Leading into the Concacaf Gold Cup final on Sunday, the atmosphere around the U.S. men`s national team was markedly optimistic, perhaps the most positive it had been in over a year. Under head coach Mauricio Pochettino, the squad, primarily composed of fresh faces, clearly benefited from five weeks and eight matches of intensive work, with several players seizing their moment in the spotlight. However, as the USMNT succumbed to a 2-1 defeat against regional rivals Mexico in the final, that sense of optimism might have been a cautionary indicator.
Pochettino`s youthful side featured distinct standout performers at Houston`s NRG Stadium. Malik Tillman and Diego Luna maximized their opportunities throughout the past month, while Chris Richards continued his strong form for both his club and country. Sebastian Berhalter and Matt Freese even entered discussions for potential inclusion in next year`s World Cup roster, a key individual goal for everyone selected for the Gold Cup. The team started brightly, too – Berhalter`s accurate set piece delivery allowed Richards to score the opening goal just four minutes in, a direct repeat of the goal that secured a win against Saudi Arabia in the group stage.
Yet, the loss to Mexico served as a blunt reminder that the advancements made by the USMNT over the last month are merely the initial steps on the rapid upward trajectory they aim for before the World Cup. The team`s most impressive displays occurred against opponents they were expected to beat comfortably – a crucial stage for a team that had struggled against a wide range of adversaries in the preceding year. Reaching the next level demanded stepping up against Mexico, their final chance to claim silverware before the World Cup; despite the early lead, that elevated performance never materialized.
The USMNT was second-best in virtually every department during the Gold Cup final. Mexico took control early, even after conceding the opening goal. The U.S. had no effective answer to Mexico`s attacking style, with El Tri leading significantly in shots (16 to six) and expected goals (1.26 to 0.64). Pochettino`s squad appeared both excessively cautious – uncharacteristic for a coach known in Europe for his entertaining, offense-focused teams – and remarkably passive, suggesting that the collective ability of this inexperienced roster was simply not sufficient for a test of this magnitude. Worse still, these vulnerabilities were not exclusive to Sunday`s performance.
A hesitant defense had endangered the USMNT`s progress even to this point, nearly costing them against surprise semifinalists Guatemala in their 2-1 win. Similarly, a consistent inability to dominate the midfield was evident in the mixed bag of performances during the group stage. On Sunday, both established players and newcomers were equally accountable for the outcome. While center backs Richards and Tim Ream remain likely starters a year from now, Tyler Adams` passing against Mexico left something to be desired. Meanwhile, Tillman and Luna, who had shone earlier in the Gold Cup run, were unable to be difference-makers in the final.
Importantly, Sunday`s outcome does not invalidate most of the positive developments from this summer`s campaign. Pochettino`s initiative to explore a broader player pool was successful – Tillman and Luna have strongly argued for starting spots, while Berhalter`s set-piece prowess and Freese`s penalty-saving heroics position them within the conversation for next year`s World Cup squad. The fact that a group of fringe players didn`t win the Gold Cup is also hardly surprising, particularly considering the pre-tournament negativity that meant reaching the final wasn`t even guaranteed. While winning a trophy was the primary goal, Pochettino`s objective of better understanding his available options was a close second, and in that respect, important missions were accomplished this summer.
For the first time since the USMNT`s Round of 16 exit at the 2022 World Cup, we gained valuable new insights about this team and their capabilities, setting the stage for a fascinating final year of competition for roster spots. Observing how the handful of Gold Cup standouts integrate with core players like Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie later this year will provide a more accurate measure of the U.S.` capabilities at the World Cup than this summer`s tournament could alone. Upcoming friendlies against teams like South Korea and Japan offer a promising start to what will ideally be a competitive schedule leading up to the World Cup, providing a genuine assessment of the USMNT`s true abilities.
The USMNT managed to complete a form of redemption at the Gold Cup, complicated as it might be. Pessimism is no longer the dominant sentiment, but the responsibility still lies with Pochettino and his staff to strike the right balance. The Argentine coach has sometimes lacked solutions to in-game challenges, not always successfully introducing a tempo-altering substitution when the situation demanded it. There is, however, a strong argument that expanding the player pool was a necessary prerequisite for Pochettino to even develop those solutions. The fact that the USMNT exits the Gold Cup with several promising standouts may not definitively answer whether they can live up to future expectations, but it significantly improves this group`s chances of realizing their potential – even if maintaining tempered expectations remains advisable.
