The USA-Mexico Final. An evolution transcending the Gold Cup

By Eric Beard, writing from Boston

FC Barcelona vs. Real Madrid. Brazil vs. Argentina. England vs. Germany. And yes, the United States vs. Mexico. All are historically-backed traditions that are able to offer the best the beautiful game has to offer. As the rivalry continues, the players feel a pressure, a responsibility to do these matches justice for their fans and for the men who stood for their club or country beforehand. This evening at the Rose Bowl, in front of a crowd of well over 90,000 people, the United States and Mexico will assume the glory of the famed footballers who took trophies despite the treacherous conditions in California. From Romario to Mia Hamm, the venue sets the tone, however, the individuals on the pitch and in the stands allows this match to be an absolute masterpiece.

The better team fluctuates on paper, however, the mentality between the two never does. The superiority complex transcends the game and is based heavily on culture and even extends into politics. But when it is all said and done this is a match between a Spanish-speaking soccer power and a ever-growing soccer nation. Mexico, as things stand, have reached peak performances in this Gold Cup and it’s difficult to imagine a Mexican side ever becoming too much better than the one at hand. The United States, on the other hand, has the mission of closing the gap. Not necessarily the gap between the football culture in the United States and Mexico, but rather the more self-serving gap in climbing to the heights a country of its size and stature is capable of.

The rivalry is particularly intriguing because the hate between the two sides is as tangible as the Old Firm derby between Celtic and Rangers on a Sunday afternoon in Glasgow. The difference, however, is that both nations try to look beyond one another into the bigger picture of world football. Of course it’s important to stake claim as CONCACAF’s best, but it’s more important to be recognized by South Americans as a team that plays flowing football or by Europeans as a tactically adept squad. The Gold Cup is a stepping stone when all is said and done, but that opportunity to skip forward onto a bigger milestone is one that leads to greatness on the global stage.

The winner partakes in the Confederations Cup in Brazil in the summer of 2013 and the importance of being involved in this tournament cannot be underplayed. Ironically, revenge rings true in the eyes of both nation’s fans and players. The Gold Cup, likely for monetary reasons, occurs every two years, which means that only in half of the tournaments is a Confed Cup spot a prized possession. In 2007, b-b-b-Benny Feilhaber unleashed a golazo to give the US a 2-1 win over Mexico and take the Confederations Cup spot in South Africa, however, in 2009 it was an entirely different story as Mexico had their way with an inexperienced US side, putting up a proper 5-0 “manita”.

Tonight at the Rose Bowl, Mexico will probably have the majority of the fans on their side while they can also rightfully say they have played the better football up to this point. The US will find strength in their three consecutive clean sheets and their more reliable knockout round performances. The attendance will be Camp Nou-esque and the atmosphere will truly be second to none. Subplots galore lie under the surface of the match, from the two icons Landon Donovan and Javier Hernandez expected to steal the spotlight, while Clint Dempsey and Andres Guardado plan to continue to run the show as team playmakers. And let’s not even delve into those five suspended Mexican players.

The individuals come and go, but the profile around the USA-Mexico rivalry continues to rise. After a series of tournament matches against mediocre competition, the final blindly pops up like a diamond found in manure-filled fields of Nicaragua. Part of the beauty in the match is that both teams have outgrown the tournament as a whole, but can still exit with nothing over a two hour time span. The support, the desire from both sides is stronger than ever and it’s apparent that this is not simply a regional final; this is establishing itself as one of the world’s greatest clásicos.