Luis Fernando Suarez's men sit third in Group E heading into matchday three where a victory would see them progress into the knockout stage, although a draw could also get the job done.
On the other hand, Hansi Flick's men are bottom of the group as things stands and they would need to come away with all three points in this one to stand any chance of going through.
Here, Sports Mole looks at how the squads of Costa Rica and Germany weigh up against each other ahead of Thursday's contest.
COSTA RICA
Most valuable player:
Keylor Navas (£4.3m)
Overall squad value:
£16.2m
Most capped player:
Celso Borges (157)
Leading goalscorer:
Bryan Ruiz (29)
Total caps:
1,184
Total goals:
127
Oldest player:
Bryan Ruiz (37)
Youngest player:
Jewison Bennette (18)
Average age:
27.2
SQUAD IN FULL
Goalkeepers: Keylor Navas (Paris Saint-Germain), Esteban Alvarado (Herediano), Patrick Sequeira (Lugo)
Defenders: Juan Pablo Vargas (Millonarios), Keysher Fuller (Herediano), Oscar Duarte (Al-Wehda), Bryan Oviedo (Real Salt Lake), Carlos Martinez (San Carlos), Francisco Calvo (Konyaspor), Kendall Waston (Saprissa), Ronald Matarrita (FC Cincinnati)
Midfielders: Daniel Chacon (Colorado Rapids 2), Celso Borges (Alajuelense), Jewison Bennette (Sunderland), Bryan Ruiz (Alajuelense), Gerson Torres (Herediano), Youstin Salas (Saprissa), Yeltsin Tejeda (Herediano), Brandon Aguilera (Nottingham Forest), Roan Wilson (Municipal Grecia), Douglas Lopez (Herediano), Anthony Hernandez (Puntarenas), Alvaro Zamora (Saprissa)
Forwards: Anthony Contreras (Herediano), Johan Venegas (Alajuelense), Joel Campbell (Leon)
GERMANY
Most valuable player:
Jamal Musiala (£86.6m)
Overall squad value:
£767.6m
Most capped player:
Thomas Muller (120)
Leading goalscorer:
Thomas Muller (44)
Total caps:
948
Total goals:
154
Oldest player:
Manuel Neuer (36)
Youngest player:
Youssoufa Moukoko (18)
Average age:
26.8
SQUAD IN FULL
Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona), Kevin Trapp (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Defenders: Armel Bella-Kotchap (Southampton), Matthias Ginter (Freiburg), Christian Gunter (Freiburg), Thilo Kehrer (West Ham), Lukas Klostermann (RB Leipzig), David Raum (RB Leipzig), Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Niklas Sule (Borussia Dortmund)
Midfielders: Julian Brandt (Borussia Dortmund), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Ilkay Gundogan (Manchester City), Jonas Hofmann (RB Leipzig), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)
Forwards: Karim Adeyemi (Borussia Dortmund), Niclas Fullkrug (Werder Bremen), Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich), Mario Gotze (Eintracht Frankfurt), Kai Havertz (Chelsea), Youssoufa Moukoko (Borussia Dortmund), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich)
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