Edson Alvarez's goal in the 77th minute propelled Mexico to a 3-1 victory over the United States in the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup final. The match, held at NRG Stadium in Houston, saw Mexico claim their record 10th Gold Cup title.
The United States took an early lead in the 4th minute when Chris Richards headed in a free kick from Sebastian Berhalter. Mexico responded in the 27th minute with a goal from Raul Jimenez. Jimenez's goal was his third of the tournament.
The game remained tied until the 77th minute when Edson Alvarez scored off a free kick delivered by Johan Vasquez. Initially ruled offside, the goal was confirmed as valid after a VAR review. Mexico then sealed the victory with a third goal to make the final score 3-1.
Mexico dominated possession and controlled the tempo for most of the match. Veteran players Raúl Jiménez and Edson Álvarez were key players for El Tri throughout the tournament. Mexico advanced from Group A with seven points. In the knockout rounds, they defeated Saudi Arabia convincingly and edged out Guatemala 1-0 in the semifinal.
The United States entered the match as underdogs, with many favoring Mexico to win. The USMNT was missing some key players but had an unbeaten run in the competition. They secured a 2-1 victory against Guatemala in the semi-finals. Diego Luna had been a standout player for the United States throughout the tournament.
This marked the eighth time the United States and Mexico have met in the Gold Cup final. Mexico has won five of those seven finals. The USMNT won the most recent match between the two teams in 2021, with Miles Robinson scoring the game-winner in extra time. Mexico has dominated the tournament, with only one of the 18 total finals not featuring at least one of the squads.