My prediction is US vs Mexico in the final. My prediction for the winner will have to wait until we know what squads each team is bringing. Neither the US nor Mexico have been beaten by CONCACAF teams in the knockout rounds (except each other in the finals) since Canada beat Mexico in 2002. The US has never lost in the knockout rounds to a CONCACAF team other than Mexico in the final. With no non-CONCACAF teams in the tournament, it makes a final prediction easy. The US has lost in the knockout rounds to Brazil (twice), Columbia, and Mexico in the finals (4 times). Mexico has lost to Canada, South Korea, Columbia, the US in the semis, and the US in the finals.
Group A: 1. Mexico 2. Canada 3. Panama 4. Martinque Group B: 1. Honduras 2. El Salvador 3. Haiti 4. Trinidad Group C: 1. USA 2. Costa Rica 3 Cuba 4 Belize Canada El Salvador ---------------El Salvador Mexico-------Mexico Cuba ----------------------------------Mexico Honduras-----------------------USA Costa Rica----Honduras ----------------USA USA Panama As the above poster pointed out I really think the winner will come down to what squad the US decides to bring. With the Confed Cup being a week before this we already know Mexico will be bringing a scrub squad
It really is hard to predict anything without any clue on what rosters will look like yet. Teams like El Salvador, Canada, T&T could be wild cards if they bring their very best players. Most other teams will be "B" teams and inexperienced domestic squads. But who knows.
If the Gold Cup was held in Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama, or Jamaica, The U.S. would not reach the final!! What? worthless cookie cup
I predict the tournament will be a joke, with teams forced to fly all over the place to play group games, crappy officiating and economic losses for most of the participating federations but tons of money being made for CONCACAF's fat cats. I also predict the same shit will happen in pretty much exactly the same way in two years, four years, six years, eight years, etc, etc, etc.
ceezmad nailed it. Mexico will win it even with their B-C team. The team Mexico will bring will be younger but will want to prove themselves.
Well I predict tht Mexico will get all the money for development of players from CONCACAF after the tournament (as they always do for them) even though they don't need it and leave other CAC federations in the dust. SAME GOES WITH FIFA!!! . U don't see the U.S. asking for funds from FIFA they don't need! Check Mexico's funds from their profile on FIFA.COM compared to other Concacaf nations, you'll be amazed!!! And maybe some more funds added to this tally due to mass corruption going on in FIFA. While people argue to join CONCACAF and CONMEBOL together at the expense of the robbed CAC teams and the benefit of the USA and especially Mexico!!!
So Mexico which pretty much brings the largest chunk of money for CONCACAF should not take any of it? GTFO.
Well, yes, pretty much. Although exactly what happens with all that Gold Cup money is still a bit of a mistery.
One the one hand, I want to say we should wait until the roster's come out to make any sort of valid, informed predictions. On the other hand, Mexico. Though, did I read that the winner of this Gold Cup will play the winner of the next one for the CC berth next time? Interesting wrinkle, but I don't think any team in WCQ will bite (Mex, USA, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras). Maybe El Salvador does. Or Canada. If they bring their A team, they could win it.
Mexico went complete B squad with their team, I only saw one guy from your Confed Cup squad on the Gold Cup squad (correct me if I'm wrong on that) and it was your 3rd string keeper. The US squad actually has a nice mix of starters, veterans and promising youth players. I'm not saying that Mexico doesn't have a chance but based off of these squads I think the US has to be clear favorites going into this
I wouldn't argue with that but I don't think this squad is better than the US squad. I think both teams will likely end up in the final, and between the 2 I think the US is a bit better.