Their talent going forward soon attracted headlines and star of their World Cup campaign was Manchester City striker Paulo Wanchope.
Leading the attack with Rolando Fonseca, Wanchope helped the "Ticos" notch up 25 goals in 14 qualifiers.
Consecutive wins over Mexico, Jamaica and Honduras saw Guimaraes' side move to the top of the table.
The win over Mexico was a real upset. They became the first team ever to win in the Mexican's Azteca stadium, ending their hosts' 52-match unbeaten run at the venue.
But it was a memorable 2-0 triumph against the USA in San Jose on 5 September 2001 that sealed Costa Rica's World Cup spot.
A packed Ricardo Saprissa stadium witnessed Fonseca score twice to secure his team's place in Korea and Japan with two games in hand.