Called Up: Modesto Mendez Called Up by Cuban National Team for the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup

Inter Miami FC II defender Modesto Mendez has been called up by the Cuban national team for the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup and preparation matches ahead of the tournament. 

Cuba will play two friendlies ahead of the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup. The team will first face Chile at the Estadio Municipal de Concepción in Concepción, Chile on June 11 at 7 p.m. ET, before playing against Uruguay on June 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, Uruguay. 

Cuba is set to be part of Group D in the Concacaf Gold Cup group stages alongside Canada, Guatemala and an opponent that will be determined in the Prelims. The team is first set to face off against Guatemala at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on June 27, at 8:45 p.m. ET. From there, Cuba is scheduled to play on July 1 at 7:30 p.m. ET at PNC Stadium in Houston, Texas against an undetermined opposing team at the moment, and will then wrap up their group stage matches against Canada on July 4 at 6:30 p.m. ET in PNC Stadium once again. 

Mendez, 25, has previously featured six times for Cuba’s senior national team, making appearances in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers and international friendlies. He most recently represented Cuba last year in three friendlies.

At club level, the defender has been playing for Inter Miami II since the team’s inaugural season in 2020. So far this season, Mendez has made four MLS NEXT Pro appearances, three of them as a starter. The defender was recently called up to Inter Miami’s First Team on a short-term loan for the team’s road game against the New England Revolution on June 11.