Costa Rica's Alvaro Saborio will miss the World Cup after breaking the fifth metatarsal in his foot. The striker suffered the injury in training and will be out at least six weeks, ruling him out of this summer's tournament.
Alvaro Saborio breaks metatarsal, out of World Cup
Costa Rica’s slim World Cup hopes have taken a monster hit.
Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
Saborio was Costa Rica’s most lethal striker, scoring eight goals in World Cup qualifying. His 32 international goals are more than double anyone else on the roster and there isn’t a natural replacement for him.
With Saborio out, Costa Rica will have to lean on Bryan Ruiz and Joel Campbell. Both are fine players in their own right, but neither is as good a goalscorer on the international level as Saborio, nor are they as physical as the injured striker. Costa Rica already had an uphill climb in Group D, being grouped with Uruguay, Italy and England, and now they lost their best finisher.
The 32-year-old's injury will not just be a blow to Costa Rica, but to Real Salt Lake as well. The team was prepared to play without him while he was at the World Cup, but now he figures to miss even more time. RSL are the lone unbeaten team left in MLS at 6-0-6, a mark that figures to be blemished by the time Saborio returns to the field, which can be anywhere from July to October.
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