Amelia Valverde was a young footballer playing in Costa Rica's women's top flight when she was handed the chance to become a coach. In an interview with CGTN, the 36-year-old head coach of the Costa Rica women's national football team recalled how circumstances pushed her to take up coaching at a very young age. "I was a physical education student, and I played football for a Primera División team. Due to certain circumstances, the coach there did not return; I was the captain, and they offered me the team."

That was 15 years ago. Valverde's coaching career took off in no time, and in a few years, she joined the coaching staff of the Costa Rica national women's team. Then, at the age of 28, she received an opportunity that many coaches of that age wouldn't even dream of.

Just a few months before the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, Carlos Avedissian, the then-head coach of the Costa Rica women's side, left the role to take up a job in Puerto Rico. Valverde was picked as the best candidate for the vacant position.

"One of the keys was that, having spent four years with the group, I was already there during the qualifying campaign," she recounted. She proved her mettle as a coach with an impressive World Cup campaign in 2015, as Costa Rica held Spain and South Korea to draws and only suffered a narrow 1-0 loss to heavyweights Brazil.

Eight years down the line, Valverde, 36, is taking Costa Rica to this year's Women's World Cup, scheduled to be held in Australia and New Zealand from July 20 to August 20. Her team's target, she said, would be to do even better than in 2015.

"We have had a very good preparation, with the possibility of having five weeks with the players in Costa Rica plus what remains of the camp. We are still finalizing details; time is a very important factor right now," added Valverde regarding the team's preparations.

Costa Rica have been placed alongside Spain, who have two-time Ballon d'Or Féminin winner Alexia Putellas and a host of other stars, former world champions Japan and a promising Zambian side in a difficult Group C.

"Spain have a process of incorporating players that has been fundamental, and we know that they really like possession of the ball, which we must counter," she said.

"Japan are a very dynamic team with a very clear defensive structure, with a coach who has been working hard and has managed to capture his idea in the warm-ups. And Zambia, with their physical conditions, speed and strength, are very different from the others," Valverde noted.

Coaching Costa Rica in what will be their second Women's World Cup, Valverde said she is "blessed and flattered" to be in this position.

"I consider myself a very privileged person. For me, directing the national team of my country is the greatest thing that life has given me at a professional level. I love my flag and the homeland where God gave me the chance to be born," she said.

Asked how she handled things when coaching players who were almost the same age as her or, at times, older than her, she said: "I believe that respect has been the basis for this type of situation, and I do not consider it a difficult task. I have had the opportunity to direct players who had previously been my teammates. I see it as a challenge, but someone younger or older than me deserves all my respect."

With this year's Women's World Cup featuring 32 teams in the most expansive format in the tournament's history, Valverde said it could serve as an inflection point for the women's game.

"Women's football will have a 'before' and an 'after' with this World Cup. The investment that FIFA is making is historic," she said. "We are very close to being able to see historic results."

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