Argentina coach Gustavo Alfaro arrived in Costa Rica on Saturday to take charge of the senior soccer team and announced that he will make his debut on the bench against Panama in the quarter-finals of the Concacaf Nations League and Cup qualifiers. America 2024

“We came to try to start the development of this work project. There is still some time left to prepare for the match against Panama. I will be (on the bench) as a coach, from the moment I take responsibility, I take responsibility,” the coach told reporters waiting for him at the exit of Juan Santamaría Airport, on the outskirts of San José.

On November 16, Costa Rica will host Panama, and on the 20th, they will reciprocate as guests in the quarter-final series of the Concacaf League of Nations, which will ensure the winner a ticket to the Copa América in 2024.

The Costa Rican Football Federation (FCRF) announced last Thursday the hiring of Alfaro as coach, a position that had been vacant since July 21 when Colombian Luis Fernando Suárez was sacked due to poor results and poor team performance.

“It’s a pleasure to be here. It’s a very nice emotion, a wonderful challenge ahead of us,” said Alfaro this Saturday.

The former Boca Juniors coach recalled his time with the Ecuador team he led to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and said he “really likes” managing the team because it is a “different job” to what he is used to at clubs.

“When you have the privilege of playing in the World Cup, it challenges you to stay at that level,” he commented.

Alfaro told of his contact with the sports director of the FCRF, Claudio Vivas, who presented him with the project and Costa Rica’s goals for the coming years.

“I began to see the team, the change of generations and the projection that exists among many young people, and that gave me the feeling that it was an ideal place,” he pointed out.

He stated that his goal is to “work together to be at the World Cup” in 2026 and stressed that Costa Rica has “raw materials, capabilities, experience and experiences from past World Cups.”

He said he will try to contribute his knowledge to Costa Rican football without changing the idiosyncrasies of the team, but to instill a mentality that the team can compete and strive for the best.

“I like teams that occupy a central position, with quick transitions and high pressure. We need to find structure, partnerships and a combination of experience and youth. A team that has a playing identity,” he said.

The 61-year-old coach will aim to qualify Costa Rica for the seventh World Cup in its history and fourth in a row. (D)