USMNT has one goal vs. Mexico in Gold Cup final: ‘Lift a trophy’

HOUSTON — Asked what it would mean to win the Gold Cup in what would be his “last chance,” to lift the trophy, U.S. men’s national team veteran Tim Ream’s first response was to go with a joke.

“My last chance?” he responded, with a smirk. “Maybe. They’ve been telling me that for a long time.”

Ream has had a resurgence as a U.S. stalwart since being named to the World Cup roster in 2022. Now, the 37-year-old is the old man on a young U.S. team. As he turned back toward the microphone to finish his answer, Ream couldn’t help but glance multiple times over at the trophy that was sitting to his right.

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“We’re excited. I’m excited,” he said. “I’ve been in this program for 15 years. It’s my fourth Gold Cup. I’ve not won one yet, and as you said, this more than likely is my last Gold Cup. So, to be able to win one, have it be my last, I’m excited. I’m excited that we have an opportunity to play in a final and an opportunity to lift a trophy. And that’s something that I think all of the guys are really looking forward to.”

Ream’s words served as an important reminder of a common theme from Saturday’s press conference, which featured five U.S. players as well as coach Mauricio Pochettino. The expectation repeated over and over again by the American contingent was that the U.S. aims to lift the trophy.

Yes, Mexico is the favorite. Yes, this U.S. group is missing several top players. That doesn’t matter. They want to win.

Tim Ream answers questions Saturday ahead of the USMNT’s match against Mexico in the Gold Cup final on Sunday. (Troy Taormina / Imagn Images)

“Because who is going to be in the memory of the people is who will win tomorrow and lift the trophy,” Pochettino said. “And the second(-place team), no one is going to remember.”

With his answer, Ream laid out that winning a trophy shouldn’t be taken for granted. He’s been chasing his for 15 years.

“It’s one game to lift a trophy,” Ream said. “Doesn’t matter if you’re the underdog or you’re the favorite, you still have to go out there and play at least 90 minutes to finish a game. And for us, that’s all the motivation we need, is that trophy right there.”

For this group, the Gold Cup final holds an extra bit of importance beyond lifting the cup.

The U.S. lost four consecutive games going into the tournament. This specific group dropped two friendlies to talented European sides before the Concacaf tournament started. A 4-0 defeat to Switzerland was especially deflating — and concerning. Five wins over opponents that they were expected to beat — Trinidad and Tobago, Saudi Arabia, Haiti, Costa Rica and Guatemala — would feel far more substantial if the U.S. could cap the run with a win over Mexico.

The Americans will have to do so before a crowd that is likely to be heavily partisan in Mexico’s favor. The U.S. was able to beat Guatemala in front of a stadium in St. Louis that felt more like a home game in Guatemala City. Mexico’s advantage will be on a grander scale.

For many of the players on the team, it will be their first time playing on such a stage. It is a critical test as Pochettino weighs how this group will factor into the World Cup picture when his full pool is available for selection.

“It’s good for us because I think it’s going to be maybe the last game that we are going to play under pressure, and to play under pressure is what we need, the team needs, because we already qualified for the World Cup,” Pochettino said. “The games we play after are going to be friendly games. It’s important that we have that difficult scenario to feel the pressure, to feel the stress. Because the World Cup is going to be about feeling the pressure and feeling the stress. It’s great to have this opportunity.”

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Mexico also faces pressure to win, and not just because it’s facing what is largely viewed as a “B” team for the U.S.

Asked whether the current political climate for Mexicans in the U.S. created extra emotion or a further “obligation” to win, goalkeeper Luis Ángel Malagón, who has spoken of having family in the U.S., said it absolutely factors into how the team looks at the final.

“Yes, it’s always going to be a challenge to win, more because of what I believe Mexico represents,” Malagón said. “At the end of the day, we’re aware of what’s happening outside of football, and on the field we try to give our all and do our best to bring satisfaction to those people who, as I mentioned in an earlier answer, we don’t know what they might have to go through. So for us, yes, it’s a topic that sometimes comes up at the table among the different points we discuss, and we’re aware of it, it motivates us, it pushes us, and above all it gives us that responsibility to go for the title, which would be a satisfaction for everyone.”

(Top Photo of, from left, Matthew Freese, Tim Ream and Chris Richards: Kyle Rivas/Getty Images)

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