Heading into Sunday's Concacaf Gold Cup final, the vibe around the U.S. men's national team was as optimistic as it had been in at least a year, if not longer. From head coach Mauricio Pochettino and his roster made up mostly of fresh faces,

The U.S. men’s national team knew the importance of winning the Concacaf Gold Cup final, but fell short to Mexico 2–1 in front of a sold-out crowd in Houston.

Mauricio Pochettino will face his toughest competitive task yet with the USMNT as they take on the defending Gold Cup champions, Mexico, in the 2025 Gold Cup Final. The USMNT will be without key players who will likely be a part of the final roster for the World Cup,