The Costa Rican Football Federation Monday hired veteran Colombian coach Luis Fernando Suárez to direct its team during World Cup qualifying for Qatar 2022.
Suarez was signed through December 2022, through the World Cup.
“Suárez is an experienced strategist, with 27 years of experience in the world of football and two World Cup participations in two different Confederations such as Conmebol [Ecuador in the 2006 World Cup] and Concacaf [with Honduras, in 2014]. That was a fundamental element for our choice,” a statement from the Costa Rican Football Federation said.
The 61-year-old Suarez left Atlético Bucaramanga (Colombia), a club he joined in February this year.
Suárez will replace Ronald González, who was sacked two weeks ago after his team failed to reach the Concacaf Nations League and dropped a 4-0 decision to the U.S. in an international friendly. Under González, the Ticos endured an 11-game winless sttreak.
The new coach’s first challenge will be the Concacaf Gold Cup, which kicks off July 10. The Ticos will face Suriname, Jamaica and a rival yet to be defined in the first round.
World Cup qualifying, the Concacaf octagonal, begins in September.
The USMNT hosts Costa Rica Oct. 13 while the Central Americans will welcome the USA March 30, 2022.