The U.S. arrives at a home World Cup carrying a history that is older and stranger than many fans realize. Its best finish remains a third-place run at the very first tournament, the 1930 World Cup in Uruguay — still the only podium finish by a team from outside Europe or South America.
Then came the folklore: the 1-0 win over England in 1950, the “Miracle on Grass,” delivered by a part-time squad and a goal from Joe Gaetjens. After that, there was a long silence — the Americans did not return to a World Cup until 1990.
The modern story is one of growth and heartbreak: a quarterfinal run in 2002, still their only knockout-stage win of the modern era and, fittingly, against Mexico; the failure to qualify for 2018; and a return to the round of 16 in 2022.
Now, for the first time since 1994, the tournament comes to them.
