Mexico’s Raul Jiminez Favored to Win CONCACAF Gold Cup Top Goalscorer at 5-1 Odds

• CONCACAF Gold Cup 2019 kicks off this weekend
• Mexico’s Raul Jiminez is the favorite to be the top goalscorer
• Jamaica’s Darren Mattocks is a player to watch

The 15th CONCACAF Gold Cup kicks off this weekend – the biennial men’s soccer championship of the North, Central American, and Caribbean region. It will primarily be hosted in the United States, with Costa Rica and Jamaica also hosting doubleheaders in the first round of matches.

Mexico and the US lead the betting to win the competition, but who will win the Golden Boot as the tournament’s leading goalscorer?

CONCACAF Gold Cup 2019 Top Goalscorer Odds

*Odds taken June 14 2019. 

Mexico’s Raul Jiminez – who plays in the EPL for Wolves – leads the betting at +500 but is closely followed by two US strikers, Christian Pulisic and Jozy Altidore, both on +750. But is there value elsewhere? We’ll take a look.

The format is four groups of four who complete on a round-robin basis for a place in the last 16, with the top two of each going through, so those teams likely to be there for the long haul are always favorites to produce the top goalscorer – hence Jiminez, Pulisic and Altidore leading the betting.

So, worth noting at this juncture is that in the tournament’s history, only three different teams have won it – Mexico, USA and Canada – and so these teams are always statistically more likely to provide the leading goalscorer on the basis they play the most games.

Two years ago, in a relatively low-scoring tournament, the Golden Boot was shared by three players who scored just three goals each.

Two years ago, in a relatively low-scoring tournament, the Golden Boot was shared by three players who scored just three goals each – Alphonso Davies (Canada), Kevin Parsemain (Martinique) and Jordan Morris (USA) – whereas in 2015 the USA’s Clint Dempsey blitzed it with seven goals.

Only Parsemain is featuring this summer, and Martinique are not expected to advance beyond the group stages, so few clues there.

In terms of value, we have looked a little further down the betting table and are drawn to the +1200 on offer for Jamaica’s Darren Mattocks, who plies his trade in the MLS, currently with FC Cincinnati. The 28-year-old has scored goals throughout his time in the US and providing Jamaica can fulfill their promise and go deep in the tournament, he could be one to watch.

Another player we consider worth watching is the US’s Gyasi Zarde (+1100). The Columbus Crew striker had an injury-plagued time at LA Galaxy, but his move to Indiana has worked out perfectly for him and has seen him score regularly for club and country. Key of course will be if he can find himself a place in the starting XI, but if he can we expect him to score.

How much is new DP Gyasi Zardes making? Who got the biggest raise on #Crew96 in the offseason? @CollinJohnson breaks down the newly released 2019 MLS player salaries. https://t.co/fJTBaysUa1 pic.twitter.com/zkldEySeUU

— Massive Report (@MassiveReport) June 12, 2019

Finally, on the premise that Costa Rica are expected to go a long way in this tournament, let’s not discount either Bryan Ruiz (+1000) or Joel Campbell (+1100), both of whom are capable, if the Costa Ricans deliver, of scoring regularly.

But it’s Mattocks who really interests us, partly because of just a gut feel and partly because the Jamaicans are playing some “home” games. This could be significant.

Pick: Darren Mattocks (+1200)