With the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup set to kick off on June 15, three Chicago Fire players have been included in the preliminary 40-man rosters submitted by the 16 nations participating in this summer's tournament.
Defender Francisco Calvo (Costa Rica), midfielder Djordje Mihailović (USA) and midfielder/defender Raheem Edwards (Canada) have been tapped by their respective countries for the initial rosters that will serve as the basis for the final 23-player lists to be announced in early June.
After being acquired by the Fire on May 3 from Minnesota United FC, Calvo has made four appearances (three starts) for the Men In Red since his arrival. At the international level, the 26-year-old has earned 46 caps for Costa Rica since making his senior team debut in 2011. During the 2017 Concacaf Gold Cup, he started in five straight matches for Costa Rica, helping to lead the team to a semifinal appearance against the U.S. Men’s National Team.
Mihailović's inclusion in the USA's preliminary roster comes after earning his first two caps for the USMNT in January. Mihailović started and scored a goal in his debut appearance in red, white, and blue en route to helping the team record a 3-0 win over Panama on Jan. 27, 2019 He also started and played 63 minutes in a 2-0 win over Costa Rica on Feb. 2. Mihailović has 13 appearances (10 starts) and a goal for the Fire so far this season.
Edwards is listed on Canada's preliminary roster having made four appearances (three starts) with the Canadian national team. Edwards' last international outing came as a second half substitution in a 1-0 friendly win over New Zealand on March 24, 2018. Edwards has one appearance and a goal for the Men In Red this season.
The 2019 Gold Cup -- the 15th iteration of the tournament -- will be the biggest-ever edition of the event, with the most participating nations (16), most host countries (three) and most stadiums (17), including Chicago's Soldier Field, which will host the tournament final on July 7.
After the official roster announcement in June, only injury-related changes will be allowed, up until 24 hours before each team’s first match and any injury replacements must come from the preliminary 40-player roster.
For more on the 2019 Gold Cup, visit goldcup.org.
