Here’s everything you need to know about the performance of the United States men’s national soccer team in the World Cup.
The magical run for the USMNT ended just as it was getting started.
The United States men’s national team made waves in the 2022 FIFA World Cup after advancing out of Group B, but were sent home in the round of 16 with a 3-1 loss to the Netherlands.
En route to the knockout round, the USMNT went undefeated in group play with a 1-1 draw to Wales, a 0-0 stalemate against England and a heroic 1-0 win over Iran that begged the question: Has the U.S. ever won a World Cup?
Though the Stars and Stripes won't win it in 2022, let’s take a look back to see how the nation has performed in the quadrennial tournament dating back to 1930:
Has the U.S. men’s national soccer team ever won a World Cup?
Believe it or not, the U.S. men’s national soccer team has never won a World Cup. The team has never even advanced to the final.
How many World Cups have the USMNT taken part in?
The U.S. men’s national team has played in 11 of the 22 World Cups. The team failed to qualify for every World Cup between the years 1950 and 1990.
The 1994 World Cup, hosted by the U.S., was the first time since the inaugural 1930 World Cup that the USMNT advanced past the group stage.
Despite failing to qualify in 2018, the U.S. advanced to the round of 16 in 2010 and 2014.
The USMNT is guaranteed a spot in 2026 since it will be one of the three host countries alongside Canada and Mexico.
What were some of the best performances played by the U.S. men’s national team?
The U.S. men’s national team played best at the inaugural 1930 World Cup, when the team advanced to the semifinals and finished third behind Argentina and Uruguay.
Since then, the team’s best performance was in 2002, when it advanced to the quarterfinals.
What does this year look like for the USMNT?
The USMNT qualified for the World Cup this year, returning to the tournament for the first time since 2014. Following the 2022 World Cup draw, the USA was placed in Group B alongside England, Iran and Wales.
While the team recorded a scoreless draw against England, Tim Weah and Christian Pulisic netted goals against Wales and Iran, respectively. The lone goal against the Netherlands came thanks to Haji Wright, whose backheel finish somehow flicked high in the air and dropped in, but it wasn't enough to advance to the quarterfinals.
