By Paul Nicholson
June 21 – With the provisional rosters for the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup having been announced the biggest surprise comes from the US who have dropped their three biggest stars for the tournament – Christian Pulisic (Chelsea), Weston McKennie (Juventus) and Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund).
In contrast arch rivals Mexico are going full bore with all their key domestic players named, as well as a cluster of overseas stars including Hirving Lozano (Napoli) and Hector Herrera (Atletico Madrid).
Canada are similarly arriving with their superstars Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich) and Jonathan Davies (Lille), while Jamaica have pulled big names from the English Premier League in Michail Antonio (West Ham), Andre Gray (Watford), and newly promoted Brentford’s Ethan Pinnock. They will be alongside Bayer Leverkusen’s standout Leon Bailey and Rangers’ Kemar Roofe.
If the US is seen as a big scalp to take, it suddenly looks a much easier one. Especially with the dramatic Nations League final win over Mexico (won by a Pulisic penalty in extra time) having ignited so much interest domestically in what looked like a developing and exciting team. Even with that rare win over Mexico, the US are still a national team in development. Dropping big names feels like an opportunity missed. Not least in establishing the nation as an international football force.
The US selection also sends a confusing message from a country that has made such a big deal about bringing international football to its shores and the hosting of the 2026 World Cup.
With US venues desperately showcasing their world class facilities with the final decisions for World Cup 2026 hosting to be taken by the end of the year, you could be forgiven for thinking that this is a more competitive and important battle in the country than the performance of the US national team.
Certainly the US Soccer Federation seems to be displaying a questionably arrogant ambivalence towards Concacaf and the Gold Cup, easily the most important and high profile international competition they will compete in their region and outside the World Cup itself (they failed to qualify for 2018).
Fans wanting to see their nation’s stars compete for their nation on a big stage will be disappointed. It is a situation that all the world’s major footballing nations will look on with bemusement (or perhaps amusement) – playing for your country in your country’s biggest tournaments is considered by players, federations and fans worldwide as the most important football stage.
The final 23-player rosters are still to be confirmed and that won’t happen until a few days before the tournament that opens with 12 teams competing in the Preliminary Round (Prelims) from July 2-6. These matches will take place at DRV PNK Stadium (Fort Lauderdale, FL) and will qualify the final three teams for the Gold Cup Group Stages that begin July 10.
In those group stages the US face Canada in Kansas in what, on form, will likely be the deciding match of that group. The Canadians are fast developing with a real sense national pride and purpose and a world beating talent in Davies. They will doubtlessly be scenting blood and the potential of moving on to the next stage in their build towards 2026.
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