Costa Rica: Fernando Batista already sacked

Fernando Batista is no longer Costa Rica’s head coach. The Costa Rican Football Federation (FCRF) has decided to end his tenure, just seven months after his arrival. The decision follows a series of disappointing results, notably five consecutive defeats.

A losing streak that proved fatal for Batista

Costa Rica had hoped to turn the page after failing in the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. Under Miguel Herrera, the national team finished third in its group with seven points, behind Honduras, Haiti and Nicaragua. Fernando Batista was then appointed to revive the national team. But the Argentine coach failed to turn the situation around.

In six matches at the helm of Los Ticos, he recorded no wins. After a draw against Jordan in his first international window in March, his team went on to suffer five defeats. The FCRF leadership ultimately formalized his departure at a meeting of its executive committee.

The defeat against Curaçao as the trigger

The start of the new edition of the CONCACAF Nations League accelerated the decision. Costa Rica initially lost 2-0 to Haiti. But it was above all the course of the match against Curaçao that made an impression. Having led 3-0, the Costa Ricans allowed their opponents to level the score before eventually losing 4-3. A difficult defeat to digest for a national team seeking to regain stability.

To oversee Batista’s succession, the federation has temporarily handed control of the national team to Bryan Ruiz, a former attacking midfielder and captain of Costa Rica. The former international made 147 appearances for his country. The new interim coach will have to quickly prepare for the upcoming matches against Nicaragua and Haiti, still as part of the current international window.

Aliou Toundé |

Editorfr

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