THE 2013 edition of the Gold Cup deserves your attention.

First and foremost, the winner of the 12-team, biannual tournament will be crowned CONCACAF champion. This in itself may not be such a big deal, but the 2013 Gold Cup winner will play the 2015 Gold Cup champ for the right to appear in the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia—a tournament with plenty of prestige.

So yes, these three weeks in July are a big deal.

It’s also a big deal for some marginalized/rehabbing American soccer players who are trying to make a positive impression with Jurgen Klinsmann one year before the World Cup in Brazil. Landon Donovan, for one, needs to show something here. So does Stuart Holden. They are not alone.

“The race is on,” Klinsmann said. “The Gold Cup is a huge opportunity for all the players to make a very, very strong statement. This is the moment now to shine.”

American Soccer Now wants to shine too. Please check out our new, highly interactive Gold Cup channel, which features writeups on all 12 teams—yes, even Belize—player profiles, tactical previews, and lots more. Dig in.