The national football teams of Honduras and Mexico are anxiously waiting their turn to play their counterparts from Costa Rica. Although La Sele is comfortably looking forward to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, which is now less than a year away, at least three other teams from the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) are looking forward to their chances.

Costa Rica and the United States have already clinched their respective berths in the 2014 World Cup. For Honduras, Mexico and Panama, the situation is excruciating. For Victor Manuel Vucetich, team manager of Mexico, El Tri is ready to come to Costa Rica and play football that is worthy of a CONCACAF powerhouse. Vucetich expects that Mexico will not only beat Costa Rica at the Chinese-donated National Stadium in La Sabana Metropolitan Park, but it will supposedly do so after teaching Panama a lesson at the fearsome Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.

The game between the National Football Teams of Costa Rica and Mexico is scheduled for October 15. The main referee at that match will be Enrico John Winjgaarde from Suriname. Canadian referee Phillippe Briere will assist. Fans of CONCACAF football, which has become one of the most colorful FIFA confederations around the world, will surely enjoy a good match on that day. Mexico is hoping for a victory that will either place the team in the World Cup or at least send them to a last-chance wildcard match against New Zealand.

It’s not just Mexico that is hungry for victories. The national teams of Honduras and Panama are also in a tight spot. In fact, backroom football talk of Costa Rica playing to favor Honduras has emerged, something that Eduardo Li, president of Costa Rica’s football federation has emphatically denied. According to Li, La Sele will simply play the remaining games to win, although he admits that the game between Mexico and Panama will be interesting to watch.

Li was talking about the Aztec blood of Mexican players when he stated the following at a recent press conference:

“I don’t see Mexico giving up any more losses or tied scores at the Azteca Stadium. From what I can see, they will rise up to the occasion.”

In other words, the next two matches played by Costa Rica will be decisive for the opponents and will be a matter of pride and football superiority for the Ticos.