Top 10 US World Cup Moments of Glory
Photo by Fauzan Saari on Unsplash
The Yanks are back.
After failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the United States Men's National Team is returning to the most popular sporting event on planet earth. The 2022 men's edition is upon us in an unlikely time and place, with geopolitical pressures clouding the event's clarity of international competition.
Led by a slew of young stars like Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, Brenden Aaronson, Weston MckKennie, and Gio Renya, the team has never been as talented or globally respected for their accomplishments in Europe's top leagues.
Will youth and talent lead to moments of glory, or will overthinking and inexperience result in disappointment?
As the starry-eyed Americans head to Qatar, let's remember why the World Cup is best when the United States is involved. Here are the top 10 USA moments of glory from the men's and women's World Cups.
#10 The Screamer (2014)
Eight years is a long time waiting for the stars and stripes to return to the men's tournament, so long that it's hard to remember what happened last time.
To remind you, the US bowed out of the tournament in the knockout stage after emerging out of the "Group of Death" featuring Christiano Ronaldo's Portugal, eventually tournament winners Germany, and Ghana, who'd knocked us out of the previous two tournaments.
Although the Yanks eventually lost in an epic knockout stage showdown with Belgium's Golden Generation (see #5), it was Jermaine Jones' screaming kick against Portugal that stands out as a highlight of the tournament and one of the most technically impressive American strikes at a World Cup ever.
The German-born midfielder was part of a crop of European talent discovered by the US head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. Jones quickly became a fan favorite with his gritty mentality, brutal midfield tackles, and powerful kicks. However, Jones saved his best for the biggest stage, striking the ball perfectly from a botched corner from "way downtown."
It's one of those goals you can watch over and over again.
#9 The Shot-Putters (1930)
When people say that the US isn't a soccer-loving nation and barely shows up on the international winner's map, I point them to 1930.
A group of immigrants left their day jobs to spend three weeks in Argentina for the second edition of the World Cup. The rag-tag group, nicknamed "The Shot-Putters," shocked the world by reaching the tournament's semifinals.
To date, it's the furthest a men's team has ever gone in the tournament.
#8 Spilling the Tea (2019)
When Alex Morgan celebrated her goal versus England in the 2019 World Cup by miming sipping tea with her pinky finger pointed out, she probably didn't realize that she'd enter the internet meme hall of fame.
Morgan and the US women had been derided as villains leading up to the tournament, in part because of their public battle for equal pay and being internet bullied by the then President of the United States. Plus, 2019 saw the most competitive group of women's teams ever, and global soccer media rallied behind the preemptive demise of US dominance.
So, the team gladly leaned into the villain role, and Morgan's celebration would be the lasting iconic moment from that group's attitude, swagger, and eventual success.
#7 The Cousins (1950)
In 2010, Rob Green's bumbling of Clint Dempsey's shot that led to a 1-1 draw against England felt like a victory for the United States. But it wasn't the first time the US punched above its weight against the sport's ancestors.
In 1950, led by Haitian-American Joe Gaetjens, the United States defeated England 1-0 in the group stage. The US squad was composed of part-time players, while England was acclaimed as one of the strongest teams in the tournament. The shocking upset was the only victory in the tournament for the US.
Unfortunately, the victory did little to change America’s acceptance of soccer,. The men’s team wouldn't qualify for another World Cup until 1990, but the moment laid the foundation for the Yanks' underdog identity on the global stage.
#6 The Stateswoman (2019)
As discussed, the build-up to the 2019 World Cup was tumultuous for the US women, and Megan Rapinoe was the face of it. As arguably the best player in the world and leader of the women's fight for equal pay and facilities as their male counterparts, Rapinoe took the brunt of animosity.
Many didn't think she'd be able to live up to the pressure of the tournament, and boy, were they wrong.
Rapinoe's clutch penalty kick in the final versus the other pre-tournament favorites, Netherlands, allowed the US women to breathe and eventually go onto a 2-0 victory. Her celebration is a mixture of confidence, aloofness, and "f**k you" energy that defined her legacy as one of the greatest ever to wear the stars and stripes.
P.S. Rose Lavelle's goal to put the US up 2-0 in the final was probably the flashiest of the tournament for the Americans.
#5 The Wall (2014)
Is there glory in failure?
Well, if you play it right, there sure is a book deal, late-night talk show appearances, and millions of dollars in sponsorships.
Tim Howard made a World Cup record 16 saves in a loss versus Belgium in the knockout stage of the 2014 World Cup. Although Howard was already acclaimed as one of the best at his position pre-tournament, after Belgium, he cemented his place as one of the greatest keepers in World Cup history.
#4 The Hattrick (2015)
Carli Lloyd can't stop scoring.
Even in her final tournament appearances in the 2020 Olympics, Lloyd, at age 36, was still rippling the net with her taunted left foot.
With 134 international goals all-time, she is the highest-scoring American player (men's and women's) ever. And the 2015 World Cup Final versus Japan was her pièce de résistance.
Lloyd scored only the second hattrick in a women's or men's World Cup Final in 16 minutes, essentially killing the game versus Japan, who'd heartbreakingly beat the Americans in a penalty shootout in the 2011 final.
There will probably never be a more-prolific goal scorer statistically ever to play for an American team.
#3 - Dos a Cero (2002)
The 2-0 scoreline is part legend, part coincidence, and part good-luck charm for the US men. They've played Mexico to that scoreline14 times throughout the rivalry’s history, with most of the results occurring during a tournament meeting or qualifier.
Out of all the “Dos a Cero” matches, the 2002 World Cup is when the scoreline mattered the most.
Landon Donovan cemented the 2-0 legacy with a 65th-minute counter-attacking goal to lead the Yanks to the tournament's quarterfinals.
On that sunny afternoon in South Korea, Dos a Cero became a legend.
#2 - Go, Go, USA! (2014)
When I think about moments of glory during a World Cup, my mind automatically goes to when I hug a complete stranger.
Landon Donovan's put-back goal in stoppage time versus Algeria meant the US would move on from the group stage, but it will be remembered as a unifying moment in American soccer lore.
Shortly after the final whistle, videos began surfacing on the YouTube of soccer bars and town square watch parties across the country reacting to Donovan's late-game heroics. Soccer nerds, newcomers, and strangers embraced each other in exuberant bliss.
It was a hallmark moment when soccer felt like more than a niche hobby–soccer had come home.
#1 The 99ers (1999)
My first lasting memory of soccer was watching the 1999 Women's World Cup in the living room of my friend Alex's house. The final was hosted at the Rose Bowl and went down to a penalty shootout, with Brandi Chastain scoring the goal to send the US to glory.
Sports Illustrated's second most popular cover is Chastain's celebration after converting the penalty kick versus China. The moment was transformative on so many levels for women in athletics, soccer in America, and that trailblazing team. It's hard to quantify the impact of that moment over two decades later on game's growth in the country. But alone, it is the most profound moment of glory that an American team might never surpass at the World Cup.
Agree with my list? What American World Cup moments of glory did I leave out? Please share below in the comments or email me at leastimportanthings@gmail.com