CONCACAF Gold Cup 2023: Everything you need to know about United States

United States′ CONCACAF Gold Cup 2023 fixtures:

You can read all about Mexico, Canada, Jamaica & Qatar by clicking on their names here.

United States’ major tournament record:

World Cup

Best World Cup result: Semi-finals- 1930.

CONCACAF Gold Cup

Best Gold Cup result: Winners- 7 times (most-recently 2021).

CONCACAF Nations League

Best Nations League result: Winners- 2021 & 2023.

Copa América

Best Copa América result: Semi-finals- 1995 & 2016.

Confederations Cup

Best Confederations Cup result: Finalists- 2009.

United States at Gold Cup 2023: Will USA retain their title?

Just last weekend, the Stars and Stripes retained their Nations League title, doing so in emphatic fashion.

First, the U.S. swatted aside fierce rivals Mexico tres a cero, before a comfortable 2-0 victory over Canada in the final, also at Allegiant Stadium.

The USA have now picked up the last three international trophies on offer in the region, winning both the Gold Cup and the inaugural Nations League Finals back in the summer of 2021.

These resounding wins in Las Vegas over Mexico and Canada emphasises that the U.S. are head-and-shoulders the best team in CONCACAF right now, ahead of a World Cup this trio will host in 2026.

Now, as was the case in 2021, USA will going into the Gold Cup with a mainly domestic-based roster, although the main talking point surrounds the manager.

Earlier this month, U.S. Soccer confirmed that Gregg Berhalter will return as Head Coach, after his previous contract had expired on New Year’s Eve 2022.

However, his second tenure will, for seemingly no good reason, begin in September, meaning Berhalter will not take charge of the team here.

So, B. J. Callaghan remains in interim charge and, having deliver Nations League glory, is hoping to add the Gold Cup to his résumé, which includes being assistant manager of the Ursinus Bears and Villanova Wildcats.

The United States’ Gold Cup campaign kicks off on Saturday night, taking on dark horses Jamaica at Solider Field in Chicago.

After that, they’ll be overwhelming favourites to beat both St Kitts & Nevis in St. Louis and then Trinidad & Tobago in Charlotte, almost certainly set to reach the quarter-finals for an 18th successive edition.

United States team news

(Alamy Stock Photo)

As mentioned, the majority of the United States’ European-based stars do not feature in this roster, partially to give them a rest but also because most of them are likely to change club during the summer.

Thus, there’s no Sergiño Dest, Antonee Robinson, Joe Scally, Chris Richards, Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Gio Reyna, Luca de la Torre, Christian Pulisic, Brenden Aaronson, Tim Weah, Ricardo Pepi or Folarin Balogun, all of whom featured in the Nations League Finals.

Meanwhile, Zack Steffen, Tim Ream, Cameron Carter-Vickers and captain Tyler Adams are injured.

So, this 23-man squad features 16 MLSers, two players from Liga MX and just five men based in Europe, two of which are goalkeepers.

Nevertheless, this was pretty much the case two years ago, and the U.S. still went on to lift the trophy, beating Mexico 1-0 in that final.

United States′ key players: Matt Turner

(Alamy Stock Photo)

Matt Turner has enjoyed a rapid rise in the last two years, and it all started at the 2021 Gold Cup.

For context, when Zack Steffen went off injured in the 2021 CONCACAF Nations League Final, it was Ethan Horvath who came on, with David Ochoa the third-choice at that tournament in Denver.

Nevertheless, at the Gold Cup that followed, Turner was the star, conceding just one goal across all six matches, lifting the trophy and the golden glove award, also named in the team of the tournament.

Since then, he’s won the Supporters’ Shield with New England Revolution and is firmly established himself the USMNT’s number one, starting 23 of their last 30 competitive games, including all four at the World Cup.

Last summer, Turner earned his dream move to Premier League juggernauts Arsenal, making just seven appearances for the Gunners, all in the Europa League or FA Cup, keeping four clean sheets.

Now, having won yet another golden glove at the CONCACAF Nations League Finals, he’s one of just players who featured in Las Vegas who’s also included in this squad.

Arsenal’s pre-season tour of the U.S. begins against MLS All-stars on 19 July, four days after the Gold Cup Final, so Turner might not get much of a summer break at all.

United States′ key players: Miles Robinson

(Alamy Stock Photo)

The other 2023 Nations League winner who will be targeting Gold Cup glory is Miles Robinson.

Two summers ago, Robinson cemented his place in USMNT history forever by scoring a 117th minute winner in the Gold Cup Final against Mexico at Allegiant Stadium, a brilliant towering header.

He was then a key figure during World Cup qualifying, starting 11 of 14 matches, missing one due to suspension, and his partnership with Walker Zimmerman became the bedrock of this team.

However, on 7 May last year, just a few weeks after the U.S. had secured qualification, Robinson ruptured his ACL playing for Atlanta United against Chicago Fire in MLS.

This, tragically, saw him miss over nine months of action, a period that included the World Cup in Qatar.

Now though, have featured in all but one of Atlanta’s games so far in 2023, Robinson is back in the USA picture, starting the win over Mexico, before sitting out the final victory against Canada due to a slight knock.

With Matt Miazga, out-of-form Aaron Long, teenager Jalen Neal and James Sands, who’s more of a midfielder, the other centre-backs in this roster, it’ll be up to Robinson to lead this defence.

United States′ key players: Jesús Ferreira

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After both Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi scored during the Nations League Finals, the pressure is on the centre-forwards slightly lower down the depth-chart to show what they can do.

Ahead of the World Cup, it appeared as though Jesús Ferreira was going to be the starting number nine, most notable scoring four in a 5-0 Nations League win over Grenada in Austin last June.

This made him just the fifth USMNT player to score 4+ in a game after Archie Stark (vs Canada, 1925), Aldo Donelli (vs Mexico, 1934), Joe-Max Moore (vs El Salvador, 1993) and Landon Donovan (vs Cuba, 2003).

However, at the World Cup itself, Ferreira remained on the bench throughout the group stages, before his sole appearance, taken off at half time against Netherlands in the round of 16.

Since, the FC Dallas striker has only featured in out-of-FIFA-window friendlies, scoring against Mexico in April, although he has netted ten times in MLS for his club so far this season.

Despite being categorised as a key player, there’s no guarantees that Ferreira will actually start for USA at this tournament, with Brandon Vázquez a more than viable alternative striker.

Either-way centre-forward is a position USMNT fans have been debating for years, hoping that Balogun will end that discussion long-term.

United States′ possible starting line-up for CONCACAF Gold Cup 2023

United States′ full squad for CONCACAF Gold Cup 2023

Goalkeepers

Defenders

Midfielders

Forwards

CONCACAF Gold Cup 2023 Group A table