Caribbean nations trending in this Gold Cup

Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty ImagesAs the final whistle blew in the 1-0 United States victory over Curaçao, the players from Curaçao fell to the turf they had played so hard on. Their Gold Cup journey was over, but this was an important step toward their longer term ambition. The disappointment on the field was not a true reflection of their overall perspective. “I am happy. The players are happy. Curaçao is happy. The only thing we did not get is 3 points,” said Curaçao coach Remko Bicentini after the match.

Curaçao has come a long way since being ranked #178 in the FIFA World Rankings in 2013. They won the Caribbean Cup in 2017 and also qualified for their first Gold Cup that same year.…