Five things we learned from the 2025 Gold Cup Final | OneFootball

1. Mexico played well, but they have plenty of room for improvement.

I really liked Mexico’s pace of play this entire tournament. And in the Final, they were extremely comfortable in possession unlike their American opponents. However, they were very wasteful with their opportunities, and this game could have ended with a wider margin. According to Sofascore, they had 16 shots but only one big chance, while the United States actually had two big chances. If it wasn’t for that set-piece goal in the 76th minute, this game could have gone to extra time and possibly penalties, which would have been unfair considering how well Mexico looked for the majority of this game.

2. Patrick Agyemang isn’t USMNT caliber yet.

This tournament could have ended with the United States lifting the trophy if their final third efficiency was higher. Without Pepi and Balogun available, the U.S. staff had to call up several subpar players (except for one who I will touch on later) to fill in for them. Patrick Agyemang was entrusted with the starting role in the final, and his performance was about as underwhelming as his previous ones this tournament.

Don’t get me wrong, Agyemang’s a fine player with a lot of potential, and perhaps a move to Derby County will straighten him out, but he’s too clunky on the ball right now. Against a top team like Mexico, his inability to work within tight spaces might have cost the U.S. a goal or two, especially towards the end of the game.

3. Why didn’t Damion Downs play more minutes this entire tournament?

This one ties into the previous one. Downs did pick up a small knock in this tournament, which limited his availability, but part of me wished he saw more playing time, especially in the final as the lone striker. He was used in a lower position in an attempt to connect long balls to Agyemang, and in all honesty, he did a decent job at that.

Photo by Moises Montes

4. Gilberto Mora is who U.S. fans think Cavan Sullivan is.

This is less about Sullivan’s potential than it is about Mora being an absolute revelation for El Tri in this tournament. Mora has passed Lamine Yamal and Pele as the youngest player to ever win a senior international cup. He wasn’t a benchwarmer either; he started in the Final and played very well for 75 minutes as a 16-year-old. Just like Yamal, this type of stuff shouldn’t be normalized.

Mora wasn’t scared to cut through lines of pressure and didn’t seem fazed by the opposition. It looked like this was a regular game for him. I’d love to see him leave for Europe and play for a high-possession team that can develop him into the next Hector Herrera. If he continues on his current trajectory, Mexico could go on an incredible run for the next decade, which could spell very bad news for the U.S. if Sullivan doesn’t pan out as people expect him to.

5. This tournament was riddled by drama regarding who did and didn’t attend.

Although Mexico deserved to win this Gold Cup through their performances in the group stage and the knockouts, I couldn’t help but think about the performance a full-strength U.S. team could have shown in this Final. This is not an excuse for anyone, just a thought that I had. Sure, players like Diego Luna, Chris Richards, and Matt Freese performed at a high level and could feature in the 2026 World Cup. For most of the newly capped guys, however, I was underwhelmed by how they played. The team lacked dynamism and threat, and even against weaker sides, they struggled to maintain control.

For the USMNT’s sake, this Gold Cup showing and the drama surrounding it should light a fire under some of the players who were noticeably absent, even if they were injured or on their way to recovery. The U.S. is no longer the best team in Concacaf, and Mexico is primed to begin another stretch of dominance. If the U.S. wants to switch the narrative, they need their best players on the pitch in September and in the World Cup next year.