Rog writes: What did we watch on Sunday night? Copa de Oro began with thunder: Chris Richards' goal inside the fourth minute, the earliest the USMNT has scored against Mexico in 30 years (and according to Clint Dempsey, maybe too early). But then El Tri came at us with everything they had, creating as many chances as there are bucket hats at an Oasis gig. Our G-League boys fought as hard as they could, but then they buckled as Mexico’s two big Premier League players summoned goals when their side needed them most: Rául Jiménez with an exclamation-point finish and Edson Álvarez delivering a hammer blow. 🇲🇽

The 2-1 score to Mexico does not reflect just how medieval they got on our asses, bayed on by a sold-out, 72,000-strong Houston crowd that was so pro-Mexico–90% by all accounts–it felt like the Azteca had been lifted up and dropped north of the border. Congratulations to Javier Aguirre’s team. They deserved their record-extending 10th Gold Cup title and the opportunity to dance a Payaso de rodeo in the locker room. They made our boys suffer. This was our last competitive game before next year’s 2026 World Cup, and between the team’s missing starters, a clear lack of depth, and Poch’s up-and-down tenure so far, we still have a long way to go before this squad can inspire a nation (much more on the Gold Cup final below). 🦅

In a week which was darkened by the loss of Diogo Jota, I want to take a second to mourn the passing of another important figure in the sport – one who is a legend in American football and a remarkable Englishman, Gordon Jago.

The man who transformed the Dallas Cup into the premier showcase for talent in the United States, and one of the finest in the world, Gordon was a remarkable gent: a former professional player in England who became the manager of Queens Park Rangers and a coaching pioneer here in the U.S., leading the Tampa Bay Rowdies, Dallas Sidekicks, and then the Dallas Cup. When we were in Dallas two weeks ago, Gordon came to our live show to be with Clint. It is crazy we got to sit together with him and hear his stories. Another reminder to never take a moment for granted and savor every second of life. ❤️ 

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Clint Dempsey on Diego Luna not being able to force the attack against Mexico 🗣️

“It looked like he was playing deeper than he wanted. It's not as bad because it's like you can grind it up, but within it, you're in a situation where you need to create as well, and it just makes it more difficult to get forward. It reminds me of my time playing at Fulham under Roy Hodgson when we would double up on their wingers and it looked like a situation where maybe it was too much work that he was doing defensively that didn't give him any energy to create going forward.”

Clint Dempsey on Chris Richards’ goal and being one of the USMNT's standout players at this year's Gold Cup 🗣️

“That was just a great finish. And not only was he able to help big in the attacking area during this tournament, but just what he did defensively, he's a lock-in for this team going into a World Cup in my opinion.”

Clint Dempsey on what it's like to play against Mexico for the U.S. 🗣️

“You can just see the stadium being completely packed and you're feeling like you're playing in another country, but there’s just an energy about the game. Most of the time when you play them, it's for something special, whether it's World Cup qualifying games, or if you're meeting in the Gold Cup, it's normally a final, and you know that a lot is on the line. So, it’s what you want – you want to be in these games, in these moments, and test yourself.”

Clint Dempsey on the Gold Cup squad’s lack of depth 🗣️

“Credit to them, they got to the final, but a lot of those games we won ugly. So it wasn't like we were “pulling up trees,” as some people say. It’s a tough one, I don't know if Pochettino doesn't have enough depth in that team to really do what he wants, but look, they got us believing again. They showed a lot of fight, but there just wasn’t enough quality in the team.”

Clint Dempsey on the three top strikers for the U.S. going forward 🗣️

“In a perfect world, I'd probably take Balogun, Pepi, and… it's a tossup between Agyemang and Haji. Those would be the four that you'd pick from.”

Clint Dempsey on his appreciation of Malik Tillman’s game 🗣️

“The thing I like about him is just those moments of quality that you talk about – those touches where he's behind the leg chopping it and getting into space and trying to make stuff happen. He tries stuff and that's what you want to see. It works and he's only going to get more comfortable and it's only going to get better. Tonight wasn't his night, but he fought for that jersey, you know what I'm saying? That's why I ride for him, man. He tries sh*t and he fights.”

Watch the full episode to get all of Clint and Rog’s thoughts on the USMNT's loss to Mexico in the Gold Cup final, and make sure to follow The Deuce on TikTok and YouTube for even more Texas-infused insight.

For Pochettino, this loss was a missed opportunity to change the narrative for the players who were not with him. On one level, we knew this was our C-team. But the reasons we got to this underwhelming place – the players who did not report of their own free-will, the legacy of the Nations League, and Copa loss before that – remain a complex set of interwoven problems to be diffused.

Within a year, Poch’s honeymoon is long over. Here is the damning statistic: Since he took over, the U.S. have played five games against teams in the top 30 of FIFA's rankings, and have lost all five. What matters now is how Pochettino reintegrates the big name players in the FIFA windows in September, October, and November. Whom does he bring? Whom does he punish and leave out?

First and foremost, there has to be some fence-mending with Christian Pulisic. That soap opera at the top of the summer still lingers. Pulisic not reporting, leaving U.S. Soccer to put out an unorthodox statement acknowledging it was the player’s choice, Christian then revealing he had offered to play in the friendlies only, but was rebuffed, adding that he did not agree with the decision, leaving Pochettino to fume, “I am not a mannequin.” U.S. Soccer should have Poch in Milan ASAP, with a comms plan to show the two of them are now focussed solely on all the football to come. This cannot be a flapping piece of skin-style distraction. Come July 2026, we may be laughing at how Christian took a summer off and came back to deliver American glory with a redemption narrative for the ages. How this is handled will be legacy-defining.

I will leave you with Chris Richards’ fantastic tweet:

I love that attitude and will remain hopeful. We have great players. I believe we missed Antonee Robinson on that flank, and Balo or Pepi up top most of all. A generational opportunity lies ahead of us: a World Cup on home turf. To cock this up would be the greatest footballing own-goal of all time.

Come Watch the Club World Cup Semi-Finals with Rory Smith and Rog in Person in NYC 🏆🍻

Rory and Rog will be parked up for much of the week at The Michelob ULTRA Pitchside Club. Entry is free (we just ask that you RSVP) for all the events, and once inside, you'll be treated to a footballing fever dream: massive screens, cold Superior Light Beer, and a celebration of the game we love.

Here are the details:

📍Second – 849 6th Avenue, New York, NY 10001

🎟️ RSVP (Free!): Sign up for all three events here

📺 Club World Cup Semi-Final Watchalongs with Rog and Rory

🎙️ Live Show with Rog and Special Guests

We want to raise a glass with all of you. The more of you we can see, the better. RSVP RIGHT HERE. 🍻

A Night Live on Stage in NYC with Everton Football Club Feat. David Moyes, presented by Christopher Ward 💙⌚️

Everton's biggest stars - including David Moyes - will join Rog live on stage for a night of wonder in New York City where we'll revel in the majesty of the people’s club as they barnstorm the States for the Premier League Summer Series. We'll discuss the renewed optimism brought on by their manager, the opening of a brand new stadium, and the season of wonder that’s stretched out before us.

Show Info:

🗓️ July 25, 2025

📍 Racket – 431 W 16th St, New York, NY 10011

⏱️ Door Time: 6:30 p.m., Show Time: 7:30 p.m.

🎟️ Tickets – Get ‘em here

The U.S. men’s national team have three friendlies coming up in September and October, and they'll look to add more warm ups during the November and March international breaks, to continue honing their skills as a unit:

🇰🇷 Saturday, Sep. 6 - USA vs. South Korea

🇯🇵 Tuesday, Sep. 9 - USA vs. Japan

🇦🇺 Tuesday, Oct. 14 - USA vs. Australia

We don’t know if Pulisic, McKennie, and the rest of our missing starters will be back with the squad for these games, but we’ll be with you every step of the way as this collective keeps building towards next year’s World Cup.

Courage,

Rog and the USMNT Only team 🇺🇸 🦅

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