Mark your calendars for June 6, when Puerto Rico and El Salvador will ignite the battle for a slot in the World Cup on American Soil. Let's delve into the players representing Puerto Rico in this high-stakes match.
Unlike El Salvador, Puerto Rico had to go through a preliminary round to get to where they are right now to book a ticket for the big party in 2026. Much of the Puerto Rican squad seems unknown to so many due to their past performances, but we will analyze what they are bringing to the table at Cuscatlan Stadium.
THE PLAYERS
Let's start with Puerto Rico's leading goal scorer, Ricardo Rivera, a former USL player currently plying his trade in the Dominican Republic. Rivera has an impressive record of 15 goals in 27 games for Puerto Rico. In the Nations League, he contributed 12 goals and three goals during the past qualifying rounds for Puerto Rico. These numbers speak volumes about the 27-year-old's prowess.
The story's headline for Puerto Rico is the current UEFA Champions League Champion, Jeremy De Leon. The current Real Madrid player started his career as a Castilla player, but he participated in the last edition of the Champions League. Some of those matches included the quarterfinals vs. Manchester City and the recent final against Borussia Dortmund. De Leon will debut on the senior team this Thursday. He has represented Puerto Rico in the U20 team.
Then, midfielder Isaac Angking is a talented midfielder on the Puerto Rico national team. Although his profile is left-handed, his primary skills are vision and long passing. In addition, this 24-year-old player has good shortāand long-distance punching.
He currently plays for Rhode Island in the USL, but he has a long career at a young age, going through teams such as New England in the MLS, Columbus Crew, and Charlotte, among others.
Defender NicolƔs CƔrdona is the great pillar of Puerto Rico's defense, the leader, and the one transmitting security in the background. His 20 games on the national team make him one of the oldest. One of his strengths is his highball game.
To conclude our list, we got the promise of Puerto Rico. Their number 9, Wilfredo Rivera, has played 17 games with the national team between official and friendly matches. He has scored four goals for PR. He plays for Orlando City B of the MLS Next Pro, where he has played 81 games. He will also debut with PR.
These crucial players are managed by the English head coach, Charlie Trout. During his playing career, he represented clubs in England and the United States. He has lived in the United States for nearly twenty years. He has been on duty with Puerto Rico since 2023.
The difference between El Salvador and Puerto Rico in the Ranking is quite wide. Puerto Rico is in 156th place, whereas El Salvador is in 78th place. The question is whether El Salvador will make history by winning a game in two years or Puerto Rico will head back home with three points. We will find that out on Thursday night in San Salvador.
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