'Our work hasn’t been meaningless' - Ahead of another Gold Cup final vs regional rival USMNT, Mexico's Javier Aguirre underscores importance of lifting trophy

Just one step away from lifting the Gold Cup trophy, Mexico manager Javier Aguirre spoke about the significance of such an achievement, calling it a potentially fitting reward for the dedication and unity shown by the Mexican squad throughout the tournament.

“Securing the title would give us momentum and show that the work we’ve done hasn’t been meaningless,” Aguirre said. “We’ve been sharp in training, the group is committed, and there’s a strong sense of unity - almost like a family. Everyone takes pride in wearing the national team jersey.”

México will face the United States in a new edition of the CONCACAF Clásico. Both teams arrive undefeated so far in the tournament, so it is expected to be a very evenly matched game for regional supremacy.

The 2025 Gold Cup final will be played this Sunday at NRG Stadium in Houston. This will be the last official competition match for the Mexican national team before the 2026 World Cup. From then on, they will only play friendly matches, which makes winning the trophy an important goal for Aguirre’s squad.

Mexico's goalkeeper spoke about the rivalry between El Tri and the USMNT, saying “We always know that, in the good sense of the word, it’s a war, it’s a clásico, and I think one of the things I’ve learned at América is that clásicos have to be won, so now it’s time to prepare, to recover.”

After his goal against Honduras, which was his second in this Gold Cup, Jiménez has now reached 41 with the Mexican national team, trailing only Javier Hernández (52) and Jared Borgetti (46).