Mexico is the defending champion and has the most Gold Cup titles, but the US brings a five-game winning streak into the title game in Houston.

Team USA and Mexico both had to huff and puff in the semifinals, but they each advanced to set up a tantalizing final in the 2025 Gold Cup on Sunday night. The Stars and Stripes went up by two goals early on Guatemala, but they were put on their toes by an 80th-minute goal by Olger Escobar.

If the Concacaf Gold Cup was meant to be a testing ground for an inexperienced version of the U.S. men's national team, Sunday's quarterfinal against Costa Rica was a very trying examination. It was not only the fact that it was the first win-or-go-home game for this group,