Mexico Crowned Gold Cup Champion at the Expense of the United States

Mexico retained its title as champion of the CONCACAF Gold Cup (North America, Central America, and the Caribbean), winning the tournament for a record-extending tenth time after defeating host nation the United States 2-1 in the final held at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.

This was the eighth Gold Cup final between the two fierce footballing rivals of North America, who, along with Canada, will co-host the 2026 World Cup. The Americans struck first, opening the scoring with a header from Chris Richards in the 4th minute.

However, Mexico dominated most of the first half, which led to the equalizer by veteran striker Raúl Jiménez (34 years old), following a through ball from Marcel Ruiz in the 27th minute.

Notably, the Fulham striker—who also scored the winner against Honduras in the semifinals—dedicated his goal against the U.S. to the late Portuguese player Diogo Jota. Jiménez wore a shirt bearing Jota’s name and number 20, honoring his former Wolves teammate who tragically died last week along with his brother André in a car accident in Spain.

Mexico sealed the win with a header from their captain and West Ham United midfielder Edson Álvarez in the 77th minute. The U.S. squad featured a largely youthful lineup, with several first-team regulars absent from the tournament.

After the match, Jiménez reflected on Jota’s passing: “He was a great teammate for two years at Wolves from 2018 to 2020. We saw each other a lot and shared some amazing moments. We were both key players in the team’s success, including promotion to the Premier League.” He added: “It’s really hard to take such news about someone who was so close and such a good friend.”

Mexico fully deserved the title after an unbeaten run through all six matches of the competition, further solidifying its status as the most decorated team in the history of the tournament, which began in 1991. El Tri now hold a three-title lead over the United States, their closest rival.

The championship-winning team recorded five victories and one draw, scoring 10 goals and conceding only three throughout the tournament.