The CONCACAF Gold Cup returns this summer, with the USMNT looking to defend its title after a squad made up of primarily MLS players took home the trophy in 2013.
As always, the stakes are high for the tournament. A win in the competition would guarantee the Americans a berth in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia. If the US do not take home the trophy, they will have to face the 2015 tournament winner in a playoff for a spot in the Confederations Cup.
The USA, unsurprisingly, have a decorated history in the Gold Cup, winning the tournament five times and finishing runners-up another four times.
The Americans have only finished worse than third in the Gold Cup on one occasion, falling to Colombia in the quarterfinals of the 2000 tournament, a competition that featured three teams – the aforementioned Colombians, Peru and South Korea – from outside the region.
The 2000 tournament was the lone Gold Cup not won by the US or Mexico; Canada took home that title, beating Mexico in the quarters, Trinidad & Tobago in the semis and Colombia in the final to lift the trophy.
American star Landon Donovan is the all-time leading scorer in tournament history, easily pacing the field with 18 goals in his Gold Cup career, six more than second-place Mexico attacker Luis Roberto Alves. Retired strikers Eric Wynalda (9 goals) and Brian McBride (8 goals) round out the USA’s top three scorers at the tournament and Wynalda is tied with, among others, FC Dallas forward Blas Pérez.
With so much on the line, expect USMNT head coach Jurgen Klinsmann to call his strongest group of players for the Gold Cup. Plenty of MLS stars should be on the roster, with Seattle Sounders forward Clint Dempsey, Toronto FC Designated Players Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore and New England Revolution midfielder Jermaine Jones likely to headline the roster.
USMNT ALL-TIME GOLD CUP RESULTS
1st Place: 1991, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2013
2nd Place: 1993, 1998, 2009, 2011
3rd Place: 1996, 2003
Quarterfinalist: 2000
