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Spain start off what they hope will be a successful run at the 2022 FIFA World Cup with a matchup against Costa Rica on Wednesday at Al Thumama Stadium. La Roja have played in every World Cup since 1978 and advanced from the group stage at eight of those 11 tournaments. They won the 2010 World Cup and are also three-time Euro champions but have been disappointing in recent years, given their talent. They failed to advance in 2014 and lost to Russia on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw in the Round of 16 of the 2018 event. The veteran team will be out to make a statement in Qatar. Costa Rica are one of the better teams from Concacaf and have reached the World Cup five previous times, advancing from group play twice.
Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. ET in Al Thumama, Qatar. Spain are the -700 favorites (risk $700 to win $100) in the latest Spain vs. Costa Rica odds from Caesars Sportsbook. Costa Rica are +2300 underdogs, a draw is priced at +600, and the over/under for total goals is 2.5. Before locking in any Costa Rica vs. Spain picks or 2022 FIFA World Cup predictions, be sure to check out the best bets and analysis from SportsLine soccer insider Martin Green.
After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. Since then, his European soccer picks have been spot-on. Green has generated almost $35,000 for $100 bettors since the 2017-18 season. He has his finger on the pulse of the game all over the globe.
Now, Green has broken down the Spain vs. Costa Rica matchup from all sides and just locked in his World Cup picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Costa Rica vs. Spain:
Spain vs. Costa Rica spread: Spain -2.5 (+127)Spain vs. Costa Rica over/under: 2.5 goalsSpain vs. Costa Rica money line: Spain -700, Costa Rica +2300, Draw +600ESP: La Roja have eight clean sheets in their past 16 competitive games.CRC: The Costa Ricans have scored 11 goals in their past six matches overall.Spain vs. Costa Rica picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why you should back Spain
La Roja will undoubtedly be on the offensive and will hold the ball for most of the match. Manager Luis Enrique is willing to play the daring style no matter the opponent, and he is a fiery, demanding coach who gets the most out of his players. The Spaniards lack a true finisher, but if any of Borja Iglesias, Ferran Torres, Alvaro Morata or Ansu Fati catch fire, they have the talent to go deep into the tournament — and possibly win it all. They cruised past Jordan 3-1 in their most recent friendly, holding the ball for 74% of the match, and Fati scored one of the goals.
Morata scored in the most recent official match, a 1-0 Nations League victory against Portugal in September. He has five goals in Atletico Madrid’s 14 matches after scoring 20 the previous two seasons with Juventus. Morata also has scored 27 in 57 international matches, while Torres has 13 in 31.
Why you should back Costa Rica
Los Ticos started slowly in Concacaf qualifying, going 1-3-3 in their first seven matches. Then they caught fire and went 6-1-0 the rest of the way. They are a veteran squad, with 11 players with at least 50 caps. Celso Borges (155) and captain Bryan Ruiz (147) are the all-time leaders in international appearances. The Costa Ricans will protect the goal, and goalkeeper Keylor Navas should play a huge role. The 35-year-old has a career save percentage of 75.9, and losing his top spot to Gianluigi Donnarumma at PSG will be motivation to put on a show.
Costa Rica have nine goals and three clean sheets during a five-game unbeaten run. They reached the World Cup quarterfinals in 2014, winning a group that featured England, Italy and Uruguay. They lost to the Netherlands on penalties after a 0-0 draw. The defensive focus puts pressure on the attackers to capitalize on minimal chances, but Joel Campbell and Anthony Contreras can cash in. Campbell has 25 goals in 119 appearances, and the 22-year-old Contreras has two in five matches.
How to make Costa Rica vs. Spain picks
Green has scrutinized the Costa Rica vs. Spain match from every angle. He is leaning Under on the goal total and provides two confident best bets, one offering a plus-money payout, and his full breakdown of the match. He’s only sharing those picks here.
So, where is all the betting value in Spain vs. Costa Rica in Wednesday’s 2022 World Cup Group E matchup? And which plus-money play do you need to be all over? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for Spain vs. Costa Rica, all from the European soccer expert who has generated almost $35,000 for $100 bettors over the past four seasons.