Edson Álvarez was Mexico’s CONCACAF Gold Cup-winning hero as his goal secured a 2-1 victory over the United States in the final on Sunday evening.
The West Ham United and Mexico national team captain stooped to head the ball past American goalkeeper Matt Freese with 13 minutes to play at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.
The goal was initially ruled out for offside, but a VAR review showed Álvarez had timed his dive to perfection, sparking wild celebrations from the midfielder, his teammates and the many thousands of Mexico supporters in the crowd.
The 27-year-old’s goal secured a record tenth Gold Cup triumph for his country, and a third for the Hammers star, who was part of the Mexico squads which won the continental championship for national teams from North America, Central America and the Caribbean in 2019 and 2023.
A delighted Álvarez said: “In the end, our desire was to win it, to make all the effort we put in worthwhile. We're very happy, but, well, we're keeping our feet on the ground. There's a lot to improve, a lot to work on."