Carlos Hernandez trims the fat to push for spot in Costa Rica's World Cup squad Carlos Hernandez has been out of the Costa Rica national team for two years. Fitter, trimmer, leaner and slimmer than he has ever looked before, former Melbourne Victory star Carlos Hernandez knows that he will never get a better chance to make a late bid for a place in Costa Rica's World Cup squad than in Tuesday night's clash with Australia. The Ticos midfielder was one of the most endearing - and frustrating - players in the competition during his five years in navy blue, winning the game's highest individual honour, the Johnny Warren Medal, and helping Victory to an A-League championship in 2008-09. Fans delighted in his skills, passing range and vision and exulted in his glorious long-range shooting. No one could hit the net from distance with the regularity Hernandez did, and he had no equal as a striker of a dead ball. But supporters also grew exasperated at his work rate, or lack of it, his tendency to fade out of games and his seeming inability to keep weight off. Things have changed, however. Following a one-year spell in India with Prayag United, Hernandez is back in the A-League, this time with Wellington where he has been reunited with the coach who first signed him for an Australian club, Ernie Merrick. Hernandez has been out of the Costa Rican national team for two years. His journeys to some of the game's remoter destinations (India and New Zealand) ensured he slipped under coach Jorge Luis Pinto's radar, and it seemed that his appearance with the Costa Rican squad at the 2006 World Cup would be the high point of his career. The Ticos have unearthed some bright new faces, and with players such as Fulham midfielder Bryan Ruiz and Copenhagen winger Cristian Bolanos, Olympiacos striker Joel Campbell and Everton wide man Bryan Oviedo it has been hard for the 31-year-old Hernandez to make his case for inclusion. But with Ruiz and Bolanos missing for this game, Pinto has called up both he and another Wellington player, Kenny Cunningham for the match against Australia, and Hernandez knows there might not be many other opportunities before Brazil. "I wasn't 100 per cent fit, I needed to lose some weight," Hernandez said on Monday. The opportunity to play for the national team now that they have qualified to play in the World Cup has given me the motivation to lose weight, I have lost around six kilos and I want to keep going. I am happy to be here, be part of the national team again. Costa Rica is a very together squad, hopefully I can stay there. I know that 90 per cent of the squad is there for the World Cup, so I am very grateful to get the chance to be called up. I know about Ange [Postecoglou], I have seen him before, I have told the coach about the style he likes. But at the end of the day, it's all about the Costa Rican team and how it plays. The Ticos have plenty of ability, qualifying in second place in the North and Central American group behind the USA. Certainly, Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou is taking nothing for granted. "They have qualified strongly through a very tough region," he said. They are a big, strong mobile unit, with very good individual players within that. I think they will be a very determined opponent. We are going to have to be good to compete with them.