USA Fall to Mexico in Gold Cup Final, Eyes on 2026
The U.S. went ahead early in the game in Houston, Texas through Chris Richards's header but Mexico fought back through Raul Jimenez and Edson Alvarez to claim a 10th Gold Cup title.
Pochettino told reporters that while it had been a painful night for his side the tournament had been excellent preparation for the 2026 World Cup, which the U.S. will co-host with Mexico and Canada.
'It was a massive lesson for us. It was an amazing tournament to realize in the way that we wanted to grow,' he added.
'This is the way that I think we are going to find the way to compete better and better, and be very competitive and be in the place that we wanted to be.
'When you lose a trophy or you lose a game it's really, really painful. But the most important thing is to have our head up because I think the tournament was fantastic and we keep going, that is the way we want to build our journey into the World Cup.'
The U.S. reached the final despite missing several key players, with Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah controversially opting out while Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna and Tim Weah were unable to play due to Club World Cup obligations.
However, Pochettino did not want to discuss the impact the absences had.
'I think the roster that we build is the roster that deserved to be here, and I think now is not the point to talk about the player that should be here or not,' he said.
The U.S. will next host South Korea and Japan in friendly matches in September.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
12 hours ago
- New Straits Times
England's Walsh hope Spain can enjoy Euro final after Rubiales controversy
ZURICH: England and former Barcelona midfielder Keira Walsh hopes that Spain are able to enjoy the Euro 2025 final on Sunday after the controversy that clouded their 2023 World Cup triumph. Defending champions England meet Spain in Basel on Sunday, two years on from a World Cup final that was overshadowed by then Spanish football federation chief Luis Rubiales kissing striker Jenni Hermoso on the lips after the game. "There's a lot of respect between both the teams and, I think the most important thing for them as a footballer, is that they can enjoy this final – that there's not the controversy surrounding it," Walsh said from England's base camp on Thursday. "The girls deserve to be there to play incredible football. The way our league jumped after we won the (2022) Euros, if you compare it to Spain it probably wasn't the same and they won the World Cup," said Walsh, who played 64 games for Barcelona before joining Chelsea. "After the final there was a lot of controversy and I don't think, for them, there was enough spotlight on how incredible they played. It was all about the other stuff. "As a professional, that was disappointing to see. I have a lot of friends in that team and I think they probably deserved a little bit more than what they got." Rubiales was found guilty of sexual assault for the unsolicited kiss during the World Cup medal ceremony, and fined over 10,000 euros ($12,000). The incident sparked widespread debate about sexism in Spanish society and women's football, fuelling momentum for the "Me Too" movement in the country. --REUTERS
The Star
12 hours ago
- The Star
Rugby-Woodman-Wickliffe off to third World Cup with Black Ferns, Tui omitted
FILE PHOTO: Paris 2024 Olympics - Rugby Sevens - Women's Pool A - New Zealand vs Canada - Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France - July 28, 2024. Portia Woodman-Wickliffe of New Zealand in action with Carissa Norsten of Canada REUTERS/Dylan Martinez/File Photo WELLINGTON (Reuters) -Portia Woodman-Wickliffe was selected by New Zealand for her third women's World Cup on Friday, headlining an experienced Black Ferns squad packed with players who won the last edition of the global showpiece. The prolific try-scoring winger, who came out of retirement in April for a tilt at a third-straight world title, will be joined in England by centres Theresa Setefano and Stacey Waaka, who were also part of the triumphant 2017 and 2022 squads. Kelly Brazier, who was part of the champion 2010 and 2017 squads but missed out on the 2022 triumph, won a recall at the age of 35 for her fourth World Cup as a backup to flyhalf Ruahei Demant. Demant will co-captain the squad with loose forward Kennedy Tukuafu, who was included despite missing two matches this month because of a knee injury. There was no place in the 32-woman squad for Ruby Tui, however, despite the winger having been the face of the 2022 tournament on home soil. Woodman-Wickliffe, teenage sensation Braxton Sorensen-McGee, Katelyn Vahaakolo, Ayesha Leti-I'iga and fullback Renee Holmes were instead selected as the outside backs. "I'd like to acknowledge the players who have missed out. Their contribution to the black jersey and to our team this year has been immense," said head coach Allan Bunting. "The level of depth and internal competition we have seen from our wider squad made the selection process very difficult, however this speaks to the growth and exciting future of women's rugby in Aotearoa." Braxton Sorensen-McGee and Katelyn Vahaakolo are among 14 players who will be playing in their first World Cup. Setefano and Waaka were among seven players from New Zealand's sevens programme who made themselves available for the World Cup in March with scrumhalf Risi Pouri-Lane and flanker Jorja Miller, the others who made the cut. The Black Ferns, ranked third in the world behind hosts England and Canada, kick off their bid for a sixth world title against Spain in York on August 24 and also play Ireland and Japan in Pool C. Squad: Forwards - Kate Henwood, Awhina Tangen-Wainohu, Chryss Viliko, Atlanta Lolohea, Vici-Rose Green, Georgia Ponsonby, Tanya Kalounivale, Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu, Amy Rule, Laura Bayfield, Alana Bremner, Chelsea Bremner, Maiakawanakaulani Roos, Liana Mikaele-Tu'u, Jorja Miller, Kaipo Olsen-Baker, Layla Sae, Kennedy Tukuafu Backs - Iritana Hohaia, Maia Joseph, Risaleaana Pouri-Lane, Kelly Brazier, Ruahei Demant, Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu-Atai'i Sylvia Brunt, Amy du Plessis, Theresa Setefano, Stacey Waaka, Renee Holmes, Ayesha Leti-I'iga, Braxton Sorensen-McGee, Katelyn Vahaakolo, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe Non-travelling reserve: Krystal Murray (Reporting by Nick Mulvenney; Editing by Jamie Freed)
New Straits Times
17 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Spain set sights on England as they chase elusive European crown
ZURICH: Spain's remarkable run in international competitions reaches another high on Sunday when they take on England in the final at the Women's Euros in Basel, playing in their first European decider in only their fifth appearance at the tournament. The reigning world and Nations League champions will be looking for a repeat of their defeat of England in the 2023 World Cup final as they seek to add the European crown to their trophy cabinet. "Now we'll start looking at England more closely, although our analysts have already been watching them live and studying their performance in this Euro," Spain coach Montse Torme told reporters after her side's 1-0 semi-final win over Germany on Wednesday. "We're going to dive deeper into their game, and we're going all-in." For all their dominance in recent years, Spain are still relative newcomers at the top table in women's soccer, and their only previous visit to the semi-finals at the Euros was in 1997. They followed that up with quarter-final exits in 2013, 2017 and 2022. By contrast, Germany, whom they had never beaten at a major tournament before Wednesday, won the tournament five times since 1997. "It's an incredible joy to be in the final, to have beaten Germany for the first time — a great team. I think we knew how to compete in this match. I'm very happy for the players, the staff, and everything we are building here in Switzerland," Torme said. For long-serving captain Irene Paredes, success at the Euros is another welcome milestone in her side's progress towards being the kind of dominant team the Germans once were. "It's incredible. We're making history," she told reporters. "This is what we wanted. It's been tough, but we're in the final."
