East Bengal Swoop Up Costa Rican World Cup Defender Johnny Acosta

The man who marked Neymar and Xherdan Shaqiri at the World Cup now descends on Salt Lake stadium in Kolkata.

Johnny Acosta (left) vies with Neymar for the ball at the FIFA World Cup in Russia. He will now play at East Bengal

(Photo: AP)

Fresh from the World Cup in Russia, Johnny Acosta Zamora, the Costa Rican international, has signed for Kolkata club East Bengal FC Acosta will be the fifth Costa Rican player to play in India.

East Bengal plays in the top division of the I-League, and Acosta will be the first from his country to play at this level. The Red and Gold boost a defense already having Indian stalwarts Arnab Mondal and Lalramchullova.

Having started all three games in the ongoing World Cup in Russia, Acosta issued a statement saying, “East Bengal FC is one of the biggest clubs of India with a very rich heritage.”

I want to deliver my best for my new club and be a part of Indian football. My motto is to help other Indian footballers and guide them properly. I also want to win the trophy for East Bengal.

Johnny Acosta Zamora, Costa Rica and East Bengal defender

The 34-year-old has been awarded 69 caps for Costa Rica since 2011, and was also part of the Costa Rican team in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil when they reached the quarter-finals.