Breakout Performers: Five Young Players Impressing at the 2025 Gold Cup

The 2025 edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup is well underway and the tournament, which has a reputation for unearthing and platforming top talent from North American, Central American and Caribbean regions, has already provided compelling viewing.

Players who manage to produce eye-catching performances at the Gold Cup can put themselves in the shop window with games in the competition regularly well-attended by scouts from football’s biggest clubs.

Five promising players lighting up the 2025 Gold Cup

Nathan Saliba (Canada)

Quebec native Nathan Saliba is enjoying a breakout summer for the Canadian national team at the 2025 Gold Cup having barely featured for The Canucks before this year’s tournament.

By Canada Head Coach Jesse Marsch’s own admission, Saliba was probably underused last year and the midfielder was particularly frustrated about his omission from the Canadian Copa America squad 12 months ago.

However, Marsch has made Saliba a key component of his midfield machine at the Gold Cup and the CF Montreal schemer has repaid his manager’s faith, netting twice in as many starts for Canada in the competition’s Group Stage.

Canada, who are co-hosting the Gold Cup with the USA, were always expected to make a decent impact at the Gold Cup and were listed among the favourites in the bookmakers’ outright markets to win the tournament.

At present, The Canucks are listed as third favourites to land silverware with all of the bookies on the list of betting sites in Canada and beyond, though Saliba’s emergence as a force should only heighten their chances of success.

Max Arfsten (USA)

Max Arfsten is another relatively new name on the international scene having only been involved in the USA setup since January, though the 24-year-old has looked comfortable rubbing shoulders with his higher-profile teammates.

Arfsten had accumulated just a handful of caps for the USMNT before being handed a starting role at left back on matchday one of the Gold Cup against Trinidad & Tobago.

The defender claimed two assists in a Man of the Match performance in USA’s 5-0 win over the islanders on that occasion and earned a successive start in the USMNT’s 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia shortly after, impressing again with his explosive bursts from deep.

Arfsten, who plays his club football in the MLS with Columbus Crew, has been tipped to make a summer move to Europe, with Ligue 1 side Toulouse believed to be tracking him closely.

Manfred Ugalde (Costa Rica)

Something seemed to click for Manfred Ugalde during the 2024/25 club campaign when the attacker scored a career-best 18 goals to help carry Spartak Moscow to a solid fourth-placed finish in the Russian Premier League.

The lethal attacker has also reached new heights at international level and has been good for a goal per game for Costa Rica since the turn of the year.

Ugalde bagged a fine brace in Costa Rica’s 4-3 win over Suriname in Los Ticos’ Group A opener at the Gold Cup and scored again in his country’s 2-1 triumph over Dominican Republic on matchday two.

The 23-year-old’s progress hasn’t gone unnotched and both PSG and Monaco have been linked with summer moves for the former FC Twente starlet.

Peter González (Dominican Republic)

Born in the Spanish capital to Dominican parents, exciting winger Peter González honed his talents in Real Madrid’s academy during his formative years before moving down the road to Getafe in 2024 and the gifted 22-year-old has been showcasing his burgeoning potential at the Gold Cup.

González has been attached to the Dominican Republic since 2017, but only made his senior bow for the country this year and the flanksman has already become one of Los Quisqueyanos’ most important attacking outlets.

González sparkled for the Dominicans despite the team’s matchday one loss to Mexico in Group A and he dazzled again in subsequent appearances against Costa Rica and Suriname, troubling numerous defenders with his close control.

The Dominican Republic have already exited the tournament, though that could give Peter González more time to size up his next move at club level.

Malik Tillman (USA)

A Bayern Munich academy graduate and key player for current Dutch Eredivisie champions PSV, Malik Tillman certainly isn’t short on pedigree and the German-born USA international has been strutting his stuff with authority at the Gold Cup.

Tillman has been pulling the strings in midfield for a USMNT outfit that has been backed to win the Gold Cup outright on most betting sites and the 23-year-old has arguably been their strongest performer in the competition so far.

The attacking midfielder scored three goals in as many games to help USA to top spot in Group D and Tillman has the class to be a match-winner when the Gold Cup’s knockout phase begins.

Bundesliga giants Bayer Leverkusen are expected to firm up their interest in Tillman when the Gold Cup ends in early July.