COMMERCE CITY, Colo. - Rapids 2 midfielder Daniel Chacón has been named to the Costa Rica National Team roster for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
“It is an honor to represent your country at any time, but the dream of every young player is to play in a World Cup,” said Brian Crookham, Rapids 2 General Manager. “The experience Dani will gain in a group that includes a couple of powerhouse opponents will prove invaluable to his career. We look forward to seeing him represent himself, his country and our club on the sport’s biggest stage.”
Chacón joined Rapids 2 in June after spending the entirety of his career with his hometown club C.S. Cartaginés in Costa Rica’s Liga FPD. Following his participation in the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup, Chacón made his professional debut for C.S. Cartaginés on November 19, 2017, at just 16 years old.
A former member of the U-17, U-20 and U-23 Costa Rican national teams, Chacón made his senior international debut on January 31, 2022, in Los Ticos’ 0-0 draw with Mexico in World Cup Qualifying. In March 2022, Chacón started and played 90 minutes as a defensive midfielder in Costa Rica’s 2-0 win over the United States and played the final 33 minutes in their 1-0 victory over Canada, earning the team a spot in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Intercontinental Playoff. Costa Rica went on to secure the final spot in the 2022 FIFA World Cup after earning a 1-0 victory over New Zealand, which saw Chacón play 16 minutes of the final qualifying match.
"As a young player, it meant a lot when I saw my name on the official list for the 2022 FIFA World Cup," said Daniel Chacón. "Knowing that I will share a locker room with my childhood idols and that I am days away from having the opportunity to play against great world stars, is very motivating."
"I would like to thank all of the fans of the Colorado Rapids and I am already looking forward to the day I make my debut there. I hope to be able to represent my country and the Rapids organization in the best way possible," continued Chacón.
Costa Rica will kick off their World Cup campaign on Wednesday, November 23, at 9 a.m. MT as they take on Spain in their group stage opener. The team will then face off against Japan on Sunday, November 27, at 3 a.m. MT and Germany on Thursday, December 1, at 12 p.m. MT.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup will be televised live on the FOX network and FS1 (English) and Telemundo (Spanish). Fans in the Denver market can join the Rapids at The DNVR Bar starting on November 20 to tune in live to the 2022 FIFA World Cup matches. For the full 2022 FIFA World Cup watch schedule, visit www.coloradorapids.com/dnvrwc2022.
