If it is the Concacaf Gold Cup, you can bet Honduras will be in, making a 16th appearance in 2023 and having missed out only on the 2002 edition.

Honduras also have the distinction of being one of three Central American teams to have reached a Gold Cup Final, doing so in the inaugural edition in 1991. Honduras also amassed a very impressive run when they made it to three consecutive semifinals in 2009, 2011 and 2013.

Overall, the country has a 22W-8D-25L record in Gold Cup play with 83 goals scored and 71 conceded.

There have been some very notable names who have contributed to that 83-goal tally, including the nation’s all-time top Gold Cup scorer Carlos Pavon (9), Carlo Costly (8) and history maker Eduardo Bennett (7), who scored the first ever Gold Cup goal in Honduras’ 1991 opener against Trinidad & Tobago.

Some other legendary figures make up the list of players with the most appearances for Honduras in a Gold Cup, led by DF Maynor Figueroa with 23 games and followed closely behind by MF Boniek Garcia at 22 games.

But while Honduras is still a regular at the tournament, it hopes this is the year it returns to a top-three finish. After finishing second in the inaugural Gold Cup in 1991, La H has finished third twice and fourth two more times. In the last four tournaments, however, Honduras has exited either in the group stage or in the quarterfinals.

Head Coach Diego Vazquez is looking for members of a new generation to help get back to the podium places, with all-time leading Gold Cup appearance leaders DF Maynor Figueroa and MF Boniek Garcia among those stepping aside. FW Romell Quioto, who led the team in scoring with three goals in the 2021 tournament, also will miss out because of injury.

There is still veteran savvy in Vazquez’s team, with FW Jerry Bengtson coming into the tournament with four Gold Cup goals to his name - two coming in a 7-1 victory over Grenada in the 2011 tournament.

Top Concacaf Nations League scorer and attacking star Alberth Elis also is fit and in the squad, hoping to help provide Honduras an attacking punch.

At the back, GK Luis “Buba” López is aiming to be the top shot-stopper, sitting as Honduras’ saves leader in CNL play and coming off a World Cup qualification campaign in which he made a number of superb stops.

His defense will work to make him less busy and, Honduras hopes, go from being a team that’s consistently present to one that is contending for the crown.