United States men's national soccer team

The United States men's national soccer team played its first international matches against Canada in 1885 and 1886; however, neither match is considered official. It would be another 30 years before the United States would finally play an officially recognized international match.

Related Topics:
Canada - 1885 - 1886

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In the inaugural World Cup in 1930, the U.S. team advanced to the semifinals, still the all-time best World Cup performance by the men's team. Numerous soccer historians have claimed that the U.S. team at that competition was loaded with "ringers" (non-native players) from British professional leagues. There were six British-born professional soccer players on the U.S. team; however:

Related Topics:
World Cup - 1930

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• At the time of the 1930 World Cup, the combined British professional experience of those six players was two games, both by a single player in the English Third Division (equivalent to today's Football League One).
• Four of the six had come to the United States as teenagers or younger.
• Three of the six never played professionally in Britain; their pro careers were entirely in North America. In the 1920s, there was a thriving professional league in the United States, and the league survived into the mid-1930s.
• Two of the six did have significant professional careers in Britain, but not until after 1930.
• All 16 members of the 1930 World Cup team, including the six British-born players, were living in the United States by 1928.

In the {{Wc|1950}}, the U.S. team pulled off one of the greatest upsets in soccer history, defeating England 1-0. However, the U.S. failed to advance from group play, and would not qualify for another World Cup until 1990. Although they were dismissed from that tourney without making a point, the side rebounded to win the first ever CONCACAF Gold Cup in 1991.

Related Topics:
Greatest upsets in soccer history - England - 1990 - CONCACAF Gold Cup - 1991

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The team's best performances at recent World Cups have been a second-round appearance in 1994, when it hosted the event, and a quarterfinal berth in 2002. They were one of the major surprises at the 2002 event, stunning highly fancied Portugal in group play, defeating continental rivals Mexico in the second round, and narrowly losing to eventual runner-up Germany in the quarterfinals.

Related Topics:
1994 - 2002 - Portugal - Mexico - Germany

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For about a decade before the 2002 World Cup, the U.S. men's team existed largely in the shadow of the country's high-profile women's team (a fact that made them an object of derision by fans of other established men's sports like baseball, American football and basketball). While the US men have not totally escaped the women's shadow, they are now receiving more attention from soccer fans at home. The U.S. men are now a highly competitive side, capable of playing with and often defeating top teams from the rest of the world. In recent years, the US has become known for producing goalkeepers; three U.S. keepers started in the English Premier League in the 2003-04 season.

Related Topics:
Women's team - Baseball - American football - Basketball - Goalkeeper - English Premier League - 2003-04 season

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Since its recent successes, the team has been consistently ranked in the top 15 of the FIFA World Rankings; its highest-ever rank was 6th, first obtained in July 2005.

Related Topics:
FIFA World Rankings - July 2005

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The USA has had more men reach 100 caps (international appearances) than any other country, with eight to date.

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On September 3, 2005, they qualified for their 8th World Cup by beating Mexico 2-0 in Columbus, Ohio.

Related Topics:
September 3 - 2005 - World Cup - Mexico - Columbus, Ohio

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United States men's national soccer team: World Cup record ►