San Jose, Jul 17 (IANS): Costa Rica's national team was the revelation of the 2014 Brazil World Cup, according to event organiser and world football governing body FIFA, Federation International of Football Association.
Costa Rican media outlets Wednesday cited an article posted on FIFA's website describing the national team as the surprise of the tournament after it outdid former World Cup champions Uruguay, Italy and England to rank No. 1 in its group at the end of the initial round, reports Xinhua.
Costa Rica, affectionately known as "Los Ticos", garnered the support of millions of football fans around the world, who were rooting for the underdog team.
"Los Ticos won the hearts of foreign fans everywhere after they ranked ahead of Uruguay, Italy and England in a group in which no one thought they had a chance, before losing with bravura in the quarterfinals in a penalty shootout against Holland," the FIFA said.
Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas also racked up enough saves to compete for FIFA's Golden Glove, along with Argentina's Sergio Romero and Germany's Manuel Neuer, who eventually won the award.
"The Levante stopper was arguably Costa Rica's best player at Brazil 2014... making 21 saves in Los Ticos' five games," said FIFA.
The 2014 Brazil World Cup made history in other continents as well, said FIFA, noting that for the first time ever two African teams qualified for the second round, and that Germany became the first European team to win a World Cup in the Americas.