Gold Cup 2021 Teams

Martinique 

How they qualified

They reached the Gold Cup as one of four runners-up in the 2019-20 Concacaf Nations League A. Three draws, including a 1-1 result against Honduras, were enough to see off Trinidad and Tobago in Group C for a coveted second place and a ticket to the finals.

Tournament Record

Martinique first featured in the Gold Cup in 1993 when they managed a 2-2 draw with Canada.

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Panama

How they qualified

The team booked a place for the main draw as one of four runners-up in the 2019-20 Concacaf Nations League A. They qualified by the skin of their teeth in a group dominated by Mexico. Both Panama and Bermuda registered a single win, but the Panamanians prevailed because of a better goal difference.

Tournament Record

Panama were one of the nine teams to play in the inaugural edition of the tournament in 1963,

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Qualification

Canada flew through qualification for the Gold Cup, finishing second in a tough Nations League group including their bitter neighbours USA. They began by running rings around Cuba in their opening game; a 6-0 thrashing lead by hat trick hero Junior Hoilett. This was followed by a less convincing 0-1 away win, inspired by Bayern Munich starlet Alphonso Davies.

The real talking point, however, lies in their back-to-back tussles with USA,

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USA

How they qualified

Coming out of qualifying, USA look like the strongest team in the upcoming Concacaf Gold Cup, having finished top of their Nations League group and winning the Nations League final with an extra-time victory over arch-rivals Mexico. Over the course of the entire Nations League competition, they scored 19 goals and conceded 5; not bad for a team with an average age of 23.

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Jamaica

Qualification:

Jamaica qualified for the Gold Cup following a wildly successful CONCACAF Nations League debut, finishing unbeaten at the top of the group, scoring 21 goals and conceding only 1 over the span of 6 games. However, since they secured CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification in November 2019, Jamaica have suffered a series of notable defeats; losing 3-0 to Saudi Arabia, then 4-1 to Gold Cup rivals USA in what could be a telling game in predicting Jamaica’s effectiveness against the bigger sides.

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Mexico

Qualifying

Mexico enter the Concacaf Gold Cup after finishing top of their qualifying group, easing past Bermuda and Panama as expected, winning every game of the group stage. Their most recent outing in the Concacaf Nations League in June saw them lose out to USA following a 114th minute winner courtesy of Chelsea star Christian Pulisic. During the group stage of Nations League qualifying, they scored a convincing 13 goals in 4 games,

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Curaçao

How they qualified

Curaçao booked their ticket for the finals as one of the four group runners-up in the A League of the inaugural Concacaf Nations League. In Group D, they finished behind Costa Rica, but ahead of Haiti. 

Tournament Record

This is the team’s third participation. In 2017, Curaçao debuted in the tournament in group D with Mexico, El Salvador and Jamaica, but failed to garner a single point.

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Suriname 

How they qualified

The Surinamese progressed to the main draw as one of four group winners in the 2019-20 Concacaf Nations League B. They punched their ticket by bossing group B, even though Saint Vincent and the Grenadines proved to be tricky challengers. Suriname garnered 13 points and scored an impressive 16 goals. Gleofilo Vlijter was the League’s top scorer with ten strikes.

Tournament Record

The country returns for the first time in 36 years to the Gold Cup.

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Qatar

How they qualified

The team was invited to participate for the first time. Qatar will also feature in the 2023 Gold Cup.

Tournament Record

None.

Star Man

Akram Afif

It still has to be Afif, even though he is never reached the heights of his 2019 Asian Cup winning performances. However, he still makes Qatar tick going forward and his link-up play with Almoez Ali is unmatched.

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