Guatemala fell 0-3 against Costa Rica this Saturday at the National Stadium in San José and was eliminated from the Concacaf W qualifying round, closing the dream of qualifying for the Women’s World Cup for the first time in history. The reactions did not take long to arrive and two of the most important figures of the Chapín team, captain Ana Lucía Martínez and forward Andrea Álvarez, spoke out on social networks with messages full of pain but also pride and gratitude towards their team.
For Ana Lucía Martínez, 36 years old, this elimination has a special weight since it probably represents her last opportunity to aspire to play in a World Cup with the Guatemala Women’s National Team. The Cruz Azul forward from Mexico did not hide her feelings. “It is a dream that I have always had, to see Guatemala at the top, to compete with those at the top, to be in a World Cup. I am very sorry for the result and perhaps the effort was not reflected and yes, we are out and it hurts us a lot but nothing takes away the pride of wearing this shirt and trying again and again,” the captain said.
Andrea Álvarez, forward for Sevilla in the Spanish League, also shared her pain after the final whistle. “Today is one of those days when it is difficult to find words. We have not achieved the goal that we dreamed of so much and it hurts… it hurts a lot. Because behind this there are months of work, sacrifice and effort to leave many things behind to defend these colors”wrote the Guatemalan, who had one of the few clear chances of the match against the Costa Ricans.
A group that promises to come back stronger
Despite the pain of elimination, both players closed their messages with words of encouragement and with an eye toward the future. Ana Lucía Martínez was direct in recognizing what this tie left. “This tie left me with great professional and personal learning; I hope to take it as a driving force to continue fighting. Thank you to the team for their effort because only we know everything we have been through”said the captain, also thanking the Guatemalan fans for their support.
Andrea Álvarez, for her part, apologized to the fans but also highlighted the heart that this group has.. “I apologize to all the fans who were always with us. We know that it was also their dream and we are sorry for not being able to give them that joy. But if this team has something, it is heart. This blow hurts us, but it is also going to make us grow, it is going to unite us even more and make us come back stronger. Because this does not end here”pointed out the Sevilla forward with determination.
Guatemala is left out of the Concacaf W Championship, where Costa Rica will face Mexico, Jamaica, Haiti, Panama, El Salvador, the United States and Canada in search of tickets to the 2027 World Cup in Brazil and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. For Guatemalan women’s soccer, this elimination hurts but the process that this generation of players has built, with soccer players in foreign leagues and a competitive level never seen before, is the best basis to continue growing in the face of the future.