4. Costa Rica
How they qualified: Already guaranteed a top 3 finish in the 4th round of North American qualifying
Last time: Didn't qualify
FIFA Ranking: 33
What are their chances in Brazil? Traditionally battling it out with other small Central American and Caribbean nations for the third CONCACAF qualifying spot behind the region's giants Mexico and the United States (last time they narrowly lost a qualifying play-off 2-1 against eventual World Cup Semi-Finalists Uruguay), Costa Rica have gone above and beyond expectations in this year's qualifiers. With two matches to go, they have already booked their place in Brazil and have only lost one of their qualifying games, away in Commerce City, USA. While Olympic champions Mexico battle it out with Honduras and Panama for the final North American spot, Costa Rica have the chance to finish top of the group, sitting just one point behind the Americans. However, it is worth considering their performances in the region's Gold Cup, the North American championship, before viewing Costa Rica as an equivalent threat in the finals to the US or Mexico. In both of the two Gold Cup contests since the last World Cup, Costa Rica have finished second in their group and progressed to the Quarter-Finals at which stage they have, in both years, lost to Honduras. They did manage to defeat Honduras to win this year's Central American Cup on home soil, but that is a tournament that Costa Rica win more often than not anyway. Costa Rica's captain and star player is Bryan Ruiz, the Fulham forward who only managed 5 goals in the Premiership last season. That should probably give a reasonable indication of Costa Rica's ability to challenge against top class opposition. Ruiz's strike partner Alvaro Saborio may play in the much less prestigious American Major League Soccer, but has an ability to keep scoring, 30 goals in 72 Costa Rica caps. Between them Ruiz and Saborio may provide a threat to some World Cup defences, but they are likely to struggle a bit. The last time they qualified for the World Cup, in Germany in 2006, Costa Rica had a record of played 3, lost 3, so their main aim in Brazil is likely simply to be bettering that. Picking up a point is probably achievable, but Costa Rica might not want to look much beyond that.