselves without soccer. They live it all the time. They have basketball and baseball, but it’s uncomparable…they really love their soccer, especially their national team. I’m really glad so many people get to your website to find out more about us, and it’s important that MLS awareness is spreading now.”
Many people are enjoying all the outdoor sporting activities and natural wonder that this great nation has to offer. You can join in by also finding the way to San Jose.