Mexican coach Miguel Herrera was announced on Tuesday as the new head coach of the Costa Rican national team, becoming the first Mexican coach in the country's history. Herrera's main goal will be to secure qualification for the 2026 World Cup, as stated by the Costa Rican Football Federation (FCRF).

In a statement, the FCRF explained that after a thorough selection process, the FCRF Executive Committee, along with the new sporting director Ignacio Hierro, decided to appoint Herrera as the national team coach.

A New Challenge for Herrera

Herrera, 56, is the first Mexican to manage Costa Rica's national team and will be officially presented in the coming days. The new coach will face significant challenges in 2025, including friendly matches, a playoff against Belize in March for a spot in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the Gold Cup in mid-2025, and the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Herrera has extensive international experience, notably his time as coach of the Mexican national team. In the 2014 Brazil World Cup, he led Mexico to the Round of 16. He also won the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2015. At the club level, Herrera has managed top Mexican teams like América, Atlante, Monterrey, Veracruz, Tecos, Tijuana, and Tigres, where he has won multiple championships.

Costa Rica's Selection Process

Costa Rica was without a coach in August 2024 after Paraguay paid the release clause for Gustavo Alfaro, who left following a strong performance by the Costa Rican team in the 2024 Copa América, where they drew with Brazil, defeated Paraguay, and lost to Colombia.

After Alfaro's departure, the role was temporarily taken over by Claudio Vivas, who was the FCRF's sporting director. However, in December, the FCRF decided not to renew his contract, both as sporting director and coach. Instead, they appointed Mexican Ignacio Hierro as the new sporting director.