Globe-trotting coach Bora Milutinovic led the country's rookies to Italia 90 and they impressed with victories over Sweden and Scotland before bowing out in the round of 16 at the hands of Czechoslovakia.
A squad containing Costa Rica's all-time leading scorers Rolando Fonseca and Paulo Wanchope could not negotiate the first hurdle in Japan and South Korea in 2002, while a brace in a 4-2 defeat to hosts Germany from the latter striker was the highlight of a pointless campaign four years later.
The current crop of players, under the tutelage of Colombian coach Jorge Luis Pinto, will operate from an apparently solid base as they target improvement.
In the final CONCACAF qualifying round, a defence playing in front of inspired goalkeeper Keilor Navas conceded just seven goals in 10 games – less than any other team in the Hexagonal.
At the other end of the field, Fulham playmaker Bryan Ruiz and Olympiacos' on-loan Arsenal striker Joel Campbell provided attacking flair, while Alvaro Saborio led the scoring chart thanks to eight goals in 15 appearances.
Costa Rica qualified for the final phase courtesy of finishing second in Group B, losing twice to Mexico but concluding the round with an emphatic 7-0 thrashing of Guyana.
Saborio's first-half header and an acrobatic finish by Ruiz on the end of a slick team move six minutes from time secured a draw from 2-0 down against Panama in the opening Hexagonal contest. A solitary point was all Pinto's men had to show for their efforts from back-to-back away matches as United States attacker Clint Dempsey netted the only goal amid a Colorado blizzard.
The twin pillars that went a long way towards securing Costa Rica's progress – a stubborn defence and unblemished home record – soon came into view and the 2-0 triumph over Jamaica in San Jose, crowned by Diego Calvo's magnificent solo effort, was the first of three wins in four outings without a goal being conceded.
By the time Dempsey breached them from the penalty spot in September's USA return fixture, Johnny Acosta and Celso Borges had headed Costa Rica into a two-goal lead inside 10 minutes.
Campbell secured three points and top spot in the group when he coolly slotted home a one-on-one 15 minutes from time.
And although Jermaine Anderson's prodded injury-time equaliser for Jamaica meant Costa Rica's time at the summit was short lived, Panama's similarly last-gasp draw with Honduras was enough to ensure Pinto and his side were Brazil bound with two games to spare.
The upshot was a party atmosphere when Mexico arrived at the Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica to close the group and Ruiz crashed home to open the scoring before Saborio's header secured a win over the ailing CONCACAF superpower at the fourth time of asking.
It was a win that demonstrated how Pinto's team grew in stature throughout qualifying – a trend Costa Rica will have to continue as the 2014 finals approach.