WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE TEAM BRYAN RUIZ PLAYS FOR AND WHAT IS HIS WORLD CUP RECORD?
Costa Rica Is Ready For Another Inspiring Performance From Fulham Star
The most famous footballer in Costa Rica, Bryan Ruiz, is preparing to play in his third World Cup. A 37-year-old former Fulham player has been selected for the National Team's competition in Qatar. In what is sure to be his final appearance at the World Cup, Ruiz will once again provide Costa Rica with some joy after helping the country reach the quarterfinals of the 2014 tournament.
In 2005, he made his international debut for Los Ticos, while his younger brother Yendrick made his debut three years later. With 144 appearances for Costa Rica, Bryan Ruiz is the country's all-time leading appearance maker, while he ranks third on the all-time goalscorer list with 29 goals. It has been widely accepted that Ruiz is one of the most talented Central American players, but he has not quite lived up to the hype. In his career, he has played for Sporting Lisbon, Fulham, Gent, FC Twente, and PSV Eindhoven. Even though he excelled for Gent and Twente, his performance did not translate to the Premier League or to Portugal.
In the 2013/14 season, Ruiz was a member of the Craven Cottage team that was relegated, and the following season he struggled to make an impact in the Championship. He spent a season with Santos in Brazil but is now back at the Costa Rican club where it all started. Ruiz's contract expires in December, so he won't have a club after the World Cup. Nevertheless, Ruiz's performance at the World Cup and on the international stage has been different.
Over the course of two World Cup campaigns, Ruiz has appeared in eight matches, scoring twice and providing an assist. Ruiz started and led his team to the quarter-finals of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Although it was expected that Los Ticos would finish last in their group which included England, Italy, and Uruguay, they exceeded all expectations. In a 1-0 victory over Italy, Ruiz scored a bullet header to ensure they topped Group D and eliminated the 2006 world champions. In the last 16 defeat to Greece, he scored again using a cleverly disguised finish to force a penalty shootout. After a penalty shoot-out, the former Fulham man notched from the spot as Costa Rica advanced to the quarterfinals, where they were defeated by the Netherlands after a penalty shoot-out.
Despite defeating Brazil and Serbia in their opening two games, Costa Rica did not perform well at the 2018 World Cup. In the final match, they were able to draw 2-2 with Switzerland, with Ruiz setting up one of the goals. Furthermore, he played every minute and acted as captain, so Ruiz has been a key player at both of Costa Rica's previous World Cup matches and is expected to be a key player a third time. If he had one last moment of magic in those boots before he retires, wouldn't that be nice...
By Rashmi Goel
