MIAMI, Florida – With the release of the Gold Cup provisional rosters on Friday, it is safe to say that Mexico and the teams from Central America have plenty of potential spark and star power in their squads.
Look no further than Mexico MF Diego Lainez. The 21-year-old Real Betis man made an instant impact for Mexico during the Final of the 2021 Concacaf Nations League against the United States.
Less than a minute after entering the field as a second half substitute, Lainez used his movement and pace to score Mexico’s second goal of the night and was the main threat for El Tricolor going forward. Now Lainez could play a big part in Mexico’s attempt to defend their Gold Cup crown.
Another player who continues to shine on the international level for both club and country is Honduras MF Edwin Rodriguez.
In the span of seven months, The Olimpia man has earned himself a spot on the Best XI in three different Concacaf tournaments: 2020 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League, 2020 Concacaf Men’s Olympic Qualifying Championship and the 2021 Concacaf Nations League Finals.
Rodriguez’s ability to move and cut through tight spaces is a headache for any opposing defense, and he scored one of the best goals of the CNLF in the Third-Place Match against Costa Rica.
Should Rodriguez be included on the final roster for Honduras, he could well find his way onto another Best XI.
Panama qualified for the Final Round of Concacaf World Cup Qualifying for Qatar 2022 thanks in part to Panama MF Alberto Quintero, who is part of the Canaleros’ provisional roster.
The 33-year-old is no stranger to Gold Cup competition, with 19 career matches in the tournament under his belt.
With so many veteran Panama players retiring following the team’s appearance in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Quintero has assumed the mantle of leader and could provide a steady present in the Panamanian midfield.
Another young player in Concacaf who could leverage the Gold Cup to introduce himself to on the world stage is Costa Rica FW Manfred Ugalde.
Ugalde got the attention of many around the region during the 2019 Scotiabank Concacaf League when he scored four goals and collected the Best Young Player award as a member of champions Deportivo Saprissa.
Now in European football with Belgian side Lommel, the 19-year-old attacker could become the main scoring threat for the Ticos in the Gold Cup.
Joshua Perez only committed to playing international for El Salvador in February of this year, but he has started his career with La Selecta with a bang. The 23-year-old FW scored two goals for El Salvador in the 2020 CMOQ and scored another two goals in the Second Round of CWCQ in El Salvador’s 6-0 aggregate win over Saint Kitts and Nevis.
With his confidence riding high, Perez could be set to do more damage if he gets the nod in El Salvador’s final roster.
