Mexico Beats USMNT Again: Gold Cup Final Ends in Painful Loss for Pochettino’s Men

A promising start, a faltering midfield, and a late heartbreak—Sunday night saw the United States fall short once again against their fiercest rivals in a 2-1 Gold Cup final loss to Mexico. With a sold-out NRG Stadium swaying in favor of El Tri, Edson Álvarez’s match-winning strike sealed back-to-back Gold Cup titles for Mexico—and handed the USMNT yet another lesson in high-stakes football.

Fast Start, Sloppy Finish

The Americans struck early with Chris Richards finding the net in just the fourth minute off a crisp delivery from Sebastian Berhalter. But what followed was a masterclass in sustained pressure by Mexico. Raúl Jiménez equalized in the 27th minute, and while Pochettino adjusted with a two-man forward line in the second half, possession woes continued to haunt the USMNT.

Mexico capitalized on those lapses, and in the 78th minute, Edson Álvarez broke through—securing Mexico’s 10th Gold Cup title and sending the home-dominated crowd into a frenzy.

Álvarez: The Midfield General Who Delivered

Edson Álvarez, playing without a summer break, was everywhere on the pitch. Anchoring the midfield, dropping into defense, and finally—scoring the winner. Despite an initial offside scare, VAR confirmed his headed goal, completing a stellar campaign that saw him finish with two goals and an assist.

He might not grab the spotlight like Raúl Jiménez or teen sensation Gilberto Mora, but on Sunday, Álvarez owned it.

A Familiar Story of Final Failures

This was the eighth Gold Cup final between the US and Mexico. Mexico has now won six of them. Despite a younger squad and key absentees like Christian Pulisic, Sergiño Dest, and Weston McKennie, the expectations were high—especially after back-to-back tournament disappointments in the Nations League.

Post-match, Pochettino described the loss as “priceless but painful,” lamenting a denied penalty call that could’ve changed the outcome. Still, he acknowledged the crowd dynamic and stressed the need for stronger fan support ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

“The fans have one year to realize how important they are,” he said. “Not just on Instagram. In the stadium.”

With bragging rights slipping further south and World Cup prep on the horizon, it’s back to the drawing board for the U.S.—and a celebration parade for Mexico.