After the United States' defeat to Mexico in the 2025 Gold Cup final, Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino highlighted the influence of the atmosphere in the stadium as a determining factor.

According to the coach, if his team had had more support in the stands, the result could have been different.

It was a good game. Mexico is a great team, they have great players and a good coaching staff, but I want to emphasize how important the fans are in a soccer match. When you have support, you regenerate the player's energy on the field, and when you don't, you drain their energy and it costs you, said the Argentine coach at the end of the match.

Mexico, 2025 Gold Cup champion with a majority in the stands

Mexico beat the United States 2-1 at NRG Stadium in Houston, adding their 13th title in the top CONCACAF national team tournament and extending their historic dominance over the Star-Spangled Banner.

Despite playing on US soil, more than 70,000 fans mostly Mexican filled the stadium, creating an atmosphere that felt favorable to El Tri throughout the match. For Pochettino, that difference was key:

"If we had had the majority supporting us today, it would be different, but this is what we have to do. We had a good first 20 minutes, then Mexico cornered us, and in the second half it was even. The result was decided by details, not much happened in the second half,” he explained.

Despite not lifting the trophy, Mauricio Pochettino praised the work done in the Gold Cup, a tournament that allowed him to consolidate ideas in his young process at the helm of the United States national team, which he joined in September 2024.

“This Gold Cup allowed us to have the players together for 40 days to establish the principles of what we want. It was important to see players crying after losing, it makes me happy because that is how this sport should feel,” he noted proudly.