From Matt Miazga to Kenny Saief an Eric Lichaj, the final 23-man squad has several players who could propel themselves onto the 2018 World Cup radar
The 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup may not seem like that important a tournament this time around, what with Mexico and the U.S. sending B teams and Costa Rica and Panama also resting some key veterans. As much as that may dilute the overall significance of this year's installment, it remains a golden opportunity for some U.S. players to take their first steps toward a place at the 2018 World Cup.
The list of players who have gone from relative U.S. national team newcomers to World Cup participants after impressing at the Gold Cup is an impressive one. Dating back to DaMarcus Beasley, who shined at the 2002 Gold Cup before making that year's World Cup at age 20, to Clint Dempsey's jump from the 2005 Gold Cup to 2006 World Cup, Bruce Arena has a track record of using the tournament to mine for new contributors. The number of fresh faces on the 2017 U.S. Gold Cup roster shows Arena hasn't changed his stance.
The Gold Cup roster isn't just about new faces, but also about players trying to make the most of second chances. That includes the likes of Eric Lichaj, Joe Corona, Juan Agudelo and Gyasi Zardes, as well as goalkeepers Bill Hamid and Sean Johnson, who have climbed their way back into the picture after enduring hardships following their initial national team experiences.
Here are some key takeaways from the U.S. Gold Cup roster announcement:
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