Overview
- A 0-0 home draw with Honduras left Costa Rica third in Group C with seven points behind Haiti on 11 and Honduras on nine, confirming a first World Cup absence since 2010.
- The qualifying run yielded only one win in six matches and did not even secure a berth in the intercontinental playoff.
- Miguel Herrera called the outcome a failure, said he was responsible, and acknowledged he had never faced a setback of this scale in his career.
- Midfielder Aaron Murillo and other players defended Herrera, emphasizing that the squad must share accountability for the poor campaign.
- Costa Rican media denounced the exit as the nation’s worst football failure and criticized both the coach and the federation’s project.