The USMNT are back at the Olympics for the first time since Beijing 2008 and there is a lot of interest in Marko Mitrovic’s team.
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Can they win a medal? Will these young stars step up in this U23 tournament? Can the three overaged players provided the much-needed defensive experience?
[ MORE: USMNT roster for 2024 Paris Olympics ]
Below are some key records and more details of the history of the US Olympic men’s soccer team.
Has the US Olympic men’s soccer team ever won a gold medal?
No. The USMNT has never won a medal of any kind in the modern Olympic era.
The U.S. did win both silver and bronze at the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis as three club teams competed in the competition. Galt FC from Canada won the gold medal, while Christian Brothers College and St Rose Parish, both from Olympic host city St. Louis, won silver and bronze respectively.
What is the farthest the US Olympic men’s soccer team has gone?
The best finish the U.S. has ever had is fourth place at the 2000 Olympics in Athens. The U.S. lost to Chile in the bronze medal match after losing to Spain in the semifinals.
That team saw Landon Donovan burst onto the scene, while the likes of Tim Howard, Jeff Agoos, John O’Brien, Ben Olsen, Chris Albright, Josh Wolff and Brad Friedel were all part of the squad.
When was the last time the US men’s soccer team qualified for the Olympics?
2008 in Beijing. It has been a 16-year wait for the USMNT to head back to the Olympics.
Who is the all time leading goal scorer for the US Olympic men’s soccer team?
Peter Vagenas, 3 goals
Chris Albright, 2 goals
Rick Davis, 2 goals
Sacha Kljestan, 2 goals
Steve Snow, 2 goals
Josh Wolff, 2 goals
US Olympic men’s soccer record by year
Competed as USMNT
St. Louis, 1904:
London, 1908: Did not enter
Stockholm, 1912: Did not enter
Antwerp, 1920: Did not enter
Paris, 1924: Round of 16
Amsterdam, 1928: Round of 16
Los Angeles, 1932: No soccer tournament
Berlin, 1936: Round of 16
London, 1948: Round of 16
Helsinki, 1952: Round of 32
Melbourne, 1956: Quarterfinals
Rome, 1960: Did not qualify
Tokyo, 1964: Did not qualify
Mexico City, 1968: Did not qualify
Munich, 1972: Group stage
Montreal, 1976: Did not qualify
Moscow, 1980: Qualified, then withdrew
Los Angeles, 1984: Group stage
Seoul, 1988: Group stage
Soccer became U23 tournament at Olympics
Barcelona, 1992: Group stage
Atlanta, 1996: Group stage
Sydney, 2000: Fourth place
Athens, 2004: Did not qualify
Beijing, 2008: Group stage exit
London, 2012: Did not qualify
Rio, 2016: Did not qualify
Tokyo, 2020: Did not qualify
Paris, 2024: Qualified
How many Olympic goals does Landon Donovan have?
He has one goal, which he scored at his only Olympics in 2000. The goal came against Kuwait in a 3-1 win in the group stage.
When did Landon Donovan play for the United States in the Olympics?
Landon Donovan played for the USMNT once at the Olympics, as he featured at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.
What’s the most goals scored in one Olympic soccer match for the US men’s soccer team?
The U.S. beat Costa Rica 3-0 in the group stage of the 1984 Olympics in LA and that is their biggest-ever win and most goals scored in a single Olympics game.
