Mexico and Saudi Arabia are set to face off in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, with everything on the line. This is a must-win matchup that will likely define the tournament trajectory for both nations — with Mexico entering as one of the heavy favorites and Saudi Arabia looking to pull off a historic upset.
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Mexico arrive in the knockout stage after a strong showing in Group A, where they secured two wins and a draw. El Tri edged the Dominican Republic in a thrilling 3–2 opener, followed by a dominant 2–0 victory over Suriname. A scoreless draw against Costa Rica wrapped up their group campaign. So far, Edson Álvarez has stood out as Mexico’s most influential player, anchoring the midfield with poise and leadership.
Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, had a less convincing path through Group D. They opened with a narrow 1–0 win over Haiti, fell 1–0 to the United States in their second match, and closed group play with a 1–1 draw against Trinidad and Tobago. Their top performer has been striker Saleh Al-Shehri, who continues to lead the line with energy and purpose.
Mexico’s confirmed lineup
Mexico will be without one of their most iconic figures, as goalkeeper Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa remains sidelined. Despite his absence, head coach Luis Aguirre is expected to field a strong starting XI in search of a semifinal berth. The squad looks ready to lean on its key veterans and dynamic attackers.
Edson Álvarez #4 of Mexico controls the ball against Panama
Mexico’s confirmed lineup: Luis Malagón; Julian Araujo, Edson Alvarez, Johan Vásquez, Johan Vazquez; Erik Lira, Gilberto Mora; Roberto Alvarado, Marcel Ruiz, Alexis Vega, Raul Jiménez.
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Saudi Arabia’s confirmed lineup
Saudi Arabia are hoping to shock the tournament with an upset over Mexico, and they’ll likely go with their most trusted formation and core players. Head coach Hervé Renard has emphasized discipline and opportunism throughout the group stage.
Saudi Arabia’s confirmed lineup: Nawaf Al-Aqidi; Ali Majrashi, Abdullah Madu, Abdulelah Al-Amri, Nawaf Boushal; Saud Abdulhamid, Ali Al-Hassan, Ziyad Al-Johani; Abdulrahman Al-Alobud, Ayman Yahya, Saleh Al-Shehri.
