Cristian Gamboa of Costa Rica/Rosenborg

Norwegians and especially Norwegian media will do anything to make connections between famous people and Norway. We have an expression, “Norgesvenn”, which literally means Friend of Norway, which we bestow upon people who speak highly of our country or otherwise have some kind of relation. The World Cup is no exception – while Norway has not been in a World Cup since 1998, the press is doing anything it can to relate the current games to our fair country. The big news this time is that Costa Rica, who today beat Greece and will meet Holland in the quarter finals, has many players who have played in the Norwegian top league, Tippeligaen. Norwegian football blog Fotballdirektoratet has done us the favor of listing all of the World Cup players who have spent time in the Norwegian league. Here are the ticos (Costa Ricans) among them:

Christian Gamboa – currently plays in Rosenborg

Giancarlo González – Vålerenga 2012 season

Roy Miller – first Bodø/Glimt, then Rosenborg, until 2008

Diego Calvo – Vålerenga currently

Michael Barrantes – currently plays for Aalesund

Christian Bolaños – previously of IK Start

Celso Borges Mora –  previously of Fredrikstad

Randall Brenes – Bodø/Glimt, then Kongsvinger, 2005-2009