In their last two games, Costa Rica—considered the weakest link in the group—stunned everyone by defeating Uruguay and Italy, two tournament favorites with star-studded lineups, by scores of 3–1 and 1–0 respectively. These results came as a huge surprise to many.
But before the World Cup even started, I was telling everyone I spoke to that Costa Rica shouldn’t be underestimated, that they had a very solid team. Most people would just smile at me with a mocking look on their faces and move on. Then I’d go home and listen to World Cup commentary on NTV and NTV Spor, only to hear similar dismissive takes like, “What can we even say about the Costa Rican national team? Costa Rica is a beautiful country,” as if the team were a joke—sometimes even the subject of ridicule.
This continued until the first Uruguay game. Costa Rica, as everyone expected, conceded the first goal in the 24th minute, a penalty, and everyone was waiting for Uruguay’s second. My belief in Costa Rica’s success remained undiminished. And the reaction I had anticipated finally arrived in the second half. Costa Rica first equalized with Campbell’s beautiful strike in the 54th minute, and three minutes later, they took the lead with a superb header from Duarte after a fine set-piece. Costa Rica were truly dominant in this half. Despite not having a single proper attack, Uruguay continued to go on the offensive and failed to capitalize on numerous scoring opportunities. Finally, Ureña closed the scoring in the 84th minute. Thus, Costa Rica secured a well-deserved victory over Uruguay.
While everyone was talking about this game, commenting that Costa Rica had generally played well but hadn’t been comfortable in the other group games, I was telling everyone that Costa Rica could beat Italy. Indeed, Costa Rica played beautifully, defeating Italy with a magnificent header from Ruiz in the 44th minute. And by continuing that same excellent play.
With this victory, Costa Rica qualified for the next round as group leaders. So how did this team, which everyone labeled the weakest in the group and even mocked on TV programs, deservedly defeat both teams, the undisputed favorites, and advance to the group stage? Without further ado, let’s get to the gist of the matter…
As Costa Rica’s honorary consul, one of the bright ideas I had for promoting the country was to bring in a truly talented player from Costa Rica who would make a strong impression in the Turkish leagues. In this regard, I was in contact with the Costa Rican soccer federation and consulting with several Costa Rican friends who I believed had a solid understanding of soccer in Costa Rica. The owner of one of the most important teams was one of my dear friends. I asked him and the professionals working with him, and I also followed the league online.
Watching a game with my friend Edgar in Costa Rica’s capital, San Jose.
Ultimately, I compiled a list of 10 players. Half of this list consisted of Costa Rican players who had recently arrived in European leagues. The other half were unknown players who had performed well in the Costa Rican league. What all these players had in common was that they were all young players. The oldest were between 20 and 25 years old, and they were generally under 20. Based on my research, I concluded that all these players, due to their unique qualities, had a very bright future.
I presented this list to the management of one of Türkiye’s leading clubs and suggested that they could bring in young players from Costa Rica, have them reach their peak during their careers at the club, and then sell them to a European team for a high transfer fee if desired. Ultimately, I received the reply, “That’s not our style.” Sadly, I abandoned the pursuit.
Now, I can proudly say that three of the four players who scored in the first two games were on my list. There were other promising players as well. The list I provided included goalkeepers, defenders, and wingers, in addition to forwards.
I want to address the commentators who professionally manage this transfer process at soccer clubs and constantly lecture on TV: None of you follow world soccer properly. If you did, you would at least consider Costa Rica’s potential success, or as those responsible for transfers, you would sign young talents who would add value to the team.
However, you all take the easy way out. As members of the transfer committee, you make transfers based on information provided by agents without proper research. These transfers often end in disappointment. Or, as commentators, you don’t properly follow other countries’ leagues or consult with their journalists and instead base your commentary on hearsay. You’re all chasing outdated star players. This may give you short-term credibility or boost your ratings, but you’re unknowingly harming Turkish soccer.
We need to prioritize young players, not just foreign players, but Turkish players as well. It’s crucial that we always identify players with the right talent and work collaboratively to develop them. We need to educate these young players not only to develop into good soccer players, but also to develop healthy characters and enhance their understanding of life. We also need to encourage the public to be patient and support these young players.
Finally, I’d like to emphasize this: I loved this World Cup. Because we’re witnessing a tournament where brave young people and those who can work as a winning team, not just stars. It’s a tournament that truly embodies the spirit of sports. I hope those who shape soccer in Türkiye learn the necessary lessons from this tournament.
Tag: honorary consulate
