The 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup kicks off this weekend when Mexico square off against the Dominican Republic in California.
Having won the last edition of the competition, Mexico are looking to lift their 10th trophy and are the favourites to do so.
Javier Aguirre's side have warmed up for this tournament with friendlies against Switzerland and Turkey, succumbing 4-2 in the first of that double-header before overcoming the latter by a 1-0 scoreline.
Meanwhile, the Dominican Republic are making their debut in the competition courtesy of winning their group in League B of the CONCACAF Nations League with a 100% record.
However, this is a massive step up for a team ranked 139th in the FIFA World Rankings on the back of beating the likes of Bermuda, Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda.
How the bookies see it: Mexico expected to cruise to opening-game win
Such is the gulf in class between these two sides that Mexico are priced as low as 1/9 with BoyleSports.
The draw is 13/2 with Dominican Republic priced at 18/1 to pull one of the biggest upsets in the tournament's history.
Earlier this month, Dominican Republic lost 4-2 in Guatemala, the 106th-best team in the world, and that emphasises the size of their task against a nation of the stature of Mexico.
Head to head: First meeting for 35 years
These two nations will be squaring off for the first time since 1990 and have only ever met on three occasions.
All three games have taken place at the Central American and Caribbean Games, Mexico winning 1-0 and 5-1 in 1974 and 1990 respectively with a 1-1 draw being played out in 1978.
Players to watch: Jimenez to lead way for Mexico
Mexico will be missing the quality of Hirving Lozano through injury, but Aguirre still has a wide array of talent at his disposal.
Raul Jimenez was the star of their Nations League success in March and the legendary 34-year-old now has 39 goals from 111 matches for El Tri.
He is one of three players in the squad with at least 100 caps – the others being goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa and defender Jesus Gallardo.
Curiously, only two members of this squad are in double figures in terms of goals, the other being Orbelin Pineda. Sixteen-year-old prodigy Gilberto Mora has also been selected in the group.
Meanwhile, Dominican Republic will largely be reliant on Dorny Romero, the Bolivar forward having netted 26 goals from just 40 international appearances.
Predicted lineups: Similar Mexico XI from Nations League final?
From the Mexico XI that started the Nations League final in March, only Luis Romo is missing from the centre of midfield.
Luis Chavez or Carlos Rodriguez seem most likely to come into the team, providing that Aguirre sticks with a 4-4-2 formation.
Santiago Gimenez is in line to partner Jimenez in attack, the AC Milan forward eager to improve on netting just five times from 36 games for his country.
Such was their ruthlessness against Dominica on Wednesday that Marcelo Neveleff was able to rest several of his key players during the second half.
As a result, the expectation is that he will stick with the same team. Four of his five attack-minded players netted in the previous game, including Romero who has netted 14 international goals since the start of 2024.
Mexico: Malagon, Reyes, Montes, Vasquez, Gallardo; Alvarado, Alvarez, Chavez, Huerta; Gimenez, Jimenez
Dominican Republic: Valdez; Urbaez, De Lucas, Pujol, Dollenmayer; Rosario; Federico, Kaparos, Morschel, Reyes; Romero
Anything else catch the eye?
This game is taking place at the SoFi Stadium, the same location as Mexico's semi-final and final victories over Canada and Panama in the Nations League.
GambleAware