Mexico vs USA
USMNT VS. MEXICO: STARTING XI & LINEUP NOTES
PRE-GAME COVERAGE: 8 P.M. ET ON UNIVISION, PARAMOUNT+, CBS SPORTS GOLAZO KICKOFF: 9:15 P.M. ET ON UNIVISION, PARAMOUNT+
MARCH 24 2024
LINEUP NOTES
USMNT vs. Mexico
2023-24 Concacaf Nations League Final
March 24, 2024
AT&T Stadium; Arlington, Texas
Pre-Game Coverage: 8 p.m. ET on Univision, Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo
Kickoff: 9:15 p.m. ET on Univision, Paramount+
Tonight’s USMNT Starting XI vs. Mexico: 1-Matt Turner, 2-Sergiño Dest, 3-Chris Richards, 4-Tyler Adams, 5-Antonee Robinson, 7-Gio Reyna, 8-Weston McKennie, 10-Christian Pulisic (capt.), 13-Tim Ream, 14-Haji Wright, 21-Tim Weah
Substitutes: 18-Ethan Horvath, 22-Drake Callender, 6-Yunus Musah, 9-Ricardo Pepi, 11-Brenden Aaronson, 12-Miles Robinson, 15-Johnny Cardoso, 16-Mark McKenzie, 17-Malik Tillman, 19-Joe Scally, 20-Folarin Balogun, 23-Kristoffer Lund
GAME NOTES | FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT MEXICO
USMNT Starting XI Cap Numbers (including this match): Christian Pulisic (66), Tim Ream (56), Weston McKennie (51), Antonee Robinson (41), Matt Turner (39), Tyler Adams (38), Tim Weah (37), Sergiño Dest (33), Gio Reyna (26), Chris Richards (16), Haji Wright (9).
USMNT Starting XI Cap Numbers in Official Competition (including this match): Christian Pulisic (47), Matt Turner (31), Weston McKennie (30), Tim Ream (29), Antonee Robinson (27), Tyler Adams (21), Tim Weah (19), Sergiño Dest (18), Gio Reyna (16), Chris Richards (9), Haji Wright (7).
Gregg Berhalter makes five changes from the lineup that started Thursday’s semifinal against Jamaica, inserting defenders Sergiño Dest and Tim Ream, midfielders Tyler Adams and Gio Reyna, and forward Haji Wright.
Tonight’s Starting XI has an average age of 26 years, 63 days, making it the second oldest USMNT lineup fielded under Gregg Berhalter ahead of only the Starting XI that began the 4-1 win against Canada in the CNL group stage on Nov. 15, 2019 in Orlando (26, years, 159 days).
The lineup averages 37 caps, marking the third-most experienced lineup deployed under Berhalter. It comes in behind only the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup Semifinal vs. Jamaica (39 caps) and Final vs. Mexico (40 caps).
Ten of 11 starters have appeared in one of the two previous CNL Finals, with Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna and Tim Weah having played in both the 2021 and 2023 championship matches.
Christian Pulisic captains the team for the 21st time tonight, and the third time in a Final, tying him with Carlos Bocanegra for most U.S. captaincies in a championship match. The USA is 15-2-3 when Pulisic wears the armband.
Pulisic is the only player that will have started all three CNL championship matches and all six games at the CNL Finals tournament since 2021. The 25-year-old also earns his fourth overall cap in a final tonight, tying him for second most championship appearances among USMNT players with Jozy Altidore, DaMarcus Beasley, Carlos Bocanegra, Michael Bradley, Tim Howard, and Gyasi Zardes. The group trails Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan, who each appeared in six finals during their international careers.
Matt Turner will make his third appearance in a final, tying him with Kasey Keller for second most among USMNT goalkeepers and placing him behind only Tim Howard (four).
With the win on Thursday, Turner is now 19-4-7 overall in competitive matches, tying him with Brad Guzan (19-8-7) for third-most wins among USMNT goalkeepers. They sit behind Tim Howard (39-20-8) and Kasey Keller (38-16-13).
All five of Gio Reyna’s USMNT assists have come during the CNL Final Four from 2021-2024. Reyna’s five assists in knockout round matches also tie him with Michael Bradley and Eddie Lewis for third most all-time, and place him behind only Landon Donovan (11) and Clint Dempsey (6).
After his game-winning brace in extra time on Thursday, forward Haji Wright makes his third career start and first since the 0-0 draw with England at the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Nov. 26, 2022.
Midfielder Tyler Adams starts his first match since the defeat to Netherlands in the Round of 16 on Dec. 3, 2022.
Wright is the only starter to have never appeared against Mexico before. Pulisic leads the lineup with eight previous matches against El Trí, followed by Weston McKennie (6), Tim Weah (5), Tyler Adams, Sergiño Dest, Antonee Robinson (4 each), Tim Ream, Gio Reyna (3 each), Chris Richards and Matt Turner (2 each).
The back four of Sergiño Dest, Chris Richards, Tim Ream, and Antonee Robinson work together for the second time tonight, having previously started the 3-0 win against Uzbekistan on Sept. 9, 2023, in St. Louis. Richards and Ream pair in central defense for the third time, having also worked the match against Germany on Oct. 14, 2023 in East Hartford, Conn.
Gregg Berhalter is 42-14-12 in 68 matches as USMNT head coach. The USA is 27-7-7 in competitive matches under Berhalter, with his .744 winning percentage the highest among USMNT head coaches with a minimum of eight matches in official competition.
The USA is 9-3-0 in knockout round matches under Berhalter, placing him just one win behind Bob Bradley (10-4-0) for second-most wins in knockout matches among USMNT head coaches.
This is also Berhalter’s fourth final as USMNT head coach (2-1-0; 2021 Nations League, 2019 and 2021 Gold Cup), tying him with Bob Bradley for most all-time. Should the USA win tonight, he would tie Bruce Arena (2002, 2005, 2017 Gold Cup) for most final victories among USMNT head coaches.
The USMNT is 23-36-17 all-time against Mexico. The team is currently in the midst of a six-match unbeaten streak (4-0-2) against El Trí, which is tied for the longest unbeaten run against Mexico alongside the 3-0-3 run that occurred from 2011-2015.
Five substitutions are allowed in three different moments. Halftime does not count as a substitution moment. Teams will be allowed an additional substitute if the match goes to extra time.
Tonight’s match will be officiated by Drew Fischer of Canada. The USMNT 1-1-0 in two matches refereed by Fischer, defeating El Salvador 2-0 in the Gold Cup quarterfinals on July 19, 2017 in Philadelphia, and losing 2-0 at Costa Rica in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying finale on March 30, 2022 in San Jose. Tonight’s full referee crew:
Referee: Drew Fischer (CAN)
Assistant Referee 1: Michael Barwegen (CAN)
Assistant Referee 2: Lyes Ayrfa (CAN)
Fourth Official: Mario Escobar (GUA)
Video Assistant Referee: Tatiana Guzman (NCA)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Daneon Parchment (JAM)