United States vs. Mexico • Highlights • Final • Gold Cup

Mexico was crowned champion of the 2025 Gold Cup after defeating the United States 2-1 in a fiercely contested final at NRG Stadium in Houston. Chris Richards opened the scoring for the Stars and Stripes in the opening minutes, but El Tri responded with determination. Raúl Jiménez equalized with a shot from the center of the box after an assist from Marcel Ruiz, and Edson Álvarez later sealed the comeback with a header validated by VAR. Mexico imposed its rhythm in the second half and went on to lift the trophy in a memorable edition of the Concacaf derby.

Exiting: Raúl Jiménez, Jorge Sánchez and Roberto Alvarado.

Enter: Santiago Giménez, Israel Reyes and César Huerta.

Edson Álvarez headed the ball into the back of the net from a corner. However, the move was immediately ruled out for offside, although it remains under review.

Gilberto Mora leaves, Orbelín Pineda enters.

Tyler Adams receives a yellow card for a foul on Edson Álvarez.

The Mexican players continue to apply constant pressure, keeping the United States goal under siege. The tiebreaker seems ever closer, given the Mexican team's persistence.

César Montes received his first caution of the match for a harsh tackle on Patrick Agyemang.

After Raúl Jiménez's goal, Mexico took complete control of the match and remained focused on attacking in search of a second goal. The pressure inside the U.S. penalty area intensified, while the Stars and Stripes were unable to react or regain their offensive play.

Raúl Jiménez tied the game with a precise shot from the center of the box, after receiving a precise pass from Marcel Ruiz.

Gilberto Mora tried his luck with a shot from outside the box, forcing goalkeeper Matt Freese to intervene for the first time in the match.

The Mexican national team managed to reverse the pace of the match and began to take control of possession, getting closer to the opponent's penalty area more frequently. Although they still didn't create clear scoring chances, the match began to look more balanced, with Mexico taking a better stance on the field.

The United States began the match dominating possession until they found their reward with the first goal. After the goal, the situation didn't change: the Stars and Stripes maintained control and continued to press their attack on Luis Malagón's goal. Mexico, for its part, focused on defense and tried to capitalize on some possessions, but without achieving depth or real danger.

Chris Richards headed a shot from a set piece inside the box to open the scoring for the United States in just the opening minutes of the match.

The referee blows the whistle and the 2025 Gold Cup Final begins.

The long-awaited 2025 Gold Cup Final has taken place, and today the new Concacaf champion will be determined with a classic clash between Mexico and the United States at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas .

The Mexican team is the slight favorite, as the American team has notable absences, with several players opting to skip the tournament to take vacations or prepare for their club commitments. Javier Aguirre is looking to cap off an intense summer with a title that will back up the Mexican team's performance in this edition of the tournament , the last before the 2026 World Cup.

Despite being favored, the challenge will not be easy. The last three finals between the two teams have been won by the United States . In 2021, they defeated Mexico in both the Nations League and Gold Cup finals, and in March 2024, they repeated the feat in a Nations League final. Although Mexico is the current tournament champion (2023), they won that title against Panama.

It's worth remembering that the two teams recently faced each other in a friendly match last October at the Akron Stadium in Zapopan , where El Tri won 2-0. Current coaches Javier Aguirre and Mauricio Pochettino were already in charge at that meeting.

When and where to watch the 2025 Gold Cup Final?