United States men's national soccer team

United States
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)The Stars and Stripes[1]
The Yanks[2]
USMNT
AssociationUnited States Soccer Federation (USSF)
ConfederationCONCACAF (North America)
Sub-confederationNAFU (North America)
Head coachMauricio Pochettino
CaptainChristian Pulisic
Most capsCobi Jones (164)
Top scorerClint Dempsey
Landon Donovan (57)
Home stadiumVarious
FIFA codeUSA
First colors
Second colors
FIFA ranking
Current 18 Steady (October 24, 2024)[3]
Highest4 (April 2006[4])
Lowest36 (July 2012[5])
First international
 Sweden 2–3 United States 
(Stockholm, Sweden; August 20, 1916)[6]
Biggest win
 United States 8–0 Barbados 
(Carson, United States; June 15, 2008)
Biggest defeat
 Norway 11–0 United States 
(Oslo, Norway; August 6, 1948)[7]
World Cup
Appearances11 (first in 1930)
Best resultThird place (1930)
Summer Olympics
Appearances10 (first in 1904)
Best result Silver (1904)
CONCACAF Championship / Gold Cup
Appearances19 (first in 1985)
Best resultChampions (1991, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2013, 2017, 2021)
Nations League Finals
Appearances3 (first in 2021)
Best resultChampions (2021, 2023, 2024)
Copa América
Appearances5 (first in 1993)
Best resultFourth place (1995, 2016)
Confederations Cup
Appearances4 (first in 1992)
Best resultRunners-up (2009)
WebsiteUSMNT

The United States men's national soccer team (USMNT) represents the United States in men's international soccer competitions. The team is governed by the United States Soccer Federation, which is a member of FIFA and CONCACAF.

The U.S. has appeared in eleven FIFA World Cups, including the first in 1930, where they reached the semifinals; their third-place finish, which was later awarded through overall tournament records, is the best result by a team from outside UEFA and CONMEBOL. They returned in 1934 and 1950, defeating England 1–0 in the latter, but did not qualify again until 1990. As host in 1994, the U.S. received an automatic berth and lost to Brazil in the round of 16. They qualified for the next five World Cups, a feat shared with only seven other nations.[9] The U.S. reached the quarterfinals at the 2002 World Cup, and eliminated top-ranked Spain in the 2009 Confederations Cup semifinals before losing to Brazil in the final.

The United States also competes in continental tournaments, including the CONCACAF Gold Cup, CONCACAF Nations League and Copa América. The U.S. has won seven Gold Cups, three Nations League titles, and finished fourth in two Copa América editions in 1995 and 2016.

History

[edit]

Early years

[edit]

The first United States national soccer team was constituted on November 28, 1885, when it played Canada in the first international match held outside the United Kingdom.[10] Canada defeated the U.S. 1–0 at Clark Field in the East Newark neighborhood of Kearny, New Jersey.[11][12] A second match in East Newark the following year resulted in the U.S. defeating Canada 1–0, although neither match was officially recognized.[6] The U.S. earned both silver and bronze medals in men's tournament at the 1904 St. Louis Summer Olympics through Christian Brothers College and St. Rose Parish, though the tournament is declared official only by the IOC; FIFA does not endorse tournaments held before 1908.[13] The U.S. played its first official international match under the auspices of U.S. Soccer on August 20, 1916, against Sweden in Stockholm, where the U.S. won 3–2.[14]

The first U.S. official formation in 1916, Stockholm Olympic Stadium, Sweden

The U.S. fielded a team in the 1930 World Cup in Uruguay, the first edition of the World Cup. The U.S. began group play by beating Belgium 3–0, and then earned a 3–0 victory over Paraguay, with FIFA crediting Bert Patenaude with two of the goals.[15][16][17] In November 2006, FIFA announced that it had accepted evidence that Patenaude scored all three goals against Paraguay, and was thus the first person to score a hat-trick in a World Cup.[18] In the semifinals, the U.S. lost to Argentina 6–1 and were eliminated. There was no third place game; however, using the overall tournament records in 1986, FIFA credited the Americans with a third-place finish ahead of fellow semifinalist Yugoslavia.[19] This remains the U.S. team's best World Cup result, and is the highest finish of any team from outside of South America and Europe.

The U.S. qualified for the 1934 World Cup by defeating Mexico 4–2 in Italy a few days before the tournament opened.[20] In a straight knock-out format, the team first played host Italy and lost 7–1, eliminating the U.S. from the tournament.[21] At the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, the U.S. lost 1–0 to Italy in the first round and were eliminated. Italy went on to win both tournaments.[22]

The 1950 World Cup in Brazil was the next World Cup appearance for the United States, as it withdrew in 1938 and the tournament was not held again until 1950 due to World War II. The U.S. lost its first match 3–1 against Spain, but then won 1–0 against England at Independência Stadium in Belo Horizonte. Striker Joe Gaetjens was the lone goalscorer in the match, which was called "The Miracle on Grass" and considered one of the greatest upsets in the history of the World Cup.[23][24] The U.S. were eliminated from the tournament in their third game, a 5–2 defeat to Chile.[25]

1960s–1980s

[edit]

The national team spent the mid-to-late 20th century in near complete irrelevance in both the international game and the domestic sporting scene. CONCACAF had only one World Cup berth until 1982.[26][27] Playing only two matches from 1981 to 1983, U.S. Soccer targeted the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and the 1986 World Cup to rebuild the national team and its fan base. The International Olympic Committee declared that teams from outside Europe and South America could field full senior teams. The U.S. finished with a 1–1–1 record in the group stage of the tournament but did not qualify for the second round, losing to Egypt on a tiebreaker.[28]

To provide a more stable national team program and renew interest in the North American Soccer League, U.S. Soccer entered the national team into the NASL league schedule for the 1983 season as Team America. This team lacked the continuity and regularity of training that conventional clubs enjoy, and many players were unwilling to play for the national team instead of their own clubs when conflicts arose.[27] Team America finished the season at the bottom of the league, with U.S. Soccer canceling the experiment and withdrawing the national team from the NASL after one season. By the end of 1984, the NASL had folded, leaving the U.S. without a single professional-level outdoor soccer league.[29]

The 1986 World Cup was hosted by Mexico after Colombia withdrew from contention due to economic concerns and the United States lost their subsequent bid to host. In the last game of CONCACAF qualifying for the 1986 World Cup, the U.S. needed only a tie against Costa Rica to reach the final qualification group against Honduras and Canada. U.S. Soccer scheduled the game to be played in Torrance, California, an area with many Costa Rican expatriates, and marketed the game almost exclusively to the Costa Rican community.[30] Costa Rica won the match 1–0, and kept the U.S. from reaching its fourth World Cup finals.[27][31]

1990s

[edit]

On July 4, 1988, FIFA named the U.S. as the host of the 1994 World Cup under significant international criticism given the perceived weakness of the national team and the lack of a professional outdoor league. The success of the 1984 Olympics played a role in FIFA's decision. The U.S. qualified for the 1990 World Cup with a 1–0 win against Trinidad and Tobago in the last match of the 1989 CONCACAF Championship. Mexico had been disqualified from the CONCACAF Championship for using ineligible players in a youth tournament, which allowed a chance for the U.S. to qualify for their first World Cup in 40 years.[32]

The team was coached by Bob Gansler, Wisconsin-Milwaukee and U20 national team coach, in preparation for the 1990 World Cup in Italy. Two of the team's more experienced players, Rick Davis and Hugo Perez, were unavailable for selection while recovering from injuries. Rather than fill out his team with veteran professionals from U.S. indoor soccer leagues, Gansler and his assistant Stejem Mark chose to select many younger players with better conditioning for the outdoor game, including several collegiate players such as Virginia goalkeeper Tony Meola. The U.S. entered the tournament as major underdogs and lost all three of its group games to Czechoslovakia, Italy, and Austria. Defenders Jimmy Banks and Desmond Armstrong became the first African Americans to appear in a World Cup match for the United States.[33]

During the 1993 U.S. Cup, a tournament designed to prepare for the upcoming World Cup, the U.S. beat England 2–0.[34] After qualifying automatically as the host of the 1994 World Cup under Bora Milutinović, the U.S. opened the tournament schedule with a 1–1 tie against Switzerland in the Pontiac Silverdome in the suburbs of Detroit, the first World Cup game played indoors. In its second game, the U.S. faced Colombia, then ranked fourth in the world, at the Rose Bowl near Los Angeles. Aided by an own goal from Andrés Escobar, the U.S. won 2–1;[35] Escobar was later murdered in his home country, possibly in retaliation for this mistake.[36] Despite a 1–0 loss to Romania in its final group game, the U.S. made it past the initial round for the first time since 1930. In the round of 16, the U.S. lost 1–0 to the eventual champion Brazil.[37] U.S. Soccer later fired Milutinović in 1995 because he was reportedly not interested in administrative duties in addition to coaching.[38]

The U.S. were invited to play in the 1995 Copa América, where they finished first in their group after defeating Chile and Argentina in an upset victory.[39] In the quarterfinals, the U.S. defeated Mexico on penalties, and then lost to Brazil 1–0 in the semifinals. The United States finished fourth after losing to Colombia in the third-place match.[40]

In the 1998 World Cup in France, the team lost all three group matches, 2–0 to Germany, 2–1 to Iran, and 1–0 to Yugoslavia, finishing last in the field of 32. The tournament was marred by disputes between the players and head coach Steve Sampson, who resigned shortly after the tournament.[41]

2000s

[edit]
Claudio Reyna during practice

Under former D.C. United head coach Bruce Arena, the U.S. qualified for the 2002 World Cup and reached the quarterfinals, their best finish in a World Cup since 1930. The team earned four points in the group stage, beginning with a 3–2 win over Portugal, followed by a 1–1 tie with co-host and eventual semifinalist South Korea. The third and final match was a 3–1 loss to Poland; the team still advanced to the round of 16 when South Korea defeated Portugal. The U.S. met continental rivals Mexico for the first time in a World Cup, and won the game 2–0, with goals from Brian McBride and Landon Donovan. In the quarterfinals, the USMNT met Germany and lost 1–0 after being controversially denied a penalty when Torsten Frings handled the ball to prevent a Gregg Berhalter goal.[42] Donovan won the Best Young Player for the tournament.[43]

In the 2006 World Cup, after finishing top of the CONCACAF qualification tournament, the U.S. was drawn into Group E along with the Czech Republic, Italy, and Ghana. The United States opened the tournament with a 3–0 loss to the Czech Republic. The team then tied 1–1 against eventual winners Italy,[44] and then were knocked out of the tournament when they were beaten 2–1 by Ghana in its final group match, with Clint Dempsey scoring the U.S.'s only goal in the tournament (the goal against Italy had been an own goal by Italian defender Cristian Zaccardo).[45] Following the tournament, Arena's contract was not renewed; his assistant, former Chicago Fire and MetroStars head coach Bob Bradley, became interim head coach in December 2006 and was selected for the full-time role in May 2007.[46][47]

After winning the 2007 Gold Cup against Mexico, the USMNT qualified for the 2009 Confederations Cup.[48] The U.S. shocked the soccer world by defeating top-ranked Spain, who were on a 35-game undefeated streak, 2–0.[49] With the win, the United States advanced to its first-ever final in a men's FIFA tournament. The team lost 3–2 to Brazil after leading 2–0 at half-time.[50] Hosting the 2009 Gold Cup, the United States was beaten by Mexico 5–0 in the final; this defeat broke the U.S. team's 58-match home unbeaten streak against CONCACAF opponents, and was the first home loss to Mexico since 1999 and their first home loss in a competitive match since 1998.[51]

In the fourth round of the 2010 World Cup qualification, Jozy Altidore became the youngest U.S. player to score a hat-trick, in a 3–0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago.[52] On October 10, 2009, the U.S. secured qualification to the 2010 World Cup with a 3–2 win over Honduras. Four days later, the U.S. finished in first place in the final round of qualification with a 2–2 tie against Costa Rica.[53]

2010s

[edit]
Landon Donovan at the 2010 World Cup

In the 2010 World Cup, the USMNT was drawn into Group C against England, Slovenia and Algeria. After drawing against England 1–1 and Slovenia 2–2, the U.S. defeated Algeria 1–0 with a stoppage-time goal from Landon Donovan, taking first place in a World Cup group for the first time since 1930. In the round of 16, the U.S. was eliminated by Ghana, 2–1.[54]

After losing to Mexico 4–2 in the final of the 2011 Gold Cup, Bob Bradley was relieved of his duties and former Germany manager Jürgen Klinsmann was hired as head coach.[55] The U.S. won 1–0 in Genoa, Italy on February 29, 2012, the team's first-ever win over Italy.[56] In July 2013, the United States became North American champions for the fifth time after winning the Gold Cup with a 1–0 victory over Panama in the final, with Landon Donovan winning the tournament's golden ball award.[57] A 4–3 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in an international friendly match in Sarajevo represented the 12th consecutive win for the USMNT, the longest active winning streak for any team in the world at that time.[58][59] The winning streak ended September 6, when the U.S. lost to Costa Rica 3–1 in San José in the final round of qualification.[60] The U.S. eventually clinched a spot in the 2014 World Cup.[61]

The Americans were drawn into Group G, along with Ghana, Germany, and Portugal.[62] The U.S. won 2–1 in their rematch with Ghana,[63] and then tied their second group game against Portugal 2–2. In the final game of the group stage, the U.S. fell to Germany 1–0, but moved on to the knockout stage on goal difference.[64] This was the first time that the team made two consecutive trips to the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup.[65] In the round of 16, the U.S. lost 2–1 to Belgium in extra time, despite goalkeeper Tim Howard making a World Cup record 15 saves[66][note 2] during the match.[67]

Clint Dempsey with the U.S. in 2011

In the 2015 Gold Cup, the U.S. were eliminated by Jamaica 2–1 in the semifinals, before losing to Panama on penalties in the third place match. It marked the first time the team failed to make the tournament final since 2003.[68][69] In the 2015 CONCACAF Cup playoff to determine the region's entry to the 2017 Confederations Cup, the U.S. were defeated 3–2 by Mexico at the Rose Bowl.[70] The results led to criticism of Klinsmann's coaching style, particularly the lack of a cohesive identity.[71]

In June 2016, the U.S. hosted the Copa América Centenario, a special edition of the Copa América to commemorate the centenary of the tournament and its first to be played outside of South America.[72] In their third Copa América appearance,[72] the U.S. topped Group A on goal difference against Colombia, and then beat Ecuador 2–1 in the quarterfinals.[73][74] The team lost 4–0 to Argentina 4–0 in the semifinals and 1–0 to Colombia again in the third place match. The U.S. finished fourth overall, tying their best finish ever in 1995.[75]

Following consecutive losses to Mexico and Costa Rica in the opening games of the final round of qualification for the 2018 World Cup, Klinsmann was removed as national team coach and technical director and replaced by previous U.S. head coach Bruce Arena. World Cup qualification resumed on March 24, 2017, where Arena and his team achieved a record 6–0 win over Honduras.[76] The U.S. earned their third ever result in World Cup qualification at the Estadio Azteca when they drew 1–1 against Mexico. In July 2017, the U.S. won their sixth Gold Cup with a 2–1 win over Jamaica in the final. Following a 2–1 defeat to Trinidad and Tobago on October 10, 2017, the U.S. failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, missing the tournament for the first time since 1986.[77] Many pundits and analysts called this the worst result and worst performance in the history of the national team.[78]

Following Arena's resignation on October 13, 2017, assistant coach Dave Sarachan was named interim head coach during the search for a permanent replacement.[79] The search for a permanent head coach was delayed by the USSF presidential election in February 2018 and the hiring of Earnie Stewart as general manager in June 2018.[80][81] Gregg Berhalter, coach of the Columbus Crew and a former USMNT defender, was announced as the team's new head coach on December 2, 2018.[82][83]

Under Berhalter the team lost in the 2019 Gold Cup final 1–0 against Mexico and were unable to defend their title.[84]

2020s

[edit]
Christian Pulisic at the 2022 World Cup

An influx of new young talent playing for top European clubs, widely described as America's golden generation,[85][86][87] entered the national team in the late 2010s and early 2020s, including Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, Timothy Weah, Sergiño Dest, and Gio Reyna. This new group won the inaugural CONCACAF Nations League in 2021 with a 3–2 victory against Mexico in the final. A different roster won the Gold Cup against Mexico later that summer, contributing to a record for wins in a calendar year, with 17 wins, three ties, and two losses in 2021.[88]

The United States qualified for the 2022 World Cup by finishing third in the final qualifying round. Grouped with England, Iran, and Wales in Group B, the team advanced to the knockout stage as runners-up with five points and without losing a game. There, they faced the Netherlands and were defeated 3–1. Midfielder Kellyn Acosta became the first Asian American player to appear for the U.S. at a World Cup.[89]

After Berhalter's contract expired in December 2022, the U.S. searched for a new head coach. Under interim manager B.J. Callaghan in June 2023, the United States successfully defended their Nations League trophy by winning the 2022–23 CONCACAF Nations League. The team conceded no goals in the finals tournament, winning 3–0 against Mexico and 2–0 against Canada in the final match.[90] Callaghan remained the team's manager for the 2023 Gold Cup the following month, which was played with a different roster. The U.S. were eliminated in the semifinals by Panama after losing a penalty shootout.[91]

The United States automatically qualified for the 2026 World Cup as co-host in February 2023, and secured a spot at the U.S.-hosted 2024 Copa América by defeating Trinidad and Tobago 4–2 over two legs in November 2023.[92] Gregg Berhalter was reappointed as coach of the United States on June 16, 2023.[93] In March 2024, the United States won their third CONCACAF Nations League title by defeating Mexico 2–0 in the final.[94] The Nations League title qualified the United States for the Copa América, where they were eliminated in the group stage. The 1–0 loss in the final group stage match against Uruguay included several controversial decisions against the Americans from referee Kevin Ortega, including a potentially offside Uruguay's goal and handling of yellow cards.[95] Following the team's elimination, Berhalter was fired as head coach on July 10, 2024.[96]

On September 10, 2024, Todd Boehly and the USMNT's delegates agreed to an undisclosed exit fee for former Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino, and Pochettino would subsequently be announced as the new head coach of the United States, replacing Berhalter.


Team image

[edit]

Uniform and crest

[edit]

Since their first unofficial game against Canada, the most common U.S. uniform has been white tops with blue shorts. A variant with a diagonal stripe or "sash" across the shirt similar to Peru's jersey was first adopted in 1950 and used in various uniforms in the 2000. A color scheme based on the U.S. flag—usually a shirt with red and white stripes with blue shorts—has been occasionally used (most prominently in the 1994 World Cup and 2012–13 qualifiers as well the 1983 Team America franchise of the North American Soccer League).[citation needed]

German brand Adidas provided the uniform for the United States from 1984 to 1994. Since 1995, American company Nike has been the uniform supplier.[97] The final Adidas jersey was a denim-inspired blue shirt with white stars paired with red shorts.[98]

Uniform suppliers

[edit]
Supplier Period Contract
duration
Notes
Adidas 1975–1994 1975–1994 [99]
Nike 1995–present 1995–2021
2022–2031 [100][101]

Rivalries

[edit]

Mexico

[edit]

The United States and Mexico have been the most successful teams in CONCACAF and are major rivals.[20]

The two countries first met in 1934 during a World Cup qualifier in Rome that the U.S. won; Mexico won the following 24 meetings and were perennial qualifiers for the World Cup. Since 1980, the U.S. has had more wins against Mexico, particularly in home matches and major tournaments.[102][103] They faced off in the round of 16 of the 2002 World Cup, with the United States winning 2–0.[104] On August 15, 2012, the U.S. defeated Mexico at Estadio Azteca in the first victory for the Americans against Mexico on Mexican soil in 75 years.[105] On October 10, 2015, Mexico defeated the U.S. 3–2 in the CONCACAF Cup to qualify for the 2017 Confederations Cup. Thirteen months later, on November 11, 2016, El Tri defeated the U.S. for their second consecutive victory on American soil, in qualification for the 2018 World Cup.[106] In 2021, the United States defeated Mexico three times in a calendar year for the first time, winning the CONCACAF Nations League final, the Gold Cup final, and in 2022 World Cup qualifying.[107]

Ever since their first meeting in 1934, the two teams have met 78 times, with Mexico leading 37W–17T–24L, outscoring the U.S. 147–92. However, because of recent growth of soccer in the U.S., since the beginning of the 21st century, the U.S. leads the series 19W–8T–10L. Either the United States or Mexico has won every edition of the Gold Cup except one (the 2000 Gold Cup was won by Canada).

Canada

[edit]

The U.S. has a secondary rivalry with Canada, with the rivalry stemming from a generally friendly rivalry between the two countries. The United States has historically been the stronger side, having qualified for 11 World Cups while Canada has qualified for two.

On October 15, 2019, Canada defeated the United States for the first time in 34 years, at BMO Field in Toronto.[108] In 2022 World Cup qualifying, Canada tied 1–1 with the U.S. in Nashville, Tennessee, and defeated the USMNT 2–0 in Hamilton, Ontario. On June 18, 2023, the United States defeated Canada 2–0 in the CONCACAF Nations League final in Las Vegas.[109] The U.S. defeated Canada yet again in a 2023 Gold Cup quarterfinal matchup, this time 3–2 on penalties, in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The United States currently leads the series at 18W–11T–11L.

Costa Rica

[edit]

In the 2010s, the United States began to develop a rivalry with Costa Rica.[110][111][112] The impetus for the rivalry was a 2014 World Cup qualifying match played on March 22, 2013, at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado under blizzard conditions. Costa Rica filed a protest with FIFA due to field conditions after the United States won the game 1–0, but were denied recourse. The game was dubbed "Snow Clasico" for the conditions.[113] The United States have never won an away match in Costa Rica, losing 10 meetings and drawing twice.[114]

Supporters

[edit]
U.S. soccer fans, dressed in red, cheer in bleachers as they hold a large U.S. flag over themselves at a soccer match.
Sam's Army at a U.S. vs Jamaica match

There have been two main supporter groups backing U.S. Soccer teams, Sam's Army and The American Outlaws. Sam's Army started shortly after the 1994 World Cup[115] and were active through 2014. Sam's Army members wore red to matches and sung or chanted throughout the match, and often brought huge U.S. flags and other banners to the game.

The American Outlaws began in Lincoln, Nebraska, in 2007 as a local supporters' group.[116] The group's membership attempted to address a lack of consistency from game to game in supporter organization and social events on match days.[117]

The U.S. men's national team has a major following on social media platforms. Interest in young American players and the attention they bring has led to an increase in foreign investment in U.S. players,[118] soccer development programs, and sports clubs.[119]

Home stadium

[edit]
RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. has hosted over 20 USMNT matches.

The United States does not have a dedicated national stadium like other national teams; instead, the team has played their home matches at various venues across the country. As of 2017, the team has played in 123 stadiums in 30 states and the District of Columbia.[citation needed] Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, located in the national capital of Washington, D.C., has hosted 24 matches, the most of any stadium.[120] The state of California has hosted 117 matches, the most of any state, and greater Los Angeles has hosted 79 matches at several venues in and around the city of LA. The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum hosted 20 matches from 1965 to 2000.[citation needed] The Rose Bowl, a 92,000-seat venue in Pasadena, has hosted 17 national team matches, as well as the 1984 Olympics gold medal match, the 1994 World Cup final, and the 1999 Women's World Cup final.[121]

Media coverage

[edit]

TNT Sports has the English language rights for U.S. Soccer broadcasts from 2022 to 2030. All matches are streaming live on Max with matches also on TNT and TBS. In June 2021, CBS Sports acquired partial rights to select U.S. Soccer matches, including World Cup qualifiers and the Nations League finals, to be broadcast on CBS Sports Network and the Paramount+ streaming service. Telemundo has the Spanish language rights to all U.S. Soccer broadcasts from 2023 to 2030. These agreements do not apply to World Cup away qualifiers, whose rights are distributed by the host country.[122]

Results and fixtures

[edit]

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixture

2023

[edit]
November 16 Nations League QF 1st Leg United States  3–0  Trinidad and Tobago Austin, Texas
21:00 ET
Report Stadium: Q2 Stadium
Attendance: 19,850
Referee: Oshane Nation (Jamaica)
November 20 Nations League QF 2nd Leg Trinidad and Tobago  2–1
(2–4 agg.)
 United States Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
19:00 ET
Report Stadium: Hasely Crawford Stadium
Referee: Walter López (Guatemala)
Note: United States won 4–2 on aggregate and qualified to the 2024 Copa América.

2024

[edit]
January 20 Friendly United States  0–1  Slovenia San Antonio, Texas
15:00 ET Report Stadium: Toyota Field
Attendance: 9,191
Referee: Pierre Luc Lauziere (Canada)
March 21 Nations League SF United States  3–1 (a.e.t.)  Jamaica Arlington, Texas
19:00 ET
Report
Stadium: AT&T Stadium
Attendance: 40,926
Referee: Selvin Brown (Honduras)
March 24 Nations League F United States  2–0  Mexico Arlington, Texas
21:15 ET
Report Stadium: AT&T Stadium
Attendance: 59,471
Referee: Drew Fischer (Canada)
June 8 Friendly United States  1–5  Colombia Landover, Maryland
17:30 EDT
Report Stadium: Commanders Field
Attendance: 55,494
Referee: Fernando Hernández Gómez (Mexico)
June 12 Friendly United States  1–1  Brazil Orlando, Florida
19:00 ET
Report
Stadium: Camping World Stadium
Attendance: 60,016
Referee: Saíd Martínez (Honduras)
June 23 2024 Copa América United States  2–0  Bolivia Arlington, Texas
17:00 CDT Report Stadium: AT&T Stadium
Attendance: 47,873
Referee: Maurizio Mariani (Italy)
September 7 Friendly United States  1–2  Canada Kansas City, Kansas
16:05 ET Report Stadium: Children's Mercy Park
Attendance: 10,523
Referee: Keylor Herrera (Costa Rica)
September 10 Friendly United States  1–1  New Zealand Cincinnati, Ohio
19:00 ET
Report
Stadium: TQL Stadium
Attendance: 15,711
Referee: Selvin Brown (Honduras)
October 12 Friendly United States  2–0  Panama Austin, Texas
21:00 ET
Report Stadium: Q2 Stadium
Attendance: 20,239
Referee: Katia Itzel García (Mexico)
October 15 Friendly Mexico  2–0  United States Zapopan, Mexico
22:30 ET
Report Stadium: Estadio Akron
Attendance: 43,537
Referee: Keylor Herrera (Costa Rica)

All-time results

[edit]

The following table shows the United States all-time international record, correct as of October 15, 2024.[123]

Against Played Won Drawn Lost GF GA GD
Total 788 347 167 268 1179 1014 +164

Staff

[edit]

Coaching staff

Position Name
Head coach Argentina Mauricio Pochettino[124]
Assistant coaches Argentina Miguel D'Agostino
Spain Jesus Perez
Goalkeeping coach England Jack Robinson
Spain Toni Jiménez
Technical coach[125] Italy Gianni Vio
Athletic coach SpainArgentina Sebastiano Pochettino
Spain Silvia Tuya Vinas
Chief analyst Canada Sam Gregory
Match analyst Netherlands David Handgraaf
Performance manager Netherlands Rick Cost

Technical staff

Position Name Start date Ref.
Sporting director Wales Matt Crocker April 2023 [126]
Vice president of sporting United States Oguchi Onyewu May 2023 [127]

Players

[edit]

Current squad

[edit]

The following 25 players were called up for the Nations League quarter-final matches against Jamaica on November 14 and 18, 2024 respectively[128]
Caps and goals are updated as of October 15, 2024, after the match against Mexico.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Matt Turner (1994-06-24) June 24, 1994 (age 30) 47 0 England Crystal Palace
1GK Zack Steffen (1995-04-02) April 2, 1995 (age 29) 29 0 United States Colorado Rapids
1GK Patrick Schulte (2001-03-13) March 13, 2001 (age 23) 2 0 United States Columbus Crew
1GK Diego Kochen (2006-03-19) March 19, 2006 (age 18) 0 0 Spain Barcelona Atlètic

2DF Tim Ream (1987-10-05) October 5, 1987 (age 37) 64 1 United States Charlotte FC
2DF Antonee Robinson (1997-08-08) August 8, 1997 (age 27) 48 4 England Fulham
2DF Miles Robinson (1997-03-14) March 14, 1997 (age 27) 30 3 United States FC Cincinnati
2DF Chris Richards (2000-03-28) March 28, 2000 (age 24) 23 1 England Crystal Palace
2DF Joe Scally (2002-12-31) December 31, 2002 (age 21) 17 0 Germany Borussia Mönchengladbach
2DF Mark McKenzie (1999-02-25) February 25, 1999 (age 25) 15 0 France Toulouse
2DF Auston Trusty (1998-08-12) August 12, 1998 (age 26) 3 0 Scotland Celtic

3MF Weston McKennie (1998-08-28) August 28, 1998 (age 26) 56 11 Italy Juventus
3MF Brenden Aaronson (2000-10-22) October 22, 2000 (age 24) 46 8 England Leeds United
3MF Yunus Musah (2002-11-29) November 29, 2002 (age 21) 43 1 Italy Milan
3MF Johnny Cardoso (2001-09-20) September 20, 2001 (age 23) 17 0 Spain Real Betis
3MF Malik Tillman (2002-05-28) May 28, 2002 (age 22) 16 0 Netherlands PSV Eindhoven
3MF Gianluca Busio (2002-05-28) May 28, 2002 (age 22) 15 1 Italy Venezia
3MF Aidan Morris (2001-11-16) November 16, 2001 (age 22) 9 0 England Middlesbrough
3MF Tanner Tessmann (2001-09-04) September 4, 2001 (age 23) 4 0 France Lyon

4FW Christian Pulisic (captain) (1998-09-18) September 18, 1998 (age 26) 74 31 Italy Milan
4FW Timothy Weah (2000-02-22) February 22, 2000 (age 24) 41 6 Italy Juventus
4FW Ricardo Pepi (2003-01-09) January 9, 2003 (age 21) 31 11 Netherlands PSV Eindhoven
4FW Cade Cowell (2003-10-14) October 14, 2003 (age 21) 10 1 Mexico Guadalajara
4FW Brandon Vázquez (1998-10-14) October 14, 1998 (age 26) 9 4 Mexico Monterrey
4FW Alejandro Zendejas (1998-02-07) February 7, 1998 (age 26) 9 1 Mexico América

Recent call-ups

[edit]

The following players have also been called up for the team within the last twelve months.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Ethan Horvath (1995-06-09) June 9, 1995 (age 29) 10 0 Wales Cardiff City v.  Mexico; October 15, 2024
GK Sean Johnson (1989-05-31) May 31, 1989 (age 35) 13 0 Canada Toronto FC 2024 Copa América
GK Drake Callender (1997-10-07) October 7, 1997 (age 27) 0 0 United States Inter Miami CF 2024 CONCACAF Nations League Finals
GK Roman Celentano (2000-09-14) September 14, 2000 (age 24) 0 0 United States FC Cincinnati v.  Slovenia; January 20, 2024
GK Gabriel Slonina (2004-05-15) May 15, 2004 (age 20) 1 0 England Barnsley v.  Trinidad and Tobago; November 20, 2023

DF Kristoffer Lund (2002-05-14) May 14, 2002 (age 22) 7 0 Italy Palermo v.  Mexico; October 15, 2024
DF Marlon Fossey (1998-11-09) November 9, 1998 (age 26) 1 0 Belgium Standard Liège v.  Panama; October 12, 2024
DF Caleb Wiley (2004-12-22) December 22, 2004 (age 19) 3 0 France Strasbourg v.  New Zealand; September 10, 2024
DF Shaq Moore (1996-11-02) November 2, 1996 (age 28) 19 1 United States Nashville SC 2024 Copa América
DF Cameron Carter-Vickers (1997-12-31) December 31, 1997 (age 26) 18 0 Scotland Celtic 2024 Copa América
DF Sergiño Dest (2000-11-03) November 3, 2000 (age 24) 33 2 Netherlands PSV Eindhoven 2024 CONCACAF Nations League Finals
DF James Sands (2000-07-06) July 6, 2000 (age 24) 13 0 United States New York City FC v.  Slovenia; January 20, 2024
DF DeJuan Jones (1997-06-24) June 24, 1997 (age 27) 8 0 United States Columbus Crew v.  Slovenia; January 20, 2024
DF John Tolkin (2002-07-31) July 31, 2002 (age 22) 4 0 United States New York Red Bulls v.  Slovenia; January 20, 2024
DF Nathan Harriel (2001-04-23) April 23, 2001 (age 23) 0 0 United States Philadelphia Union v.  Slovenia; January 20, 2024
DF Ian Murphy (2000-01-16) January 16, 2000 (age 24) 0 0 United States FC Cincinnati v.  Slovenia; January 20, 2024
DF Nkosi Tafari (1997-03-23) March 23, 1997 (age 27) 0 0 United States FC Dallas v.  Slovenia; January 20, 2024
DF Jackson Ragen (1998-09-24) September 24, 1998 (age 26) 0 0 United States Seattle Sounders FC Training Camp January 8–16, 2024 INJ

MF Luca de la Torre (1998-05-23) May 23, 1998 (age 26) 24 1 Spain Celta Vigo v.  New Zealand; September 10, 2024
MF Giovanni Reyna (2002-11-13) November 13, 2002 (age 21) 31 8 Germany Borussia Dortmund v.  Canada; September 7, 2024INJ
MF Tyler Adams (1999-02-14) February 14, 1999 (age 25) 42 2 England Bournemouth 2024 Copa América
MF Timothy Tillman (1999-01-04) January 4, 1999 (age 25) 1 0 United States Los Angeles FC v.  Brazil; June 12, 2024
MF Josh Atencio (2002-01-31) January 31, 2002 (age 22) 1 0 United States Seattle Sounders FC v.  Slovenia; January 20, 2024
MF Aziel Jackson (2001-10-25) October 25, 2001 (age 23) 1 0 United States Columbus Crew v.  Slovenia; January 20, 2024
MF Jack McGlynn (2003-07-07) July 7, 2003 (age 21) 1 0 United States Philadelphia Union v.  Slovenia; January 20, 2024
MF Sean Zawadzki (2000-04-21) April 21, 2000 (age 24) 1 0 United States Columbus Crew v.  Slovenia; January 20, 2024
MF Lennard Maloney (1999-10-08) October 8, 1999 (age 25) 2 0 Germany 1. FC Heidenheim v.  Trinidad and Tobago; November 20, 2023
MF Paxten Aaronson (2003-08-26) August 26, 2003 (age 21) 1 0 Netherlands Utrecht v.  Trinidad and Tobago; November 20, 2023

FW Josh Sargent (2000-02-20) February 20, 2000 (age 24) 27 5 England Norwich City v.  Mexico; October 15, 2024
FW Haji Wright (1998-03-27) March 27, 1998 (age 26) 15 4 England Coventry City v.  Mexico; October 15, 2024
FW Folarin Balogun (2001-07-03) July 3, 2001 (age 23) 17 5 France Monaco[a] v.  Panama; October 12, 2024INJ
FW Esmir Bajraktarević (2005-03-10) March 10, 2005 (age 19) 1 0 United States New England Revolution v.  Slovenia; January 20, 2024NE
FW Bernard Kamungo (2002-01-01) January 1, 2002 (age 22) 1 0 United States FC Dallas v.  Slovenia; January 20, 2024
FW Diego Luna (2003-09-07) September 7, 2003 (age 21) 1 0 United States Real Salt Lake v.  Slovenia; January 20, 2024
FW Duncan McGuire (2001-02-05) February 5, 2001 (age 23) 1 0 United States Orlando City SC v.  Slovenia; January 20, 2024
FW Brian White (1996-02-03) February 3, 1996 (age 28) 1 0 Canada Vancouver Whitecaps FC v.  Slovenia; January 20, 2024
FW Kevin Paredes (2003-05-07) May 7, 2003 (age 21) 3 0 Germany VfL Wolfsburg v.  Trinidad and Tobago; November 20, 2023
  • PRE = Preliminary squad
  • INJ = Injured
  • WD = Player withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue.
  • NE = Not Eligible

Individual records

[edit]
As of October 15, 2024.[129]
Players in bold are still active with the national team.

Most appearances

[edit]
Cobi Jones is the United States' most capped player with 164 appearances.
Rank Player Caps Goals Career
1 Cobi Jones 164 15 1992–2004
2 Landon Donovan 157 57 2000–2014
3 Michael Bradley 151 17 2006–2019
4 Clint Dempsey 141 57 2004–2017
5 Jeff Agoos 134 4 1988–2003
6 Marcelo Balboa 127 13 1988–2000
7 DaMarcus Beasley 126 17 2001–2017
8 Tim Howard 121 0 2002–2017
9 Jozy Altidore 115 42 2007–2019
10 Claudio Reyna 112 8 1994–2006

Top goalscorers

[edit]
Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey are the United States' joint all-time top scorers with 57 goals.
Rank Player Goals Caps Ratio Career
1 Clint Dempsey 57 141 0.4 2004–2017
Landon Donovan 57 157 0.36 2000–2014
3 Jozy Altidore 42 115 0.37 2007–2019
4 Eric Wynalda 34 106 0.32 1990–2000
5 Christian Pulisic 31 74 0.42 2016–present
6 Brian McBride 30 95 0.32 1993–2006
7 Joe-Max Moore 24 100 0.24 1992–2002
8 Bruce Murray 21 85 0.25 1985–1993
9 Eddie Johnson 19 63 0.3 2004–2014
10 Earnie Stewart 17 101 0.17 1990–2004
DaMarcus Beasley 17 126 0.13 2001–2017
Michael Bradley 17 151 0.11 2006–2019

Competitive record

[edit]

The United States has competed at the FIFA World Cup, the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the CONCACAF Nations League, and the Summer Olympics. The team has also played in the now-defunct FIFA Confederations Cup, the Copa América, as well as several minor tournaments.

The best result for the United States in a World Cup tournament came in 1930 when it reached the semifinals. The team included six naturalized internationals, five of them from Scotland and one from England.[130] In the modern era, the team’s best result came in the 2002 World Cup, when it reached the quarterfinals. Its worst World Cup tournament results in were group-stage eliminations in 1990, 1998, and 2006; the team failed to qualify altogether for the final tournament in 2018. The United States reached the round of 16 in 1994, 2010, 2014, and 2022.

In the Confederations Cup, the United States finished in third place in both 1992 and 1999, and were runner-up in 2009. The team appeared in its first intercontinental tournament final at the 2009 Confederations Cup,[131] where it lost to Brazil 3–2 after leading 2–0 at halftime.

The U.S. men's soccer team first played in the Summer Olympics in 1924. From that tournament to 1980, only amateur and state-sponsored Eastern European players were allowed on Olympic teams. The Olympics became a full international tournament in 1984 after the IOC allowed full national teams from outside FIFA's strongest confederations of UEFA and CONMEBOL. Since 1992 the men's Olympic event has been age-restricted, to those 23 years and younger, with the exception (since 1996) of up to three overage players; participation has been by the United States men's national under-23 soccer team.

In regional competitions, the United States has won the CONCACAF Gold Cup seven times, with its most recent title in 2021.[132] The team won the inaugural CONCACAF Nations League in 2021.[133] Its best finish at the Copa América was fourth place at the 1995 and 2016 editions,[134][135] while it competed as the host nation in 2024, failing to advance past the group stage.

FIFA World Cup

[edit]
FIFA World Cup record Qualification record
Year Result Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad Pld W D L GF GA
Uruguay 1930 Third place[note 3] 3rd 3 2 0 1 7 6 Squad Qualified as invitees
Italy 1934 Round of 16 16th 1 0 0 1 1 7 Squad 1 1 0 0 4 2
France 1938 Withdrew Withdrew
Brazil 1950 Group stage 10th 3 1 0 2 4 8 Squad 4 1 1 2 8 15
Switzerland 1954 Did not qualify 4 2 0 2 7 9
Sweden 1958 4 0 0 4 5 21
Chile 1962 2 0 1 1 3 6
England 1966 4 1 2 1 4 5
Mexico 1970 6 3 0 3 11 9
West Germany 1974 4 0 1 3 6 10
Argentina 1978 5 1 2 2 3 7
Spain 1982 4 1 1 2 4 8
Mexico 1986 6 3 2 1 8 3
Italy 1990 Group stage 23rd 3 0 0 3 2 8 Squad 10 5 4 1 11 4
United States 1994 Round of 16 14th 4 1 1 2 3 4 Squad Qualified as hosts
France 1998 Group stage 32nd 3 0 0 3 1 5 Squad 16 8 6 2 27 14
South Korea Japan 2002 Quarter-finals 8th 5 2 1 2 7 7 Squad 16 8 4 4 25 11
Germany 2006 Group stage 25th 3 0 1 2 2 6 Squad 18 12 4 2 35 11
South Africa 2010 Round of 16 12th 4 1 2 1 5 5 Squad 18 13 2 3 42 16
Brazil 2014 15th 4 1 1 2 5 6 Squad 16 11 2 3 26 14
Russia 2018 Did not qualify 16 7 4 5 37 16
Qatar 2022 Round of 16 14th 4 1 2 1 3 4 Squad 14 7 4 3 21 10
Canada Mexico United States 2026 Qualified as co-hosts Qualified as co-hosts
Morocco Portugal Spain 2030 To be determined To be determined
Saudi Arabia 2034
Total Semi-finals 12/23 37 9 8 20 40 66 168 84 40 44 287 191


Summer Olympics

[edit]
Summer Olympics record Qualification record
Year Result Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad Pld W D L GF GA
Greece 1896 No soccer tournament No qualification
France 1900 Did not enter
United States 1904 Silver 2nd 3 1 1 1 2 7 Squad
Bronze 3rd 3 0 1 2 0 6 Squad
United Kingdom 1908 Did not enter
Sweden 1912
Belgium 1920
France 1924 Round of 16 12th 2 1 0 1 1 3 Squad
Netherlands 1928 Round of 16 9th 1 0 0 1 2 11 Squad
United States 1932 No soccer tournament
Germany 1936 Round of 16 9th 1 0 0 1 0 1 Squad
United Kingdom 1948 Round of 16 11th 1 0 0 1 0 9 Squad
Finland 1952 Round of 32 17th 1 0 0 1 0 8 Squad
Australia 1956 Quarterfinals 5th 1 0 0 1 1 9 Squad Walkover
Italy 1960 Did not qualify 2 0 1 1 1 3
Japan 1964 3 1 0 2 7 7
Mexico 1968 Did not qualify
West Germany 1972 Group stage 14th 3 0 1 2 0 10 Squad 6 2 3 1 10 9
Canada 1976 Did not qualify Did not qualify
Soviet Union 1980 Qualified, later withdrew 4 2 1 1 6 8
United States 1984 Group stage 9th 3 1 1 1 4 2 Squad Qualified as hosts
South Korea 1988 Group stage 12th 3 0 2 1 3 5 Squad 4 4 0 0 13 4
Since 1992 See United States men's national under-23 soccer team 1992 Pre-Olympic Tournament
Total 2 Medals 22 3 6 13 13 71 19 9 5 5 37 31

CONCACAF Gold Cup

[edit]

CONCACAF Championship 1963–1989, CONCACAF Gold Cup 1991–present

CONCACAF Championship & CONCACAF Gold Cup record Qualification record
Year Result Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad Pld W D L GF GA
El Salvador 1963 Did not enter Did not enter
Guatemala 1965
Honduras 1967
Costa Rica 1969 Did not qualify 2 0 0 2 0 3
Trinidad and Tobago 1971 Did not enter Did not enter
Haiti 1973 Did not qualify 4 0 1 3 6 10
Mexico 1977 4 1 2 1 3 4
Honduras 1981 4 1 1 2 4 8
1985 Group stage 6th 4 2 1 1 4 3 Squad 2 1 1 0 4 0
1989 Runners-up 2nd 8 4 3 1 6 3 Squad 2 1 1 0 5 1
United States 1991 Champions 1st 5 4 1 0 10 3 Squad Qualified automatically
Mexico United States 1993 Runners-up 2nd 5 4 0 1 5 5 Squad
United States 1996 Third place 3rd 4 3 0 1 8 3 Squad
United States 1998 Runners-up 2nd 4 3 0 1 6 2 Squad
United States 2000 Quarterfinals 5th 3 2 1 0 6 2 Squad
United States 2002 Champions 1st 5 4 1 0 9 1 Squad
Mexico United States 2003 Third place 3rd 5 4 0 1 13 4 Squad
United States 2005 Champions 1st 6 4 2 0 11 3 Squad
United States 2007 Champions 1st 6 6 0 0 13 3 Squad
United States 2009 Runners-up 2nd 6 4 1 1 12 8 Squad
United States 2011 Runners-up 2nd 6 4 0 2 9 6 Squad
United States 2013 Champions 1st 6 6 0 0 20 4 Squad
Canada United States 2015 Fourth place 4th 6 3 2 1 12 5 Squad
United States 2017 Champions 1st 6 5 1 0 13 4 Squad
Costa Rica Jamaica United States 2019 Runners-up 2nd 6 5 0 1 15 2 Squad CONCACAF fourth round
United States 2021 Champions 1st 6 6 0 0 11 1 Squad 2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League
Canada United States 2023 Semifinals 4th 5 2 3 0 16 4 Squad 2022–23 CONCACAF Nations League
Canada United States 2025 To be determined 2024–25 CONCACAF Nations League
Total 7 Titles 102 75 16 11 199 66 18 4 6 8 22 26

CONCACAF Nations League

[edit]
CONCACAF Nations League record
League Finals
Season Division Group Pld W D L GF GA P/R Finals Result Pld W D L GF GA Squad
2019–20 A A 4 3 0 1 15 3 Same position United States 2021 Champions 2 2 0 0 4 2 Squad
2022–23 A