Mexico Defeats USA 2-1 to Claim Tenth Gold Cup Title

Mexico successfully defended their Gold Cup title by defeating the United States 2-1 in the final held at a packed NRG Stadium — majority of spectators supporting El Tri.

Chris Richards gave USA the lead in the fourth minute with a strike from Sebastian Berhalter’s cross. However, Raúl Jiménez equalized in the 27th minute with his powerful shot.

USA coach Mauricio Pochettino changed tactics by introducing Damion Downs in the second half, but it was Edson Álvarez who became Mexico’s hero — scoring the winning goal in the 78th minute after VAR validated his strike.

Mexico’s captain Álvarez impressed throughout the tournament — playing in every match and contributing two goals plus one assist. This victory marks Mexico’s tenth Gold Cup title, further cementing their dominance over USA in this competition with six wins from eight final meetings.

“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,” Pochettino commented on his team’s strategy.