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,
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.
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.
July 2 – The Concacaf Gold Cup kicks off tonight in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with the first of three triple header preliminary knockout rounds that will decide the final three qualifiers for group stages that start at the end of next week, July 10.
July 2 – The Concacaf Gold Cup is the kind of championship that will guarantee stories of triumph over adversity, of teams and individuals doing remarkable things to inspire countries large and small.
July 1 – At the 2019 Gold Cup, Haiti were the surprise package, battling their way to to a semi-final against the tournament’s class act Mexico, a glorious run that was ended in a penalty shoot-out.
By Samindra Kunti in Munich
July 2 – Belgian coach Roberto Martinez will take a “last-minute decision’ over the fitness of both his lodestars Kevin de Bruyne and Eden Hazard for the blockbuster Euro 2020 quarter-final against Italy, the country he labeled “statistically the best team”.
July 2 – The legal battle between UEFA and the three remaining heavyweight clubs seeking to keep alive a European Super League has taken another twist with the Spanish courts once again acting to protect their interests.
July 2 – Italy has intensified its warning to England fans to stay away from the Euro 2020 quarter final against Ukraine in Rome on Saturday unless they can prove they have observed five days of quarantine.
July 2 – Nearly 1,300 Scotland fans who travelled to London to watch their team play England on June 18 in Euro 2020 later tested positive for coronavirus – including almost 400 inside Wembley for the match.
July 2 – The World Health Organization (WHO) has voiced concerns over Euro 2020, warning that the continental finals could act as a “super-spreader”.
July 2 – Belgian champions Club Brugge have a new backer, with investment fund Orkila Capital pouring €20 million of working capital into the club.
July 2 – Juventus say they expect to lose €320 million because of the coronavirus pandemic and are planning to raise €400 million in capital through a share sale as they look to redress the financial balance.
July 2 – If the Euros was to be decided by the average market value of players in each of the squad, the England are nailed on winners and Spain would be runners-up of they weren’t in the same side of the draw.
An analysis by the KPMG Football Benchmark team finds that the average value of an England player is €57.8 million. The least valuable players in the quarter finals are Ukrainian – who face England’s next – with an average value of just €6.6 million.
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.