Concacaf Gold Cup predictions: Mexico the clear favorites as struggling USMNT look to make statement

The Concacaf Gold Cup starts on Saturday evening as Reigning champions Mexico will face the Dominican Republic. El Tri will try to defend their Gold Cup title and at the same time win a third consecutive Concacaf tournament, but it will not be an easy way. The national team of the United States may struggle under Mauricio Pochettino, but the Canadian national team improves. The invited side, Saudi -Arabia, will also entail a heavy test after their upset about Argentina in the World Cup group phase of 2022, and other countries such as Costa Rica and Suriname will look at a number of upsets.

In the last competitive tournament for the United States, Canada and Mexico Before they go together to organize the World Cup 2026, this means that all three teams will do their best to win the tournament, although unlike El Tri and the Canucks are not present Christian Pulisic resting in the controversy. That could offer other countries with opportunities to make noise, while Pochettino is still working to find out what his best XI is.

Let’s see how the tournament can shake.

Biggest surprise: El Salvador

There are quite a few teams that have improved around Concacaf, but El Salvador is currently running an unbeaten run of four games in Gold Cup game. They will have a hard time getting past Canada to win the group, but there is no reason why the winner of the competition between them and Honduras will not continue from their group. In recent years, closing Honduras would have been a more difficult test, but at a time when things are wide open, they can get out of the battle.

Greatest disappointment: Costa Rica

The Tico’s used to be the fourth best team in Concacaf, and now their golden generation is blurred, they want to find out where they stand. Costa Rica may come from the group if they can pass Suriname, but this is not a team built to make a deep run. In a sense of Concacaf -Vaageguur, the Tico’s are looking for a way to get beyond the best teams in the region, while they are enforced from the sides that quickly catch up.

Golden Boot: Raul Jimenez, Mexico

Raul Jimenez’s Late career -rehearsal for Mexico is something to look at. During the Concacaf Nations League Finals, the Fulham man found the back of the net five times while he grabbed a help to push El Tri to Glory. For years, Mexico had the same problem as the USMNT to need a real nine to bring everything together, and Jimenez has taken the reins and experienced them with them, despite the aftermath of his career-changing head injury.

Tournament player: Edson Alvarez, Mexico

While Jimenez is holding Mexico’s attack, the role of Edson Alvarez in the defense and midfield is also crucial. The friendly matches of Mexico have not been great, but it will not stop them from getting past the opposition in a confaf with Alvarez who leads the leadership. It is rare that defensive midfielders are the best player of the tournament, but that shows his interest for the Mexican national team.

Winner: Mexico

It is time for a repeat while Mexico continues to show the region that they are back and are willing to take everything on their path. This is a well -balanced team that knows what they are doing well. Even if they cannot have Santiago Gimenez attacked, there is enough for Mexico to wear teams on their path and to appear a Gold Cup title.