A Critical Test for the Next Generation: USA-Mexico Rivalry Mirrors a Cup Final

TEMPE, Arizona — For any international soccer squad — or any sports team — traveling to hostile venues is simply part of the job.

Home‑field advantage is undeniable, and the opposite holds true for the visitors. Playing away is almost always tougher, a reality the U.S. men’s national team knows well in its rivalry with Mexico. Although the United States has had the upper hand over El Tri for most of the past 25 years — including a 2‑0 victory that sent them to the 2002 World Cup quarterfinals — they have never secured a competitive win on Mexican soil since the first meeting nearly eight decades ago.

Cavan Sullivan will get his first real experience in the USA-Mexico rivalry. (Photo by Bill Barrett/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

Saturday’s exhibition just outside Phoenix is nominally a home match for the United States, but in practice it feels anything but. The vast majority of the 60,000+ fans expected at State Farm Stadium in Glendale will be cheering for Mexico.

“It will be a hostile crowd and difficult conditions,” said veteran defender Antonee Robinson on Thursday. “But we embrace that challenge.”

They should.

It has been nearly two years since Mauricio Pochettino’s squad last played outside the United States. Because the U.S. qualified automatically as a co‑host of the 2026 World Cup, they did not have to earn points in tough away venues such as Port‑of‑Spain, San Pedro Sula or Mexico City.

That will change ahead of the 2030 World Cup. Concacaf’s grueling two‑year qualifying cycle begins later next year, and Saturday’s match will help the U.S. prepare for what lies ahead.

“It’s a valuable chance to experience that environment,” Pochettino said in his pre‑game press conference. He added that if the crowd resembles the sea of green seen at the 2025 Gold Cup final — where the U.S. narrowly lost to Mexico in Houston — it will feel like starting the match a goal down.

Tyler Adams has been named the new USMNT captain. (Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images)

“Playing in a tough atmosphere will certainly benefit us moving forward,” he added.

The U.S. launched this new World Cup cycle with commanding multi‑goal victories over South American opponents Peru and Chile. Pochettino gave several youngsters starts in those games, initially planning to rely on more experienced lineups for the final two matches of this extended four‑game window.

Yet the youths performed well enough — the U.S. scored through teenagers Mathis Albert and Justin Ellis, plus two goals from Julian Hall — indicating they won’t be intimidated if called upon against Mexico and/or Canada. After facing El Tri, the team will finish the window in St. Paul, Minnesota, with another rivalry match against their northern neighbors.

“Tomorrow’s contest will be similar to the Peru or Chile games,” Pochettino said on Friday. “We will continue to seek the right blend of seasoned and emerging players at the international level.”

Rafael Marquez, a Mexico and Barcelona legend, now leads El Tri. Photo by Jose Luis Torales/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Still, the intensity of a match against El Tri will be unlike anything the newcomers have encountered before.

“Dislike, hate — I mean, it’s a rivalry,” said Tyler Adams, whom Pochettino announced will inherit the captain’s armband from the retired Tim Ream.

“Whenever we face Mexico — whether it’s a qualifier, a friendly, a Gold Cup or Nations League match — it is always treated as a must‑win game,” Robinson said. “It feels like a cup final, and many players who have never experienced that level will get their first taste of it.”

Based on what we’ve seen from the new generation so far, they appear ready for the challenge.

“There are many matches where we’ve played mostly in front of Mexican supporters. Some teams might wilt under that pressure, but we thrive on the adversity. We love scoring while having beer tossed at us and similar spectacles.”

“It’s a fantastic feeling.”

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