How the USMNT went from embarrassment in Italy to ...
Key takeaways
- As the FIFA World Cup arrives on North American shores this month, confidence in the U.S. men's national team has never been higher.
- But American soccer's outlook wasn't always so rosy.
- Thirty-two years ago, the USMNT had only one player even playing in a European first division, never mind winning anything there.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
As the FIFA World Cup arrives on North American shores this month, confidence in the U.S. men's national team has never been higher. Mauricio Pochettino's team is littered with UEFA Champions League regulars, stars who have lifted trophies across Europe's Big Five leagues, and champions of this country's domestic league.
But American soccer's outlook wasn't always so rosy. One doesn't have to look further back than the last time the U.S. hosted a men's World Cup, in 1994, for proof.
Thirty-two years ago, the USMNT had only one player even playing in a European first division, never mind winning anything there. There was no MLS. And, after a disastrous return to the World Cup in 1990 following a 40-year absence, there was hardly a U.S. men's national team to speak of.