The Guatemalan national team will have an MLS presence when experienced Philadelphia Union striker Carlos “El Pescadito” Ruiz and Chicago Fire attacking midfielder Marco Pappa don the blue-and-white in this summer’s Gold Cup.
Ruiz and Pappa were two of the three foreign-based players in a list of 23 names revealed by Guatemala manager Ever Hugo Almeida on Saturday.
Other top players on the roster include Honduran-born Oscar Isaula, who won the Golden Boot in the recently concluded Guatemalan league, and veteran midfielder Guillermo Pando Ramirez.
The Gold Cup will run from June 5-25. Los Chapines will share Group B with Honduras, Jamaica and Grenada. Guatemala will open against Honduras on June 7, then will play Jamaica on June 10 and Grenada on June 13.
GUATEMALA ROSTER:
Goalkeepers: Ricardo Jerez (USAC/Guatemala), Juan José Paredes (Comunicaciones/Guatemala) y Paulo César Motta (Mictlán/Guatemala)
Defenders: Edwin González (Mictlán/Guatemala), Henry Medina (Heredia/Guatemala), Carlos Gallardo (USAC/Guatemala), Carlos Castrillo (Comunicaciones/Guatemala), Cristian Noriega (Municipal/Guatemala), Gustavo Cabrera (Municipal/Guatemala)
Midfielders: Manuel León (USAC/Guatemala), Wilfred Velásquez (Suchitepéquez/Guatemala), Elías Enoc Vásquez (Comunicaciones/Guatemala), Jairo Arreola (Comunicaciones/Guatemala), José Manuel Contreras (Comunicaciones/Guatemala), José del Águila (Comunicaciones/Guatemala), Gonzalo Romero (Municipal/Guatemala), Guillermo Ramírez (Motagua/Honduras) y Carlos Figueroa (Xelajú/Guatemala)
Forwards: Jonatan López (Marquense/Guatemala), Marco Pablo Pappa (Chicago Fire), Carlos Ruiz (Philadelphia Union), Dwight Pezzarosi (Comunicaciones/Guatemala) y Oscar Isaula (Malacateco/Guatemala)
