Has the US ever won a World Cup? originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
One avenue of sport that tends to fall in the underdog category is soccer.
The game has been a staple in athletics since its berth in 1863 in England. And once FIFA began holding the quadrennial World Cup in 1930, viewership soared.
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Hundreds of nations delve in the sport, including the United States. And though other countries have more world titles under their belt, there is no doubt that the U.S. men’s national team has made their mark.
Here’s a little bit more about the U.S. men’s national soccer team and their presence in tournaments like the World Cup:
Has the U.S. men’s national soccer team ever won a World Cup?
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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 10 of the 21 World Cups. They 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 they 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 semi-finals and finished third behind Argentina and Uruguay.
Since then, the team’s best performance was in 2002 when they advanced to the quarterfinals.
What does this year look like for the USMNT?
The USMNT has qualified for the World Cup this year, returning to the tournament for the first time since 2014.
Despite a 2-0 loss to Costa Rica on the final night of qualifying, the USA is advancing to the quadrennial FIFA tournament this fall.
It’s clear the team’s upset in 2018, when they did not qualify for the tournament, fueled their determination to secure a spot in the 2022 contest.
