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WC Comment: Costa Rica – Uruguay A Battle Of Bryan Ruiz & Luis Suarez

Goal.com's Michael Yokhin examines the form for two players whose careers are at similar points. However, only one is poised to take the fast track to success in South Africa this summer.

Nov 12, 2009 5:15:25 AM

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When Costa Rica play Uruguay over two legs in a fight for the final World Cup ticket from the Americas, the biggest stars from both camps will feel some sort of déjà-vu.

Bryan Ruiz and Luis Suarez have just met in the Dutch top-of-the-table classic between Twente and Ajax, with the Costa Rican scoring the only goal for Steve McClaren’s side in a 1-0 win. Twente continue to lead Eredivisie by two points from PSV and six from Ajax, but now both stars have bigger fish to fry, and Suarez is looking for instant revenge on the international stage.

Both strikers have been in scintillating form since the season started.

Suarez, promoted to the Ajax captaincy after Thomas Vermaelen was sold to Arsenal, has improved his excellent scoring record even further. The Uruguayan netted 17 league goals for the Amsterdam club in his first season two years ago, produced 22 more last season, but this time he’s reached the amazing 16-goal mark by the beginning of November, with just 13 league games played. Add five goals in the brand-new Europa League, and we might be talking about one of the best penalty box predators in the world - at the age of only 22.

No wonder all the big clubs in Europe sat back and took notice. Pep Guardiola is desperately wishing for Suarez to arrive at Camp Nou as his personal Christmas present from the president Joan Laporta.

Suarez admitted in the past that he would love to try his luck in the Primera Division, but English clubs have other ideas. Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City are reportedly interested in him, and according to media reports in Holland, Ajax might have to cash in on their biggest asset in January due to their difficult financial situation.

Nevertheless, Suarez is trying to promote a loyal image, as expected of the captain, and was quoted this week as having said, “I have my mind focused on Ajax, where I desire to stay at least until June.”

June is, of course, the World Cup month. Ajax have already put a €40 million tag on the hitman, but a good show at the biggest tournament on Earth will make it rise much higher. Unfortunately for the Amsterdamers, Uruguay are not there just yet, and president Uri Coronel will surely support them wholeheartedly against Costa Rica.

Up to now, Suarez’s ratio for the national team is significantly worse than for his club. He has scored just nine goals in 25 games, and only three in the whole World Cup qualifying campaign.

The former Groningen man netted in September in a 3-1 win over Colombia, and got the equalizer in Ecuador on the way to crucial 2-1 result. However, he was very subdued in the biggest game of all, versus Argentina, in which victory would have sent the Uruguayans straight to South Africa.

After the 1-0 defeat, Diego Maradona felt free to make some very rude comments about journalists, and Suarez now has to deal with a tough Costa Rica challenge.

That’s where Bryan Ruiz comes into spotlight.

Ticos’ biggest star is not well-known in Europe yet, but his first season at Twente has been nothing short of breathtaking to date. Brought from Belgian side Gent for €5 million, making him the most expensive Costa Rican footballer in history, Ruiz is fast developing into one of the most feared strikers in the Netherlands. The supporters quickly took him to their hearts, and even the most loyal fans of aging Swiss legend Blaise Nkufo admit that the Costa Rican has been their best player this season.

Ruiz scored on his league debut in 2-0 win at Sparta Rotterdam, and has continued to net nine goals, second-best in the league after Suarez, culminating, of course, in that match-winning header against Ajax on Sunday.

At 188 cm, it’s only natural that Ruiz is very good in the air. What differentiates him from other tall lanky strikers is his great technical ability. The Twente man is very fast and agile, thus nicknamed ‘The Weasel’ in the dawn of his career.

He is able to play as a center forward or on either flank, and his versatility is highly appreciated by coaches. Ruiz admits he prefers to have the ball at his feet, but he is willing to make combination with team-mates at every opportunity.

His form at Gent has attracted the attention of many sides in the summer, notably Zenit St. Petersburg and Newcastle United, but he decided to sign for Twente.

“It’s a logical choice to develop my career, as they are one of the top teams in a good league, and also playing European football,” Ruiz said at the time.

His biggest dream, however, is to play in Spain. In order to achieve the goal, he could use the big stage at the World Cup. Ruiz has done everything possible for the Ticos to get there, even scoring two goals in the last group stage game away to the United States. Three points would have see Costa Rica home and dry, but a last minute equalizer made the score 2-2, meaning Ruiz must rival Suarez for a place in the sun.

Both players deserve their chance to shine in South Africa. Both of them are scoring at will at the top of the Eredivisie. Both might move to Spain come June. But only one will emerge the winner in a very interesting contest between Uruguay and Costa Rica.

Michael Yokhin, Goal.com

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