북중미의 축구, Football in North and Central America

 

세계에서 가장 부유하고 프로스프츠의 수요가 큰 지역이지만 미식축구, 아이스하키, 농구, 야구 등의 세가 워낙 강하다보니 축구에서는 유럽, 남미에 비해 두각을 드러내지 않는 대륙. 멕시코와 미국, 코스타리카가 서로 엎치락뒤치락 하며 맹주 자리를 놓고 다투는 형국이지만 멕시코가 조금 더 앞서나간다고 볼 수 있다. 멕시코는 1994년부터 지금까지 7대회 연속 월드컵 16강 진출이라는 꾸준함을 보여주며 나름 세계무대에서도 강호로 인정받는 편 근데 그 일곱 번 중 8강 진출은 한 번도 없는 게 함정. 이 두 팀의 입지는 골드컵에서도 그대로 적용되며 미국과 멕시코에서만 골드컵이 개최되었으며 우승도 2001년의 캐나다를 제외하면 이 두 팀이 다 해먹었다.

그리고 월드컵에 가는 나머지 한 장의 티켓은 주로 코스타리카가 차지한다. 지역적으로도 중앙아메리카에 붙은 나라들이 카리브 해 쪽의 나라들보다 더 월드컵에서의 성적과 골드컵의 전신인 CONCACAF 챔피언십의 성적이 훨씬 더 좋다. 물론 그렇다고 하더라도 쿠바, 아이티, 자메이카, 트리니다드 토바고 같은 나라들이 가끔씩 등장하며, 카리브 해 국가들 역시 세계무대로 종종 모습을 내비치곤 했다. 하지만 2018년 러시아 월드컵 예선에서 파나마가 사상 처음으로 본선에 올라갔다.

2026년에는 6장으로 출전권이 늘어난다. 미국, 캐나다, 멕시코가 모두 개최국 자격으로 진출하면서 중앙아메리카 국가들과 카리브 해 국가들의 본선 진출 경쟁은 더 치열해질 전망이다.

 

 

Although the world's richest region and the demand for professional sports is high, it is a continent that does not stand out compared to Europe and South America in soccer because of its strong nationality in football, ice hockey, basketball and baseball. Mexico, the U.S., and Costa Rica are competing with each other for the dominant position, but it can be said that Mexico is taking a little more lead. Mexico has been recognized as a powerhouse in the world stage, showing consistency in advancing to the round of 16 in seven consecutive World Cups since 1994, but it has never advanced to the quarterfinals. The position of these two teams is the same in the Gold Cup, and the Gold Cup was held only in the U.S. and Mexico  The championship was won by both teams except Canada in 2001.

Costa Rica is the primary destination for the World Cup. Regionally, Central America's countries perform far better at the World Cup and the CONCACAF Championship, the predecessor of the Gold Cup, than their Caribbean counterparts. Even so, countries like Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago occasionally appear, and Caribbean countries have frequently made international appearances as well. However, Panama made it to the finals for the first time in history at the 2018 World Cup qualifying tournament in Russia.

The number of participants will increase to six in 2026. Competition between Central American and Caribbean countries is expected to intensify as the United States, Canada, and Mexico all advance as host countries.