Paulo Wanchope has a name that would fit right up there in a Tibetan monastery, for e.g., Sonam Gyatso. And his game veers between the mystical to the utterly banal.
He is Costa Rica’s all time goal scorer having scored 43 goals in 67 international matches and its most famous overseas player playing for West Ham, Manchester City, and Malaga. On October 8, 2005, Wanchope became the all-time leading goal scorer for Los Ticos when he scored the first goal in a home win over the USA in the qualifying match that sent Los Ticos to the 2006 World Cup.
Paulo Wanchope will forever be remembered in England for the remarkable goal he scored on his debut for Derby County against Manchester United in 1997. A magnificent solo run and cool finish summed up the very best elements of one of the game’s most erratic performers.
Costa Rica is coached by Brazilian Alexandre Guimaraes and they play an attacking brand of soccer with sloppy defense. In World Cup 2002, Brazil beat them 5-2 and topped the table but the Ticos covered themselves with glory being pipped from the last 16 by eventual semi-finalists Turkey on goal differential. They beat China 2-0.
Provisional Costa Rica World Cup squad
Goalkeepers:
Gabriel Badilla (Deportivo Saprissa)
Adrián de Lemos (Brujas)
Álvaro Mesen (Herediano)
Wardy Pizarro (Alajuelense)
José Porras (Deportivo Saprissa)
Defenders:
Jervis Drummond (Deportivo Saprissa)
Leonardo González (Herediano)
Carlos Johnson (Herediano)
Luis Marín (Alajuelense)
Gilberto Martínez (Brescia)
Roy Miller (Bodø/Glimt)
Cristián Montero (Alajuelense)
Michael Rodríguez (Alajuelense)
Douglas Sequeira (Chivas USA)
Michael Umana (Brujas)
Harold Wallace (Alajuelense)
Midfielders:
Randall Azozeifa (Deportivo Saprissa)
Christian Bolanos (Deportivo Saprissa)
Walter Centeno (Deportivo Saprissa)
Danny Fonseca (Cartagines)
Carlos Hernández (Alajuelense)
Mauricio Solís (Comunicaciones)
Forwards:
Kurt Bernard (Puntarenas)
Ronald Gómez (Deportivo Saprissa)
Víctor Núñez (Cartagines)
Bryan Ruiz (Alajuelense)
Álvaro Saborio (Deportivo Saprissa)
Paulo Wanchope (Herediano)