This is the endgame. On Sunday, the United States Men’s National Soccer Team will hit the NRG Stadium in hopes of clinching its 8th CONCACAF Gold Cup trophy. However, it’s easier said than done as the team is set to clash against the stacked Mexico, the most successful national team in the history of the tournament. Thankfully, though, Mauricio Pochettino’s boys aren’t exactly the giving-up-without-a-fight material, either.

Just days ahead of the Gold Cup, the USMNT was probably at its lowest in years. Losing game after game since July last year, it seemed like the hopes of making any ripple in the 2025 CONCACAF were a far cry. However, the team fought back, almost literally. “It could have been a not-great situation going into the Gold Cup. But everybody used it as a learning experience,” said defender Tim Ream about the locker room’s mentality going into the Pan-American tournament. But now, after five Gold Cup matches (4 wins, one draw), the squad is ready for the ultimate rumble. And the players can feel the excitement in their veins.

GOLZ TV took to X on July 5 to share how the USMNT isn’t up for ceding ground to Mexico in the Gold Cup Final, slated for Sunday, July 6. “USMNT defender Chris Richards issues a warning ahead of the Gold Cup final,” notes the social media post, before elaborating on what the 25-year-old soccer star had to say about the imminent clash against the USA’s southern neighbors.

“I think you’ve seen that we kind of like to fight. That’s maybe something that’s been missing from the national team over the last few camps, few months, few years,” Richards’ statement from the recent USMNT presser ahead of the Gold Cup final was quoted in GOLZ TV’s update. But the Crystal Palace F.C. star wasn’t done. “We didn’t come into camp saying we want to fight. But I think if teams want to bring it to us, they have something else coming for them,” Richards added.

However, Richards didn’t forget to mention that it was the inherent nature of the Gold Cup that prompted him and the rest of his teammates to be hostile. “Of course we want to win games but sometimes in CONCACAF, it’s not pretty so you have to do dirty things,” he said in the press meet. But this kind of hostility might be exactly what the Americans need before Sunday’s big game.

Mexico is the reigning Gold Cup champs, while the USMNT’s last international tournament was shambolic, to keep things light. In June last year, the USA became the first-ever hosts in Copa America history to crash out of the tournament before the knockout stages. A blinding blow to the gut and confidence, indeed. But this time around, it’s a whole different mentality.

A Gold Cup triumph could be the gateway to bigger fish to fry

When Pochettino took over the reins from Gregg Berhalter in September last year, USMNT fans were skeptical about his chances of success. However, the Ligue 1-winning coach brought a different vibe to the locker room and was quick to earn the respect of his players. Naturally, when the CONCACAF Gold Cup arrived, the team was eager to find out how far they had come under the new leadership, despite key players like Christian Pulisic, Antonee “Jedi” Robinson, and Yunus Musah being unavailable for the tournament.

Pochettino himself is also feeling the rush. And he knows that the Gold Cup finals against Mexico could be the one thing the USMNT needs to feel good ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. “All the games after will be friendlies,” the USMNT boss said recently about how Sunday’s game is crucial for the team’s motivation before next year’s big tourney, which the USA will co-host along with Mexico and Canada.

However, he should rest somewhat easy knowing that the team is up for any challenge to make his dreams come true. And we mean, any challenges. During the USMNT’s quarterfinal clash against Costa Rica, Kenneth Vargas was seen taunting Malik Tillman for the latter’s penalty miss in the first half. However, it didn’t take long before Tillman’s teammates arrived on the spot to gang up on the Costa Rican forward. Maybe that was also a way the team bonded, even if they didn’t know it at the time.

“The bonds that are being created in such a short amount of time, I don’t think you can speak about it enough,” Tim Ream said that the locker room is feeling the deepest sense of brotherhood in months. But will that be enough to help the team bring the Gold Cup trophy back to the USA? Can the USMNT square off against the stronger Mexicans while also taking on the pro-Mexico fans at the NRG Stadium? What do you think? Tell us below!