MIAMI, Florida – Concacaf is using this time to reflect on the history of the Confederation’s competitions, including its premier national team tournament, the Concacaf Gold Cup.
Of the 15 editions of the tournament that have been played, only two nations, the United States and Mexico, have appeared in every Gold Cup. Between those two teams, they account for 14 titles, with Mexico having earned their eighth crown last summer in a 1-0 win over the U.S. in the 2019 Final.
But while only Canada is the only other champion in Gold Cup history, having achieved that feat in 2000, there are several teams that can lay claim to being a Gold Cup regular.
The 2000 champions have appeared in 14 Gold Cup tournaments, the lone exception being in 1998 when Canada elected to withdraw from the tournament.
Another team with 14 Gold Cups under their belt is Costa Rica. The only year that the Ticos failed to qualify for the Gold Cup was the 1996 edition due to a fourth-place finish in the 1995 UNCAF Nations Cup.
Costa Rica have enjoyed several strong performances in the Gold Cup, including a runner-up finish in 2002, however a first Gold Cup crown remains on the to-do list of the 2014 FIFA World Cup quarterfinalists.
Joining Costa Rica in the 14 Gold Cups club is fellow Central American side Honduras. The Catrachos enjoyed their best finish in the first Gold Cup in 1991, when they lost 4-3 in a penalty shootout following a 0-0 draw in the Final against the United States. Also of note was Honduras reaching three consecutive semifinals in 2009, 2011 and 2013.
Four other countries have double-digit Gold Cup appearances to their name. Jamaica have featured in 11 Gold Cups and have been a recent visitor to the elite stages of the tournament, reaching the 2015 and 2017 Finals, plus the 2019 semifinals.
El Salvador have participated in 11 Gold Cups and five times finished as a quarterfinalist. Trinidad and Tobago have competed in 10 Gold Cups, with their 2000 campaign ranking as their best finish, as they narrowly fell 1-0 to Canada in the semifinals, while Guatemala also have 10 appearances, including a fourth-place finish in 1996.
