We have ourselves an international tournament this summer! The 2019 Gold Cup is almost here! It begins Saturday with Canada and Martinique kicking us off. The tournament is played every two years and includes 12 teams that qualify through regional tournaments in North America, Central America and the Caribbean.
Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa is not happy with Mexico’s warm up matches leading up to the 2019 Gold Cup. He blasted the Mexican Football Federation after the Ecuador game, a friendly that El Tri went on to win. His biggest criticism was rooted in his belief that the federation continues to put profit over the safety of players, which has been something that’s been repeated in the past from other players.
It’s absurd. It’s preposterous. It’s the USMNT Gold Cup roster. I mean, would you look at this? I can’t believe this. These are the guys Gregg Berhalter thinks can defend our CONCACAF crown while simultaneously building a longterm project that’ll secure us our first-ever World Cup triumph in 2022?
Please, get outta here with this. Not these fools. I don’t like these guys; I don’t trust these guys.
"My obligation as Mexico head coach is to make the national team be respected."
Tata Martino's words echoed through the press conference room right before his first match against Chile. Mexico would go on to win that thrilling game 3-1, and he's since gone on to defeat Paraguay 4-2. But this summer, his team will be pushed to the limit.
Carlos Vela is on fire in Major League Soccer. The El Tri star has done a great job building off an excellent start to his MLS career with Los Angeles FC. His first season ended with 14 goals out of 28 appearances. This year, he's picked up right where he left off, scoring 14 goals in just 14 appearances for LAFC.
Tata Martino announced a 29-man, preliminary Mexico Gold Cup roster on Tuesday and a few big names were left off the squad.
Carlos Vela, Javier Hernandez, Héctor Herrera and Jesus Corona were all omitted from Martino’s team ahead of friendlies against Venezuela and Ecuador to warm up for the Gold Cup. The roster will be trimmed to 23 before the start of the Gold Cup on June 15 against Cuba.
Incondicionales, it's roster reveal time!!
Mexico's newest sensation Chucky Lozano has had a tremendous season in the Dutch League. The man behind the legendary story of a small earthquake in Mexico City erupting from his giant-killing goal against Germany in the 2018 World Cup might not get the chance to repeat his stellar performance from last summer this time around.
In great news for Jamaica, the 2019 Gold Cup and fans attending the USMNT’s upcoming friendly against the Reggae Boyz at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., 21-year-old Bayer Leverkusen winger Leon Bailey is reportedly finally set to make his international debut for the side after years of disputes between the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), the player and his representative, step-father Craig Butler.
It’s raining sideways in Herzogenaurach on Monday evening with the temperature hovering in the low 40s. With a colossal match against Augsburg — one place above Schalke in the desperate battle to avoid the Bundesliga relegation playoff — looming the following Sunday, you could forgive Weston McKennie for being in a foul mood after traveling over 400 kilometers from Gelsenkirchen to arrive at adidas headquarters in Herzo for an evening of interviews.
Canada, winner of gold at the 1904 Summer Games, is back on track. With a 4-1 victory over French Guiana on Sunday, the Canucks secured qualification to this summer’s Gold Cup and a spot in League A at the inaugural 2019-20 CONCACAF Nations League. Yes, Canada was expected to blast nations like the U.S. Virgin Islands and Dominica, but John Herdman’s side took care of business, and that’s not something Canada has done since the 2000 Gold Cup.