The pulsating game was a fitting finale to a tournament boasting plenty of goals and attacking games in front of bumper attendances and Mexico, with their exciting young team, were deserved champions for a record sixth time.
Mexico had to fight back from 2-0 down after 23 minutes but with Giovani dos Santos at his sparkling best, Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez a constant threat and Pablo Barrera causing havoc on the right wing, they ran out convincing winners.
The US took the lead in the eighth minute when midfielder Michael Bradley, son of coach Bob, nodded in a Freddy Adu corner with a sublime angled glancing header.
USA were forced into an early change, though, when fullback Steve Cherundolo sustained an ankle injury and was replaced by Jonathan Bornstein. The switch didn't initially disrupt the attacking flow of Bradley's team, who kept surging forward.
The approach paid off handsomely in the 24th minute when Clint Dempsey fed Donovan, the United States' all-time top scorer celebrating his return to the starting line-up with the coolest of left-foot finishes.
The Mexicans soon woke up from their evening siesta and within five minutes, Barrera had raced past Bornstein onto a long ball from Hernandez and driven it past a stationary Tim Howard to reduce the deficit.
Suddenly bubbling with confidence, Mexico struck the equaliser in the 36th minute when Dos Santos cut in from the right flank and hit a low shot into the area which hit defender Clarence Goodson. Andres Guardado pounced on the deflection to squeeze a shot under the body of ’keeper Howard.
Guardado then fed Barrera inside the area and his low shot beat Howard and went in just inside the far post to make it 3-2. The game was settled in style by Dos Santos, who was forced to dribble away from goal but produced an inch-perfect chip that floated into the top corner.