2023 Concacaf Gold Cup Preview
Oh yes, it's that time again!
After a 2-year wait, the Gold Cup is finally upon us! You may be asking, “didn’t we just have a Concacaf tournament less than a week ago?” and you would be right. That was the Concacaf Nations League (another discussion for another time). With new tournaments being added, a lack of FIFA Confederations Cup qualification, and a few nations no longer fielding their Best XI for this tournament, many are asking whether this competition still matters. The short answer is – YES! This competition still matters. The Gold Cup is an opportunity for the confederation to come together and celebrate the beautiful game, to develop through competition, and to play for bragging rights in our region.
History and Format
The Gold Cup began back in 1991 and replaced the Concacaf Championship that existed before that. This summer’s tournament will be the 17th Gold Cup played. Mexico and the United States have dominated this competition with 8 and 7 titles respectively, with Canada being the only other nation to win the title back in 2000. Despite North America’s dominance at the top, many nations have finished second including: Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, Jamaica, and the South American nations of Brazil and Colombia who have been invited in past years.
The current format features 16 teams (4 groups of 4 teams) with a round-robin format within the groups. The top two teams from each group enter the knockout stage which are all single game elimination. The last tournament to feature a 3rd place game was the 2015 edition (we will not see a 3rd place game in 2023). Historically, many of the Gold Cup’s featured invitees from outside of Concacaf and that tradition was brought back in 2021 with the addition of Qatar who will also play in the upcoming tournament.
Preview & Predictions
Below you will find a preview and predictions for each group, the knockout round, and awards for the tournament.
Group A: United States, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, and St. Kitts and Nevis
United States
Overview: The defending champions and hosts come into this tournament fielding what most agree is a B roster at best (only 5 carry-overs from last week’s Nations League finals). This was the case in 2021 and they were able to walk away with the title, but their work is going to be cut out for them with a difficult group and other nations bringing their A teams.
Expectation: Reach the semifinal – this is the minimum requirement for the US even with a B team.
Stretch goal: Win the title – if this team can find a way to win the title, it will be a huge success worth celebrating!
Player to watch: Alejandro (Alex) Zendejas – the dual national, who officially committed to the USMNT this year, has not had much action in meaningful games for the Stars & Stripes. I expect him to be a starter in this team and he will have the chance to prove he belongs in the regular rotation going forward.
Jamaica
Overview: The Reggae Boyz arguably have the strongest lineup entering this tournament. They have been knocking on the door of Gold Cup titles and World Cup qualifications over the last decade and they are motivated to break through. Their recruitment of dual-national Demarai Gray is a huge boost to this squad and just adds to an already experienced lineup.
Expectation: Reach the final – Jamaica have made it to the final twice in the last decade with teams that have had less danger in the final third. Their expectation should be to achieve the same with this team.
Stretch goal: Win the title – this is the next step forward for this program, 2023 could be their year!
Player to watch: Leon Bailey – despite the exciting addition of Gray, I am looking for Bailey to make a huge impact. After a successful club campaign with Aston Villa (36 apps, 5 goals), he will be looking to make his mark and become a national hero!
Trinidad & Tobago
Overview: The Soca Warriors have a rich footballing history, including a 2006 World Cup appearance and regional legends Stern John, Dwight Yorke, and Shaka Hislop. They are also coached by their most-capped player Angus Eve. They avoided having to play through the preliminary qualifiers due to Nicaragua being disqualified. Most are counting them out, but we have seen them stand up to regional giants before.
Expectation: Win a game in group stage - St. Kitts and Nevis made the group through the preliminary qualifiers and this will be a game that Trinidad & Tobago expects to win.
Stretch Goal: Get a point from Jamaica or USA – this often-overlooked team would give their nation something to celebrate with a huge showing against either of the group favorites.
Player to watch: Kevin Molino – The 33-year-old veteran with 57 caps and 23 goals for the Soca Warriors might be playing in one of his final tournaments. In 2021, he tore his ACL for the third time and has been recovering since then. Can Molino score in his third Gold Cup this year?
St. Kitts and Nevis
Overview: This will be their first appearance in the Gold Cup! They had an exciting path to qualification during the prelims as they beat both Curaçao and French Guiana on penalties. Their appearance here is unexpected!
Expectation: Avoid a shutout in one game - despite a lot of heroics to get to this point, it is going to take a herculean effort to get a point off of any of the teams in this group. Scoring a goal will go a long way for the fans cheering them on.
Stretch Goal: Get a point from one of their group stage games - I would expect the game against Trinidad & Tobago to be the game for this to potentially happen. This will be their first game and it will be played at DRV PNK Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale where they pulled off upsets to make it to this point.
Player to watch: Romaine Sawyers - he is one of the veterans of this team who has played English teams such as: Brentford, West Brom, Stoke City, and Cardiff City. He is their most dangerous player on the field and I expect him to give other players in this group a challenge.
Game to Watch: Jamaica vs USA (Saturday, 6/24). The first game of this tournament could be a preview of the final. Both teams have aspirations for the title, and I expect to see multiple goals.
Group Standings Prediction: Jamaica, USA, Trinidad & Tobago, St. Kitts and Nevis
Group B: Mexico, Haiti, Honduras, and Qatar
Mexico
Overview: It’s no secret – these are trying times for El Tri. From turmoil and the federation, a very short tenure for Diego Cocca, and a run of poor performances on the pitch. This is the perfect opportunity to bring optimism back to the fans and to the country, but the stakes and the pressure are high as usual. Will this squad rise to the occasion or crumble?
Expectation: Reach the final – despite the recent struggles, Mexico is bringing one of the better rosters to this competition (mainly an A roster other than a few key injuries to Lozano and Vega). They have the talent to make some noise here,
Stretch goal: Win the title – I could see this side playing a lot more relaxed than they did under Diego Cocca. Jaime Lozano (who coached many of these players during his time as the U23 manager) could get the best out of this group.
Player to watch: Santiago Gimenez – This is El Bebote’s chance to stake his claim as the starting 9 for El Tri for the next decade. After an incredible year in Europe with Feyenoord (45 apps, 23 goals) he needs to translate that momentum to his play with the national team.
Haiti
Overview: This Haitian team and federation has been steadily improving over the last 5 years (their women’s team will be playing in the World Cup this summer!). They were semi-finalists in the 2019 Gold Cup and in the 2021 Gold Cup they played a great opening game against the US and lost 1-0. Former Ligue 1 and national team player, Jean-Jacques Pierre will look to build on these results as manager.
Expectation: Push for second in the group – there’s no getting around it, Group B is the “group of death” in this tournament. Haiti will likely be battling it out with Honduras and Qatar for second place. Getting more than 3 points will be difficult.
Stretch Goal: Finish second in group, advance to QF – if they can get a point off Mexico and/or Qatar, they will have a final group game against Honduras that could see them through to the knockout round. This would be a huge success for Pierre’s squad.
Player to watch: Derrick Etienne – though born in the US, Etienne chose to follow in his father’s footsteps and play for Haiti. He was a part of the team that made a deep run at the 2019 Gold Cup and has had 4 great MLS seasons since with both the Crew and Atlanta United. Playing on home soil could provide a boost for him.
Honduras
Overview: Although I am a huge fan of Los Catrachos, I am going to be as impartial as I can here. There always seems to be some type of turmoil following Honduras coming into major competitions. Many of the major stars are out with injury and the team recently pulled out of a friendly in Louisiana due to poor pitch conditions and accommodations. This team had so much momentum prior to the pandemic but have found it hard to find their footing since.
Expectation: Finish second in the group – despite the struggles mentioned above, this is a talented roster that should compete well against both Haiti and Qatar.
Stretch Goal: Reach the semi-final – if they can find their form and come together as a team during this competition, Honduras has the offensive firepower to break down many of the defenses in Concacaf. This is a great opportunity to get back on track!
Player to watch: Alberth Elis – last summer, Elis was coming off a great season with Bordeaux in Ligue 1 and was a sought-after player across Europe (including La Liga, Premier League, and Serie A clubs). In the end, 2022/2023 was a struggle and a lot of it was not his own doing. This competition is an opportunity to remind teams across Europe why he was on their radar and to continue to cement himself as a legend for La H!
Qatar
Overview: After a disappointing showing at the World Cup they recently hosted, this competition, along with the Asian Cup in early 2024 are opportunities for redemption. Qatar surprised many by reaching the semi-finals in 2021 and they will look to repeat that performance again this year.
Expectation: Win a game in the group – their poor showing in the World Cup and a surprise struggle in the Gulf Cup have this team in a difficult spot. Getting a win off Honduras or Haiti would be a success.
Stretch Goal: Finish second in group, advance to QF – if the squad rise to the occasion and repeat their success from 2021’s tournament, they can find their way through the “group of death”. Their experience against some of the best teams in the world at the 2022 World Cup should prepare them for these must-win games.
Player to watch: Almoez Ali – The most dangerous goal scorer on this team (88 caps, 42 goals) was the Golden Boot winner at the 2021 Gold Cup and scored a goal in the 2019 Copa America. While he didn’t score at the World Cup, he has the tendency to score in big games and Qatar will need him to do the same to get out of this group.
Game to Watch: Honduras vs Haiti (Sunday, 7/2). This is the final game of the group stage for both teams, and I suspect it will be a must-win. If one of these teams can come away with 3 points, they will likely be heading to the quarter final.
Group Standings Prediction: Mexico, Honduras, Haiti, Qatar
Group C: Costa Rica, Panama, El Salvador, and Martinique
Costa Rica
Overview: One of the region’s most consistently successful teams was dealt a huge blow right before the tournament. Their keeper, arguably one of the best in the world, Keylor Navas was ruled out with injury. It is hard to know how this team will play in his absence as he has been their most crucial figure for more than a decade.
Expectation: Fight for second place in the group - it almost seems laughable that I have this as Costa Rica’s expectation, but this team is not made up of the core players that have appeared in recent world cups.
Stretch goal: Win the group - despite the uncertainty heading into the tournament, this is a group that is winnable. Although they are missing several key pieces from World Cup runs, there are many young players hungry to break into the team.
Player to watch: Joel Campbell - the former Arsenal player is returning to his home country for club soccer next season after many seasons in Europe and Mexico. If Los Ticos want to advance in this competition, they will need their veteran forward to score goals. He has a knack for scoring on big stages and I expect him to bag a few this tournament.
Panama
Overview: Coming off disappointing losses to Canada and Mexico in the Nations League, Panama will look to bounce back in this tournament with largely the same roster. This team has taken huge steps in the last 5 years with an appearance at the World Cup in 2018 and their Nations League 4th place finish a week ago.
Expectation: Win the group - I truly think Panama has the strongest team in Group C and they will have something to prove. They are coming off of meaningful games against giants of the region, which will have them prepared.
Stretch goal: Reach the final - If they can top this group, they will face the runner up of Group B (likely Honduras, Haiti or Qatar) in the quarterfinals and they should expect to win that game. After that a tougher test will await them. Is this team up for the task, or will they run out of gas at the end?
Player to watch: Adalberto Carrasquilla - the Houston Dynamo midfielder really impressed in the Nations League (especially against Canada). He is a young player with huge upside and already has a great Gold Cup showing to his name from 2021.
El Salvador
Overview: Hugo Perez, arguably one of the most underrated and underappreciated managers in the region, has made incredible progress with this team during his two-year tenure. They impressed in the 2021 Gold Cup (reaching the quarterfinals) and played South Korea to a 1-1 draw just a few days ago, ending a poor run of form.
Expectation: Fight for second place in the group - I think the runner up in this group is going to come down between El Salvador and Costa Rica. They play each other in the second group game and if one of these teams can come away with three points, that may decide it.
Stretch goal: Win the group - In order to do this, they will need to score more goals than they have in recent games. El Salvador will need someone to step up in this roster to take control of games in the final third.
Player to watch: One of the Gil brothers - okay, I might be cheating a bit here, but I think one of the sons of Colombian footballer Cristian Gil will step up and score big goals for this team. The three brothers all play up top and I think we may just see some sibling connections leading to goals.
Martinique
Overview: Because Martinique is not a member of FIFA, the Gold Cup is the most prestigious competition they can compete in. They have played in 7 Gold Cups to date and have struggled to make it beyond the group stage (except for 2002 when they made it to the quarterfinals). As an overseas department of France, they have many French-born players on this roster. They beat Saint Lucia and Puerto Rico to advance out of the prelims.
Expectation: Get a point - although they have managed to get a win in 3 of the last 4 Gold Cups they have entered, continuing their momentum from the prelims will be a tough ask for this roster.
Stretch goal: Win a game - as I just mentioned, Martinique has managed to get wins in recent tournaments off of Canada, Nicaragua, and Cuba. If they can catch another team in this group sleeping, we have already seen they can generate goals and win games.
Player to watch: Brighton Labeau - born in mainland France of Martiniquais descent, Labeau first started playing for the national team in 2022. He scored big goals in both of Martinique's prelim games and is a dangerous 6-foot forward for this squad. Fun fact - he was a member of Monaco’s youth teams before making his professional debut in Ligue 2.
Game to watch: El Salvador vs Costa Rica (Friday, June 30th). This will be a very tense battle between two Central American teams that could decide who advances to the knockout round and who finishes third in the group. Expect a tightly contested match and a low score.
Group standings prediction: Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Martinique
Group D: Canada, Guatemala, Cuba, and Guadeloupe
Canada
Overview: The most recent loss to the US in the Nations League final may not seem devastating from afar, but if you watched the game and the aftermath, this seems like a huge step back for Canada. After finishing first in World Cup qualification they had a poor showing in what turned out to be the hardest group in Qatar. The team and head coach John Herdman looked shocked after the loss to the US and they couldn’t get anything going. Can the team they bring to this Gold Cup, which is missing their biggest stars, help bring a Concacaf trophy home for the first time since 2000?
Expectation: Win the group - on paper, this is by far the easiest group in the competition. Canada’s minimum expectation should be to win this group with ease.
Stretch goal: Reach the final - maybe we are all overreacting to their loss to the US in that final, Canada’s roster is still one of the strongest in this region and they will have something to prove!
Player to watch: Jacen Russell-Rowe - I don’t think he will be a starter for this tournament, but the 20-year-old has been making consistent appearances with Columbus Crew this year. This could be a tournament where he begins playing real minutes for Canada.
Guatemala
Overview: It has been an uphill battle since FIFA suspended their federation back in 2016 (the suspension was lifted in 2018). The suspension led to the inability to qualify for both the 2017 and 2019 Gold Cups. In the 2021 Gold Cup they finished last in the group. Luis Fernando Tena (who managed the Mexico team that won Olympic gold in 2012) will look to take Guatemala to the knockout round for the first time since 2011.
Expectation: Finish second in group - although they had a poor showing in many of their recent friendlies, this group leaves a lot of opportunity to advance to the knockout round.
Stretch goal: Push a team to extra time in the quarterfinals - this is Concacaf, anything can happen on any given day. If Guatemala can advance from their group all bets are off!
Player to watch: Nathaniel Mendez-Laing - the former English youth national team player will make his competitive debut for Guatemala in this Gold Cup. He recently spoke on the importance of representing Guatemala (the country his mother was born in) and the excitement his late grandmother would have that he is representing her nation. He is a veteran winger with Premier League and Championship seasons under his belt. He could be their X factor!
Cuba
Overview: Cuba enters the tournament coming off a tour in South America where they were beaten by a combined 5-0 vs Chile and Uruguay. While some would expect for a team to play some games they can win to boost confidence, I believe these games will have Cuba ready to play at a higher level against this group.
Expectation: Win a group stage game - it is very likely that Cuba could get points off Guatemala and they should be able to beat Guadeloupe.
Stretch goal: Finish second in the group - the Cuban team has reached the knockout round of the Gold Cup twice in the last decade (2013 and 2015). With a group that doesn’t have a clear-cut favorite to finish second, the door is open!
Player to watch: Arichel Hernández - the Cuban captain is one of their anchors and a creative threat in the midfield. I expect him to have big games against both Canada and Guatemala. They will need him at his best to lead them to the knockout round.
Guadeloupe
Overview: Similar to Martinique, as an overseas department of France, they are not a member of FIFA so the Gold Cup is the highest level of competition they can reach. The players and fans will be buzzing for this opportunity. The team had a very decent run of form in the Gold Cup from 2007-2011 (a semifinal and quarterfinal appearance). After a 10-year drought, they have qualified for back to back Gold Cups.
Expectation: Get a point - this squad should be able to get a point from either Guatemala or Cuba in this group. They have enough danger going forward to score goals.
Stretch goal: Win a game - back in March, they played Cuba to a tight 1-0 loss in the Nations League. They are playing with a lot of confidence after an aggregate score of 7-0 in their prelims, don’t be surprised to see them win a game here.
Player to watch: Andreaw Gravillon - their superstar defender (who has played for Inter Milan, Reims, and Torino) will need to bring his best in order for Guadeloupe to make an impact at this Gold Cup. He’s a fantastic two-way player who scored his first international goal (an absolute GOLAZO) in their final prelim game.
Game to watch: Cuba vs Guatemala (Tuesday, June 27th). This is the first game for both of these teams. If either team can come away with three points, they will be in the driver’s seat for a spot in the knockout round.
Group standings prediction: Canada, Guatemala, Cuba, Guadeloupe
Knockout Round & Award Predictions
Quarterfinals: Canada vs USA, Mexico vs El Salvador, Jamaica vs Guatemala, Panama vs Honduras
Semifinals: USA vs Mexico, Jamaica vs Panama
Finals: Mexico vs Jamaica
Champion: Jamaica
Awards:
Golden Ball – Leon Bailey (Jamaica)
Golden Boot – Santiago Gimenez (Mexico)
Golden Glove – Andre Blake (Jamaica)
Young Player Award - Cade Cowell (USA)
How To Watch
English: Fox, FS1, FS2, and Fox Sports (Stream)
Spanish: Univision, TUDN, ViX (Stream)
Despite a few teams bringing B squads and major stars missing from the tournament due to injury, this year’s Gold Cup is going to be worth watching and following closely. Concacaf is at a major inflection point where the title of giant of the region has been firmly grasped by the United States, while Canada and Mexico are trying not to fall behind - a victory from either in this tournament would help stop that US momentum. At the same time, you have Jamaica, Panama, and Costa Rica knocking at the door of that top three. Teams like Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala will be looking to find their footing heading into the next Nations League tournament with spots in Copa America on the line. The rest of the teams at this tournament all have something to play for as this is one of the bigger tournaments they will play in. Concacaf may not be home to the best soccer in the world, but I have always believed it is home to some of the most exciting soccer you will have the privilege of watching!
Enjoy this edition of the Gold Cup and continue following ConcaCorner for updates throughout the competition!
