Oscar Ramirez is out as Costa Rica coach. (Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports)
As U.S. soccer fans and players look ahead to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, one thing is certain:
Oscar Ramirez won’t be guiding Costa Rica during qualifying.
The Costa Rican Football Federation has announced that it has parted ways with Ramírez after the Ticos’ disappointing World Cup showing.
“Oscar Ramírez will not continue as coach; his contract has expired,” federation president Rodolfo Villalobos said at a news conference in San Jose, Costa Rica Thursday.
FEDEFUT’s (Costa Rican federation) will begin a search for Ramirez’s successor.
After reaching the quarterfinals at Brazil 2014, there were great expectations for Costa Rica, which finished second to Mexico in the hexagonal with a 4-2-4 record and 16 points. The Ticos defeated the USA (3-4-3, 12), which failed to reach the World Cup for the first time since 1986, twice during qualifying, 4-0 at home Nov. 16. 2016 and 2-0 at Red Bull Arena last Sept. 1.
One of the top teams in CONCACAF, the Central Americans did not win a match in Russia. They dropped their two opening matches to Serbia and Brazil, 1-0 and 2-0, respectively before closing out the competition with a 2-2 draw with Switzerland.
“We believe that his continuation is not appropriate or convenient. We believe in his ability, but the executive committee has decided not to renew his contract,” Villalobos said. “I want to thank Oscar for his dedication, his professionalism, his discipline and his teaching.”
Ramirez coached the squad since 2015, a week after he was named an assistant coach to Paulo Wanchope. However, he became head coach after Wanchope resigned after he was involved in a fight in Panama.
