Real Salt Lake International Bryan Oviedo Named to Costa Rica World Cup Roster

November 3, 2022 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Real Salt Lake News Release

HERRIMAN, Utah – As expected, Real Salt Lake defender Bryan Oviedo was named today to the Costa Rica roster for the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Since arriving on the Wasatch Front in August, Oviedo has appeared in seven regular and postseason games for the Claret-and-Cobalt, starting five. Playing on both the left and right sides, in both a back four and as a winger in a back three setup, Oviedo notched both of his MLS assists in Real Salt Lake’s dominant MLS Cup Playoff-clinching 3-1 home win over Portland on “Decision Day.”

Sixteen of Oviedo’s 71 total appearances for the Costa Rican international side have come during the 2021-22 calendar years, as Oviedo helped Los Ticos qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, starting and playing a full 90 in the mid-June playoff against New Zealand, Costa Rica winning 1-0 to advance to Group E, which also includes Germany, Spain and Japan. Dates and local (MT) times for Oviedo and Costa Rica’s very difficult Group Stage matches in Qatar are as follows, with all games televised via FOX or Fox Sports 1 (English), Telemundo (Spanish) or streaming via the Fox Sports and Peacock apps:

Wed., Nov. 23 – Costa Rica v Spain (9a MT)

Sun., Nov. 27 – Costa Rica v Japan (3a MT)

Thu., Dec. 1 – Costa Rica v Germany (12 noon MT)

Oviedo joins a glut of past Real Salt Lake players to have represented Utah on the world stage during the five FIFA World Cup competitions completed during the Club’s 18-year existence. Should he appear with Costa Rica in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Oviedo will become one of just six RSL players to participate in a FIFA World Cup, joining Kyle Beckerman and Nick Rimando (United States, 2014), Robbie Findley (United States, 2010), Eddie Pope (United States, 2006) and Douglas Sequeira (Costa Rica, 2006). A seventh RSL player, Alvaro Saborio, was named to Costa Rica’s 2014 World Cup roster, but broke a bone in his foot just prior to the Brazil tourney. RSL Academy product Carlos Salcedo represented Mexico in the 2018 Russian tournament but was not an active Real Salt Lake player at the time.

Prior to joining Real Salt Lake late this Summer, Oviedo arrived on the Wasatch Front with 12 Club seasons and 186 games played in England and Denmark, representing such storied clubs as Everton, Sunderland, Copenhagen and Nordsjælland.

Oviedo appeared in just seven games as a teenager with legendary side Saprissa before moving to…