MIAMI — The highly anticipated 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup Final will take place this Sunday at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, where the United States will face off against Mexico. This marks the eighth occasion that these two neighboring nations have met in the tournament’s championship match, with Mexico holding a 5-2 advantage in previous encounters, including a win against the United States in the 2021 edition.
The U.S. seeks redemption as they head into their 13th Gold Cup Final, while Mexico is looking to grab their 12th title. Mexico currently boasts the record for the most Gold Cup victories, having lifted the trophy nine times, compared to the United States’ seven.
After a strong performance in the semifinals, the United States earned a 2-1 victory over Guatemala, powered by a brace from Diego Luna. This win marks an impressive unbeaten streak for the U.S. that has now extended to five matches within the 2025 Gold Cup.
Additionally, the Stars and Stripes have established an overall unbeaten run of 16 matches in the Gold Cup, a testament to their consistent performance in the tournament.
During the group stage, the U.S. finished first in Group D with three wins and no losses, which saw them advance to the quarterfinals where they faced Costa Rica. After a tightly contested match that ended in a tie, the United States triumphed in a penalty shootout, with goalkeeper Matt Freese making three crucial saves.
The American side looks to capitalize on their scoring threats, with Luna and Malik Tillman leading the charge with three goals each. Meanwhile, Max Arfsten has made a significant contribution with three assists, leading all players in the Gold Cup.
In contrast, Mexico secured their place in the finals with a narrow 1-0 victory over Honduras in the semifinals, thanks to a goal from Raúl Jiménez. This result advances Mexico to their fourth consecutive Gold Cup Final.
El Tricolor’s record in the tournament stands at 4-1-0 this year, following their successful campaign in Group A, where they finished on top and subsequently overcame Saudi Arabia in the quarterfinals. César Montes has emerged as Mexico’s top scorer with three goals, placing him among the leaders in the overall Golden Boot race.
As Mexico aims for La Décima, the legendary title that would mark their tenth Gold Cup win, Manager Javier Aguirre aims to secure his second championship following his success in 2009.
Historically, Mexico leads the all-time series against the United States, having played 79 matches dating back many years. In these encounters, El Tri boasts 38 victories, while the U.S. has won 24 times, with 17 matches ending in a draw. Mexico has scored a total of 150 goals against the U.S., who have managed to find the net 90 times against their rivals.
In terms of Gold Cup Finals, Mexico has participated in 12 championship matches, emerging victorious on nine occasions. Their finals record highlights their dominance in this competition, as the team has scored 23 goals and conceded only 6 throughout their history in title matches. Among Mexico’s notable scorers in past finals, Andrés Guardado stands out with three goals, while Pablo Barrera and Giovani dos Santos have contributed two goals each.
On the other hand, the United States will compete in their 13th Gold Cup Final, previously holding a record of five wins, two draws, and five losses across 12 matches. The U.S. has scored ten goals and conceded 17 goals in these finals. Landon Donovan is recognized as the USA’s top scorer in Gold Cup Finals, scoring twice in the 2007 and 2011 championships.
The history of Gold Cup Finals between these two teams offers a glimpse of a fierce and competitive rivalry. In the inaugural matchup in 1993, Mexico claimed its first-ever Gold Cup title with a dominant 4-0 victory over the United States. This match featured goals from Ignacio Ambríz, a Desmond Armstrong own goal, Luis Roberto Alves, and Guillermo Cantú.
In the 1998 final, a lone goal from Luis “El Matador” Hernández secured a 1-0 win for Mexico, marking their third Gold Cup championship.
The 2007 final was significant for the United States, as they achieved their first-ever win against Mexico in a Gold Cup final with a 2-1 result, thanks to goals from Landon Donovan and Benny Feilhaber after Andrés Guardado initially opened the scoring.
However, Mexico rebounded strongly in 2009 with a record-setting 5-0 victory, showcasing their prowess with goals from Gerardo Torrado, Giovani dos Santos, and others.
The thrilling 2011 final saw Mexico come back from a two-goal deficit to secure a 4-2 win, further underlining the fierce competition between the two sides.
More recently, in 2019, Mexico edged the United States 1-0 thanks to a decisive strike from Jonathan dos Santos, marking their third consecutive final win against their rivals.
As the stage is set for this weekend’s showdown, fans are eager to witness another chapter in this storied rivalry as the United States and Mexico both seek to etch their names in Gold Cup history.
image source from：concacaf
