FIFA

he club's nickname is the 'Purple Monster,' after the vibrant and distinctive colour of the team's kit. For most home games, the Ricardo Saprissa Stadium - with a capacity of over 21,000 and widely considered one of the most intimidating venues in North, Central America and the Caribbean - is awash of purple.

2.) Deportivo Saprissa and its Ricardo Saprissa Stadium, built in 1972, are both named after the club's original founder and a central figure in the early development of football in Costa Rica. Ricardo Saprissa Ayma, an accomplished tennis, football and baseball player in his early days, is often referred to as the 'Apostel del Deporte' or 'apostle of sport' in Costa Rica. And the ground that honours his name is one of only 13 stadiums in CONCACAF to boast a 'FIFA Recommended' artificial playing surface.

3.) Located in the country's capital of San Jose, Saprissa Stadium also plays host to most of Costa Rica's big matches. The Ticos have an impressive record at the good-luck ground, never having lost to the U.S. Their recent loss to Mexico in their first final-round Germany 2006 was the first to El Tri on home soil since 61 years, and a large reason why former coach Jorge Luis Pinto was sacked.

4.) Deportivo Saprissa have won the CONCACAF Champions Cup on two occasions (1993 and 1995). Defending champions and rivals LD Alajuelense have also won two.

5.) Current Saprissa head coach Hernan Medford played alongside current Costa Rica coach Alexander Guimaraes during the country's first FIFA World Cup appearance in Italy in 1990. At the time, the two both played for Saprissa. Medford is considered a legend in Tico football as he scored the goal that handed Mexico their only-ever FIFA World Cup qualifying defeat at the Azteca Stadium in 2001.

6.) Deportivo Saprissa is owned by Mexican businessman Jorge Vergara. Along with legendary Mexican club Chivas Guadalajara and Chivas USA of Major League Soccer, Vergara owns a club in each of the 'big three' CONCACAF nations.

7.) Saprissa, Herediano and Alajuelense are considered to be Costa Rica's flagship club teams. Saprissa, like Chivas Guadalajara does in Mexico, have a policy of only employing native-born or naturalised Costa Rican players.

8.) Deportivo Saprissa were losing finalists in the 2004 instalment of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. In a historic all-Costa Rican final they lost out to local rivals Alajuelense.

9.) The club has won 23 domestic titles, making them one of the most successful football clubs in the country.

10.) Though not officially founded until 1947, the idea of a team that would unite all of San Jose and its suburbs was born in the mind of Ricardo Saprissa some ten years before their official league debut.