Entertainment

Space, Turtles And Drake: Why You Should Root For The Gold Cup Underdogs

The Gold Cup doesn’t exactly excite quite like the Euros, Copa America or even the Confederations Cup. There are really only three, maybe four, quality teams and the chances of getting CONCACAF’d are higher than ever.

Even though odds are stacked in favor of Mexico or the United States winning in the end, there are reasons to watch the other 10 countries competing over the month of July.  

Here's why you should root for each of the 10 nations who aren’t the U.S. or Mexico.

Costa Rica
Costa Rica

Costa Rica has loads of biodiversity to cherish. 

@VisitCR_PR | Twitter

With nearly 25 percent of the country’s land mass protected either as a national park or otherwise, Costa Rica loves its wildlife. The small country (19,700 square miles) is home to 5 percent of the world’s biodiversity. 

If you like lots of cool animals, from tree frogs to capuchins, root for Costa Rica.

Panama
Mariano Rivera

Mariano Rivera

@EduardusUrsus | Twitter

While Panama is most known for its canal, the country’s greatest contribution to the world is Mariano Rivera, the former Yankees closer who is Major League Baseball’s career leader in saves.

If you like shutting things down for the evil empire, root for Panama.

Martinique
Martinique

Martinique features in Assassin's Creed III

@GirlGamerStar | Twitter

A region of France located in the Caribbean, Martinique plays a role in Assassin’s Creed III, with the protagonist chasing down an evil doer on the island and saving the day. 

If you like video game franchises that have been way overdone, root for Martinique. 

 

El Salvador
Sea Turtle

Sea turtles love El Salvador and so should you!

@theverbalturtle | Twitter

Half of the world’s species of sea turtles at some point visit Salvadoran beaches and of those four, all are endangered. 

We don’t want them to die, so if you like turtles, root for El Salvador.

Curaçao
Curaçao

Curaçao

@cheapcaribbean | Twitter

In Curaçao, prostitution is legal for foreign women. The country is part of the Kingdom of Netherlands, so imagine Amsterdam’s red light district in a Caribbean form. Campo Alegre has been operating for more than 68 years

If you like paying for sex, root for Curaçao.

Jamaica
Drake

Drake loves Jamaica

@JamRockOneMedia | Twitter

For the music lovers out there, Jamaica is the country for you. No, not for Bob Marley. For Drake, duh.

But The18, you ask, isn’t Drake from Canada? Well, yes, but he wishes he was Jamaican

French Guiana
Space!

You can get to space from French Guiana

@AFP | Twitter

This territory is a part of France but located in South America and its citizens are eligible to play for France (former Chelsea winger Florent Malouda was from the region). Because of its location and European ownership, the Guiana Space Centre was built and launches supplies to the international space station.

If you think space is cool — and you really should — root for French Guiana. 

 

Honduras
Scarlet macaw

The national bird of Honduras is the scarlet macaw.

@BegatBot | Twitter

The national bird for Honduras is the beautiful scarlet macaw, a red, yellow and blue parrot.

If you like pretty birds, root for Honduras.

Nicaragua
Global warming

Nicaragua doesn't want the world to heat up too much.

@RCI_Espanol | Twitter

Nicaragua is one of three countries that has chosen to walk away from the Paris Agreement, along with Syria and the U.S.

But while Syria hasn’t agreed due to, you know, the whole civil war thing, and Trump pulled the U.S. out because he doesn’t understand science, Nicaragua objected because it did not do enough for the planet.

If you like making a weird stand for a good cause, root for Nicaragua.

Canada
Justin Trudeau

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

@newsjunkienz | Twitter

One name: Justin Trudeau. 

Just one look at the dreamboat PM and you’ll be screaming for Canada like a schoolgirl at a Taylor Swift concert. 

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