Gold Cup: What to know about the USMNT, Mexico and the Group Stage field
The 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup is upon us.
The 16-team field for the Gold Cup is set, with the first two teams of the Group Stage facing off Saturday. All the matches will air live on FOX, FS1, FS2 and FOX Soccer Plus.
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Here's everything you should know ahead of Saturday's action:
What is the Gold Cup?
The 2021 tournament is the 16th edition of the biennial international competition between soccer teams from North America, Central America and the Caribbean. This year’s Gold Cup will be played in nine stadiums across seven U.S. cities.
How does it work?
The 12 qualified nations, the three Prelims winners (Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti and Guadeloupe) and AFC Asian Cup Champions Qatar (guest participant) make up the 16 total teams that were drawn into four groups. These teams will battle it out for the championship title, starting with the tournament's Group Stage. At the end of the Group Stage, the top two teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals.
What teams are competing on the Group Stage?
Group A: Mexico, El Salvador, Curaçao, Trinidad and Tobago
Group B: United States, Canada, Martinique, Haiti
Group C: Costa Rica, Jamaica, Suriname, Guadeloupe
Group D: Honduras, Panama, Grenada, Qatar
Which teams should I keep an eye on?
Mexico were the most recent team to win the Gold Cup, beating the U.S. 1-0 in 2019, and will look to defend their title. Of the 15 championship titles awarded, eight have gone to Mexico and six to USA. Canada are the only other team to take home the Gold Cup title, doing so in 2000.
Guadeloupe have advanced to the tournament's group phase for the fifth time in team history after a 10-year drought, and Costa Rica, three-time CONCACAF Cup winners, will look to secure their first Gold Cup. Panama will make their ninth straight appearance, while Suriname joins the tournament for the first time.
Are there any roster surprises?
This year, the U.S. men's national team is largely domestic-based, with 19 of the 23 performers playing for MLS clubs, including five uncapped players and a total of 14 having fewer than 10 international appearances, per ESPN.
The likes of Christian Pulisic, Giovanni Reyna, Weston McKennie, John Brooks and Sergiño Dest aren't part of the Gold Cup. Other veterans, such as Nashville SC's Walker Zimmerman, LA Galaxy's Sebastian Lletget and the Seattle Sounders' Cristian Roldan, will be expected to lead the team's younger players.
"We think there's enough backbone in this group," USMNT manager Gregg Berhalter said. "We think there's enough veteran leadership in this group to make a run on winning Gold Cup."
"There is a lot of talent regardless," FOX Soccer Analyst Alexi Lalas said. "And I'm telling you right now, there are going to be players that we see in this Gold Cup that are influential, that will be involved in World Cup qualifying, that will also be involved in the World Cup [if] the U.S. men's team gets to the World Cup [in 2022]. There is a lot of really exciting things and reasons to watch this team as they go through."
Missing from Mexico's final roster is the country's all-time leading goal scorer, Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez. Instead, Argentina-born Monterrey striker Rogelio Funes Mori made the 23-man squad after he obtained his Mexican citizenship and filed a one-time switch from Argentina. In June, FIFA declared Funes Mori eligible to represent El Tri in the Gold Cup.
Other notable players missing the Gold Cup include Guillermo Ochoa, Henry Martin and Luis Romo, who are set to represent Mexico on the Olympic squad.
Where can I watch?
The 2021 Gold Cup will air on FOX, FS1, FS2 and FOX Soccer Plus. The full schedule can be found here.
Group Stage: Saturday, July 10 to Tuesday, July 20
Quarterfinals: Saturday, July 24 and Sunday, July 25
Semifinals: Thursday, July 29
Finals: Sunday, Aug. 1
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