Costa Rica’s fairytale run to their first ever World Cup quarter-final owes a lot to the coaching philosophy of Jose Mourinho, admits their Colombian coach Jorge Luis Pinto.
Mourinho may never have been a national coach but his success mainly with Porto, Chelsea and Internazionale has rubbed off on 61-year-old Pinto, who along with his unheralded team has been the biggest surprise of the finals.
Victories over former champions Uruguay and Italy and a draw with England in the final group game and a courageous win on penalties over Greece in the last 16 has given their last eight opponents the Netherlands a lot to think about.
Pinto, whose experience at tournaments prior to the World Cup was limited to coaching Colombia in the 2007 Copa America and Costa Rica at last year’s Gold Cup, says that it is crucial if one is to succeed to have a consistent coaching routine.
“My first task is the coaching and how to go about it, in order to get the most out of the training sessions as possible,” he said.
“I agree with Mourinho who says football is first about training methods: the conception, the practice and of course the strategy.”
Pinto is also like Mourinho an ardent believer in the ethic of work and more work to keep his players sharp.
However, now he is willing to bask in what the little Central American country – sandwiched between Panama and Nicaragua and with a population of just 4.8 million – has achieved.
“We have shown that we can play good football and that makes me proud,” he said.
In their way stand 2010 finalists, the Netherlands who have been arguably the most in-form team in the competition with four wins from four games, averaging three goals per match.
Winger Arjen Robben, who has scored three goals, said: “I think we are on a mission together, and when you come to a World Cup it’s not to enjoy the weather and enjoy the beach in Rio.
“You’re here to win matches and to go as far as possible. I don’t think the expectations were that high before the tournament and, as a result, we can be very proud of where we are.”
