2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final: Lack of Quality Doomed the USA

The reality of the Gold Cup Final Situation

It was a match where the US Men's National Team squad battled against a strong Mexican Team. While they were good, they weren't at the level of past mighty El Tri teams. They fought well, but you could see very clearly they didn't generate enough in the midfield to gain many attacking runs.

The brightest moment was the free kick that was delivered by Sebastian Berhalter at the near side, toward the Mexican area, as Chris Richards found a way to head the ball toward the bottom of the crossbar on the near side and bounced completely over the goal line.

After that moment, it was advantage Mexico. They pressed, took multiple attacking runs, and forced the US Men's National Team to make mistakes in the midfield. You saw Diego Luna, who was an offensive machine in the Quarterfinals against Costa Rica and the semifinals against Guatemala, become a scoring machine.

In this match against Mexico, he wasn't able to do so because he forced himself to help the backline defend, then bring the ball up for an attacking run. Max Arfsten, who was forced to become a left-wing fullback, made some tactical mistakes. That's the reason for Luna, at times, dropping back.

On Mexico's goals, just brilliant plays that unfortunately cost the USMNT the game, and especially the second goal when Alex Freeman stepped backward toward his net, allowing Edson Alvarez to get the offside flag overturned with the help of VAR. That is a mistake that can't be made in the international game.

Patrick Agyemang, as of right now, is too raw and is not ready for the World Cup. While he has a big frame and can bring the ball into an attacking run, he continues to take too many touches inside the area, and his lack of decision-making in the box is his downfall. He should stay home next summer and watch on Television.

While the rumors of him being sold to Derby County in England from Charlotte FC are going around, he needs more seasoning for the 2030 Cycle. This one season for me is not enough for Agyemang to be considered for the World Cup.

Malik Tillman has been hot and cold, but he has shown some flair when he does put the ball into the back of the net. When it comes to those players who deserve a call-up for the World Cup Roster, it is goalkeeper Matt Freese, Midfielder Diego Luna, Jack McGlynn, Centerback Chris Richards, and that's it.

Some are up in the air, and some will stay home. But the overall problem this roster shows is that the majority of the roster were injured, or trying to get back from injury, and weren't able to join this summer at the Gold Cup. Yet the biggest issue has been the faces of this National Team in Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie.

Pulisic whined away for a vacation this summer because he claims to have felt something, and his father's comments made it worse, but Pulisic's going on the CBS Sports Golazo Podcast Call it What You Want made it triple worse with how he explained why he wanted a break.

McKennie's comments supporting Pulisic's break made him look weak and pathetic. While he and Tim Weah were with Juventus for the Club World Cup, they got eliminated and could've asked to join the Gold Cup squad, but probably wanted a vacation themselves.

The reality is this: while there were some mistakes from Pochettino, this is not all his fault, and the fans asking for his sacking are delusional and far-fetched. How can you demand a sacking for a man who has been on the job a full year and soon will have another four months left before we ring in a new year? Crazy emotional foolishness that needs to stop.

The real culprits are that the lunatics are running the asylum, and US Soccer is allowing them to do so. US Soccer has looked weak and feeble-minded in this entire situation. They hid from everyone rehiring Gregg Berhalter, where at the time the true candidate went to Canada. Cindy Parlow-Cone & J.T. Batson haven't done enough to give us confidence in running soccer house.

They allow Don Garber to walk all over them on the Open Cup, and they allow Pulisic to beg for his vacation. They can't set an example for these players. They need them so badly because they play in Europe with two of the best clubs in Italy's Serie A by name. If the fans and some in the media see the crisis that's forming after getting grouped in the Copa America, why can't they?

When they brought in an international manager with the pedigree of Mauricio Pochettino to replace the pathetic and poor excuse of an international manager in Gregg Berhalter, who's had the A Team for an entire cycle and nearly two years, yet couldn't defeat a top 20 ranked team in FIFA, but could only take out a poor and week Mexico side.

Even in Camp Cupcake in January, Berhalter failed to get a result. This National Team can't even defeat Panama anymore, due to their upgrade at head coach with Tomas Christiansen. Now Canada has their number, and the continued hypocrisy that still hangs around like a dark cloud is getting bigger and bigger.

If only Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Jozy Altidore, Michael Bradley, Tim Howard, Jermaine Jones, DeMarcus Beasley, and the many other Americans who played on the National Team can find a way to go into a time machine and get back to their playing days and show this so-called Golden Generation of what a real National Team player looks like.

This Gold Cup squad showed heart, showed passion, showed care, wanting to be there. But sadly, their quality didn't improve when it was needed. This is not an indictment on them, it's just the truth. I'm proud of these players for what they tried to do, but I'm disappointed at those who were healthy and available to come to camp and said no.

Many believe the US Men's National Team will get grouped next summer, while I will never root for that, in the back of my mind, I will prepare myself for it, and I have that sinking feeling in my stomach that it will come true. If Pochettino is going to make a stand, it will be during these friendly games this fall and next March, as well as the roster announcement.

US Soccer has to stop treating the Gold Cup like these are glorified friendly games and look across the Confederation of CONCACAF. Everyone is getting better. Canada, Mexico, for now, before Javier Agurrie leaves again after the World Cup, Dominican Republic, Panama, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and a few other countries.

The regression is hurting as all of us can see it, why can't they? And to all the American Soccer Fans who say no MLS Americans on the National Team, what good are these players who are in the top leagues, or the top countries of football and they don't want to be on this National Team because a little boo boo is enough to beg them to not come to camp?

A slight bit of tiredness makes them whine not to come to the National Team when they need this tournament as a final tune-up for competitive games, before the real show begins next summer. The next time someone visits the new facilities of US Soccer's Training facility and office in suburban Atlanta, make sure it's not built like a Jenga puzzle, one wrong pull and it all comes crashing down.