HOUSTON — The U.S. men’s national team stumbled to a 2-1 loss to Mexico on Sunday in 2025’s Gold Cup final, cementing back-to-back titles for their southern rivals that earned victory thanks to a game-winner from Edson Álvarez.
Held at a sold-out NRG Stadium with a majority Mexico crowd, the championship match initially began with the USMNT hitting the ground running via a fourth-minute set-piece goal from Chris Richards off a cross from Sebastian Berhalter.
In response, Mexico increased its attacking pressure, eventually equalizing on a powerful shot from Raúl Jiménez in the 27th minute. Despite the continued attacking momentum from El Tri, the U.S. then nearly took back the lead with an Alex Freeman header that was saved by Mexico goalkeeper Ángel Malagón shortly before halftime.
U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino, eager to turn back the tide after the midway break, then altered his approach to a two-man forward line with the introduction of Damion Downs in the 69th minute. Nonetheless, it was Mexico that stole the game winner from Alvarez in the 78th minute, securing a 10th Gold Cup trophy.
Following the loss for the USMNT, which used an alternate squad this summer that was missing key players, here are three talking points:
1. Sloppy possessions allow first U.S. title under Pochettino to slip away
Time and time again in the heart of the pitch against a pressing Mexico side, the U.S. players found themselves either lofting inaccurate passes forward or being a step behind advancing defenders.
If there was a weak link in Pochettino’s tactical setup on Sunday, it was exactly these moments that allowed Mexico to easily win back the ball and keep the Americans on their toes, leading to Jimenez’s first-half equalizer and Alvarez’s winner in the second half.
To be fair to Pochettino, with such an early lead in the game, most managers would also choose to take fewer risks in possession and get the ball out as quickly as possible. With the addition of Downs, there also seemed to be an effort to try a different approach that garnered more control of the ball, albeit with only three shots in the final 45 minutes.
Either way, Mexico was more than happy to consistently recover the ball in dangerous areas of the field, creating pathways throughout the match that led to its win.
2. Alvarez captains Mexico to 10th Gold Cup title
A massive amount of credit is due to Alvarez. Without rest this summer, the West Ham midfielder started in every game for Mexico at the Gold Cup, commanding the heart of the squad and also moving back into the defense as needed.
Regularly doing much of the dirty work needed in his own half of the pitch, Alvarez doesn’t get the same plaudits that a dangerous forward such as Raul Jimenez does, or the hype of an up-and-coming player such as 16-year-old Gilberto Mora, who seems to be the next big star.
But that wasn’t the case Sunday. Although an initial offside call seemed to rule out Alvarez’s headed shot into the back of the net, a dramatic wait and decision from VAR confirmed the captain’s efforts, and he finished the tournament with two goals and an assist.
With a perfect start to the Gold Cup through Mexico’s first goal in the tournament, it was then a fitting scenario in which he would later secure just as perfect of an ending with the title-winning goal Sunday.
3. USMNT struggles again in Gold Cup final vs. Mexican rivals
There’s no doubt that the U.S.-Mexico rivalry isn’t as one-sided as it once was in the 20th century. With the growth of American soccer at the club and national team level, the U.S. has regularly been able to go toe-to-toe in the modern era, once earning a seven-game undefeated streak as recently as last year.
The Gold Cup, however, tells a different story.
Sunday’s match marked the eighth time that the two international neighbors met in the tournament’s final, and of those clashes, Mexico has now won six.
Pochettino’s summer squad was an alternate one that doesn’t have a long list of stars, including Christian Pulisic, Sergiño Dest, Antonee Robinson and Weston McKennie, among others. The same couldn’t be said in March, though, when a stronger U.S. roster was unable to win the 2024-25 Nations League after losing to Panama in the semifinals and then Canada in the third-place match.
The winners of that latest Nations League? That was Mexico, which now has gained even more bragging rights over its rival.