MIAMI, Florida – The most recent editions of the FIFA World Cup have seen the debuts of two more Concacaf nations in the tournament, along with some history-making results.
The 2006 World Cup in Germany marked the debut of Trinidad and Tobago, who became Concacaf’s 10th World Cup representative and just the fourth Caribbean nation to qualify for a World Cup, following in the footsteps of Cuba, Haiti and Jamaica.
Slotted into Group B, the Soca Warriors earned a point in their debut on June 10 against Sweden at the FIFA WM Stadion Dortmund in Dortmund with a 0-0 draw thanks in large part to the heroics of GK Shaka Hislop.
Four years later at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Mexico once again advanced from the group stage for the fifth consecutive tournament. The key match for El Tricolor came on June 17 at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane against 2006 World Cup Finalists France. With the score still locked at 0-0 on the hour mark, Mexico took control and earned a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Javier Hernandez in the 64’ and Cuauhtemoc Blanco in the 79’.
The 2014 World Cup in Brazil will long be remembered by fans of Costa Rica, who saw their national team make its deepest run ever in a World Cup by reaching the quarterfinals.
Drawn into a group with former World Cup champions Uruguay, Italy and England, the Ticos emerged with a 2W-1D-0L record, one of those victories being a 1-0 triumph over Italy in their second match on June 20 at the Itaipava Arena Pernambuco in Recife. Bryan Ruiz’s header in the 44’ snuck over the goal-line and proved to be enough to secure the three points and a place in the knockout round.
In the Round of 16, Costa Rica squared off against Greece on June 29 at the Itaipava Arena Pernambuco in Recife and despite a stoppage time score from the Greeks to cancel out Ruiz’s goal in the 52’, the Ticos emerged victorious 5-3 in a penalty shootout. The hero during the spot kicks was GK Keylor Navas, who had enjoyed a superb tournament, and Navas came up big when it mattered most by making the decisive save to help punch Costa Rica’s quarterfinal ticket.
Four years later at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Mexico earned the first ever win for a Concacaf nation against four-time World Cup champions Germany in a 1-0 final on June 17 at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, courtesy of Hirving Lozano’s strike in the 35’.
A day later, Panama became the 11th Concacaf nation to feature in a World Cup and enjoyed a bright start by holding eventual semifinalists Belgium scoreless through the first half, before succumbing 3-0.
