LOS ANGELES, California – The 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup has concluded following Mexico’s thrilling 1-0 victory over Panama in Sunday’s Final at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California. There were many players who delivered great performances over the course of the tournament, yet these 11 players stood out the most at their respective positions.
Here is a look at the 2023 Gold Cup Best XI:
GK Guillermo Ochoa (MEX) – The winner of the Best GK Award for a second time (2019), Ochoa was brilliant for El Tricolor, allowing just two goals in six games, registering four clean sheets. Ochoa did not concede a goal in any of Mexico’s three knockout round matches.
DF Fidel Escobar (PAN) – Escobar was superb in the back for the Canaleros and finished the tournament with 10 steals, 16 clearances and a goal to help his side reach the Final.
DF Johan Vasquez (MEX) – It is no coincidence that in the five matches in which Vasquez played, Mexico won all five. The center back had five steals and eight clearances while completing more than 91 percent of his passes.
DF Jorge Sanchez (MEX) – Sanchez contributed at both ends, with six steals and nine clearances on the defensive end, while going forward on Mexico’s right flank he was a menace to defenders in taking four shots.
MF Luis Chavez (MEX) – Mexico’s free kick maestro served up one of his best in the 3-0 semifinal win versus Jamaica with a left-footed shot that curled into the top left corner of net. Chavez had two goals from 18 shots and chipped in with six steals and two clearances.
MF Adalberto Carrasquilla (PAN) – The 2023 Gold Cup’s Best Player Award winner had 14 steals, while contributing two assists. He also coolly converted the winning penalty in Panama’s 5-4 penalty shootout win over the United States in the semifinals.
MF Orbelin Pineda (MEX) – From start to finish Pineda was excellent. He scored two goals and had three steals, but his finest moment came in the Final when he supplied the assist on Santiago Gimenez’s title-winning goal.
MF Edgar Barcenas (PAN) – The tireless Barcenas finished the tournament with 15 steals and three clearances, while going forward he had two goals from 12 shots.
MF Demarai Gray (JAM) – Gray made the most in his first matches with Jamaica, scoring two goals and chipping in with two assists while completing 86 percent of his passes for the Reggae Boyz.
FW Jesus Ferreira (USA) – The winner of the Top Scorer Award finished the tournament with seven goals and made history along the way by becoming the first player in Gold Cup history to score a hat trick in two different Gold Cup matches in the same edition.
FW Ismael Diaz (PAN) – Diaz was lethal up top for the Canaleros, scoring four goals and collecting an assist, plus adding a steal. He also made history by scoring the fastest hat trick in Gold Cup history with his three-goal burst in 10 minutes in the 4-0 quarterfinal win over Qatar.
