A critical year for Costa Rican soccer kicks off this week with big goals in sight, namely South Africa 2010, the place and time for the next FIFA World Cup.

Players and fans are looking to move on from last season, which for many brought more tears than cheers.

Next Sunday will see the Costa Rican national team in an at-home friendly match with team Sweden, which is warming up for this summer's Euro Cup 2008.

Sweden will be the first trial of the year for a Tico club that still hasn't found its way in the eyes of the national press or the fans, despite completing a year with Coach Hernán Medford at its helm.

But the team will have to get in gear for 2008's decisive rounds leading up to the World Cup, particularly in June, when Costa Rica will play against the winner of the Grenada-Virgin Islands showdown.

Last year the team finished with less-than-desirable results. Costa Rica's one achievement was to win the Central American UNCAF Nations Cup in February on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw with Panama. But the team failed to pass the second round in the North and Central American and Caribbean CONCACAF Gold Cup in June.