Costa Rican football success and Alexandre Guimaraes have been intrinsically linked over the last 16 years and this year the Brazil-born coach has the chance to write another page of glory at the World Cup.

Guimaraes was a key player in 1990 as Costa Rica upset the more established World Cup teams to qualify for the knock-out stages and as coach he has taken the country to the only other finals they have qualified for - 2002 and 2006.

As the team prepares for Germany, Guimaraes is confident they can continue their giant-killing reputation and is happy for other countries to underestimate them.

The 46-year-old was born in Maceio, in the north-east of Brazil, but was given Costa Rican nationality in 1984.

He moved to Central America as a child because his father, a doctor, was transferred to the island to try to fight malaria.

But it was in Brazil where he first found his love for football, playing in the streets after school with his friends.

In Costa Rica he developed his passion for football and basketball by studying physical education at university.

His 12-year career as a footballer took him to four teams, and his greatest success was with Deportivo Saprissa in the 1980s where he won the national championship three times.

He scored 95 goals in 377 matches domestically and earned himself a call-up to the national team, who he represented on 16 occasions from 1985 to 1990.

In 1992 he began his coaching career taking charge of the national under-21 side and became assistant trainer of Saprissa two years later.

Guimaraes went on to coach four top Costa Rican sides with his greatest success coming at Saprissa, where he won two championships and a Central American Trophy.

But Guimaraes built his reputation as a coach in the build-up to the 2002 World Cup when, as assistant to Gilson Nunes, he replaced the head coach with the team struggling in qualification. He turned around the fortunes of the team and led them to the finals.

Playing exciting, attacking football, the Ticos turned heads in Japan and South Korea but it was their commitment to pressing forward which proved their downfall as they went out on goal difference, having been beaten by eventual champions Brazil 5-2.

Surprisingly history repeated itself four years later as Guimaraes once again stepped into the breach and rescued Costa Rica's qualification bid, helping them through to the finals in Germany.

Guimaraes is a colourful figure who still plays tennis and basketball while he is also a lover of literature and has written his own sports books.

Looking back over his career as a player and coach he highlights the 1990 World Cup as one of his favourite moments with the unfancied team beating Scotland and Sweden.

"Qualifying for our first ever World Cup and then making the last 16 was special, even more so considering the state the country was in (it was having major economic problems at the time). It made me very happy," he said.

"It set the benchmark for following Costa Rica teams to reach, although I am more interested in the future than looking at the past. We have planned our next phase very well and have some important friendlies lined up.

"We need to concentrate on the system we have put in place and work hard on our preparation if we are to emulate the 1990 side."

Guimaraes has introduced a new tactical strength and discipline to the national team, making the side more solid defensively. He has built his team around experience and will have as many as 10 players who went to the Far East in 2002.

"When I took charge of the national team again I wanted to use the same players as before but I realised this was impossible because some were no longer available for one reason or another," he said.

"I have pretty much got my team now in mind for the World Cup and I would have to be mad to make big changes now. But I have identified areas where I could make small changes.

"All I can say is if teams think they can walk all over us that is fine, we know we have a difficult group but people would be making a mistake if they underestimate us.

"The plan I have drawn up has included the lessons of the last tournament and is geared towards preparing the side better.

"The key of course will be how we do in the games and after the first a lot will be clearer, but I think our goal must be the second round. The match against Germany (which opens the whole tournament) will be the biggest in our history because of the atmosphere there will be."