Mauricio Pochettino didn't hold back in his assessment of the officiating after the United States men's national team (USMNT) suffered a 2-1 defeat against Mexico in the Gold Cup final. The controversial moment in the match occurred in the 67th minute when Mexican defender Jorge Sanchez appeared to handle the ball inside his own penalty area. Despite vehement appeals from the US players and fans, referee Mario Alberto Escobar Toca did not award a penalty.

Pochettino, the USMNT coach, described the non-call as "embarrassing" and "shameful," suggesting that the decision might have been influenced by the large pro-Mexican crowd at NRG Stadium in Houston. He stated that had a similar incident occurred in the opposite penalty area, a penalty would have undoubtedly been awarded. "I want to tell the truth," Pochettino said, "And the truth was that if that happened in the opposite half, in the other box, for sure it's a penalty". He argued that Sanchez "pushed the hand over the ball" while his knee was on the ground, making it a clear handball.

The USMNT took an early lead in the fourth minute with a goal from Chris Richards. However, Mexico equalized before halftime through Raul Jimenez and then took the lead with a goal from Edson Alvarez in the 77th minute. Alvarez's goal was initially ruled offside but was later confirmed by VAR. Pochettino also contested the foul that led to Mexico's game-winning free kick and believed the initial offside call against Álvarez should have been upheld.

The handball incident sparked outrage among USMNT fans, with many taking to social media to express their frustration. Some fans even drew comparisons to a similar incident in the English Premier League where Arsenal's Martin Ødegaard made contact with the ball with his hand while falling, and a penalty was not awarded. Although it was later determined that the officials made a mistake in the Premier League incident.

According to the International Football Association Board's (IFAB) Laws of the Game, a penalty is typically not awarded if a player falls and the ball hits their supporting arm between their body and the ground. However, in this instance, the ball did not simply hit Sanchez's hand; he appeared to make a deliberate movement towards the ball with his hand.

Former FIFA referee Fernando Guerrero Ramírez supported the referee's decision, stating that Escobar made a great judgment because Sanchez touched the ball unintentionally while falling. However, many, including USMNT midfielder Tyler Adams, believed it was a clear handball. "To me, it looked like a handball," Adams said. "I mean, when you land on the ball and move the ball towards you, it's going to be a handball normally".

Despite his disappointment with the officiating, Pochettino congratulated Mexico on their victory. He also acknowledged that his team needs to improve as they prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.