The Best USMNT Ever? -- A 2002 World Cup Retrospective 

2002. What a time to be alive

The oldest World Cup I remember being genuinely invested in was Brazil 2014 (since I was too young to understand the significance of the USMNT squad in 2010 or 2006), so I really enjoy these videos talking about how turbulent American soccer was in the 2000s. You always do such a great job conveying just how important those years were for MLS back then, and this video definitely follows suit.

I would love to see a video about the US team that infamously beat England 1-0 in 1950.

I was 12 years old when Mexico lost to the USA in that match. I cried and was devastated and I remember telling myself that I will never follow anything US soccer related till the day I die. 20 years later I finally gave MLS a chance and I've always wondered if Mexico would of won, would I have been a fan of MLS sooner. Great video.

Thanks for the good memories. 2002 World Cup was my first World Cup as a USMNT fan. I miss the early 2000s, it was a really good time. I think the MLS level in the past was very good. MLS had several players that could easily be playing for the USMNT today. In 2002 we were robbed against Germany. I didn't even remember that Donovan had a goal disallowed against Poland. In the 2000s, every match against Brazil was very difficult for Brazilians. Against Agentina, we lost players through injury. At that time there were no substitutions. I think USMNT played with a broken arm against Argentina in 1930. I also agree. 2002 USMNT was our best team, but 1930, USMNT story is really cool.

This was the World Cup that got me into soccer. Then my local team, the Revolution (hence my username) went on a run to MLS Cup a couple of months later. That was it for me....

Oh man, the thing I remember most about the 2002 WC is that our whole varsity squad was an hour late to summer training the day of the Mexico game because the game was early morning. We ran so much extra that whole week, but it was totally worth it. 😂

That wasn't Donovan with the assist to McBride vs Mexico. It was Josh Wolff. Great video tho. This world cup is also very dear to my heart. I still remember staying up to watch that Dos a Cero. One of my all time favorite sporting moments.

Everyone forgets another heinous thing about Torsten Frings, Mr. Germany Handball, he was actually allowed to play in the MLS!!! It's like Toronto FC signed him just to troll all of us.

You should talk about the USMNT more its great stuff

Great video

Common DannyTRadio W video

virtually all mls players as well lol it's unbelievable to think the usmnt had a better team 20 years ago then they do now, everyone thought soccer in america was growing & new & it was the beginning of america become a world power in the game, but 20 years later they're worse lol because now day's all these mls players move to mediocre european clubs, like fair enough go to a big club but you have guys moving to teams that are 16th in the belgian league, pepi literally transferred to a team in the relegation zone in germany lol these guys were virtually all mls players which was awesome

It’s the high water mark. Prime McBride and prime Donovan plus so many other talents.

Wait they finished 3rd in qualifying? Hmmm sounds familiar…

The 02 cup was special. My first was 94, very special. In junior high so deep in my own club playing days

2002 was the best. 2nd best goes to 2009 Squad mainly due to their success at the Confederation Cup. The Coach Bradley era was genuinely Americanized and was the final great one unlike Jurgen Klinsmann’s. Current squad identity is lackluster

As a Portugal fan. This world cup is like a dark page in the history of portuguese football. Even the players refuse to speak on what was going on off the pitch. Figo was wearing one boot two sizes bigger than the other because of an injury

the best USMNT of all time is the class of 2026, and ironically we're at home...

I stayed up to watch those games in 2002. I remember driving home from my friends house after the US beat Mexico honking our horn, and people had no clue why. Lol

Almost....but the loss to Poland makes it not the case. 2010/2014 was more consistent even though they didn't make it as far

First World Cup I watched. Best USA team. Clint Mathis was my fav. Best kit as well. Also, my favorite match ball. McBride diving header is unforgettable.

I remember being 11 years old at the time. We didn't have cable TV growing up, so would always turn on sports radio during the day with the hopes that they would announce how the US did. The only exception to this was the first match against Portugal, as that took place on my last day of fifth grade. Since I didn't have cable TV, I was unaware of the result, hoping to hear from someone who did. Luckily, one of my friends said "Guys! The US beat Portugal!" Everyone around us was puzzled. My reaction was simply "Wait.....they what?!?!?!" On that note, a couple things worth noting regarding the qualifying campaign that cycle: The loss to Honduras? That was *at home.* The US didn't lose a home qualifier in the 1998 qualifying campaign, and wouldn't lose another home qualifier until the 2018 debacle. It's also the main reason why the USSF does not put qualifiers vs. Honduras in the Baltimore/DC area, as that match was filled to the brim with Honduran fans. While we did dispatch Barbados in the previous round, look at when the first goal was scored. The 63rd minute. We were 30 minutes away from being eliminated by Barbados.

I'm Mexican and deer lord that dos a cero still stings hahahaa fair play. I have faith in you guys for this year. I bet you're gonna get farther than us.

To me that 2006 team had the players and the experience and man what a let down that World Cup was .. absolutely dismal that first game against Czech Republic was an old fashioned ass whooping of ive eve seen one and we never recovered

Great video, sadly this happened before I got into sports. Also, I'll ask for my usual video request. The weird history of Dutch Lions FC LLC and how they helped birth three times wooden spoon winners FCC.

Great video keep up the great work

danny with another masterpiece

Love your vids Danny. A lot of people in the UK shit on USA football/ Soccer but I appreciate its unique history and culture. Always look forward to your videos. 👍

How did I miss this when it came out?? I'm subbed, WTF RU-vid is asshoo??Awesome content Danny T!! Beautiful opening, Dos y Cero Bitches🤣🤣🇺🇲🇺🇲

Arguably the greatest concacaf Cinderella story. Suck it compadres.

15:01 it is Josh Wolff who flicks it back to McBride, not Donovan...

l think that the big difference between 2002 and 2022 is that 2002 did more with less and, by the looks of it, 2022 we're slated to do less with more. Also the 2002 team will always be nearer and dearer to my heard, but l think that our 2010 squad was better

Man I love your content but your production value is like early 2008 RU-vid . A tad of improvement could see you spike in audience

Despite the optimism you show here saying the US has been here before, the main difference between the 2002 team and this team is the lack of passion and the lack of a quality coach that knows how to get the best out of their players. We currently have a coach that plays the team as a club team instead of an international team. Not only that, we probably have like 3-4 guys that actually put passion for the team. Thats why there’s so much outcry cuz as you mentioned at the end of the video, this is probably the US’s most stacked team, talent wise, but we’re consistently underperforming against every team the US has played against. Even the smaller nations make it hard. If the US could barely beat teams at any level, what optimism do we even have when it comes to the world cup? It’s why so man fans got pissed off that the group ended 3rd. Yeah we qualified but it means nothing if we’re just gonna choke and get spanked. It gets frustrating when we could possibly see the greatest US team ever but we’ll always consistently be held back with a coach that’s very stubborn with his tactics and player selection. I REALLY HOPE I’M WRONG, but I’m already betting money that we don’t make it put of the group stage. Maybe even finishing last.

Let's be real, Die Flussmänner would've owned that Germany game 2-0...

Korea did well because they had the refs on payroll, Italy vs Korea is one of the worst displays of match fixing I’ve ever seen

Liked the video as soon as I saw “Dos a cero bitch”😂😂😂

Best usmnt ever is a three way tie 1930, 2002, and 2014 1930, only time we ever won two games in the group stage. And we didn't just win; we dominated! 3-0 in both those games! Idc if it was 13 teams. Stack the 1930 team in another world cup and they would have made a run! In another reality our country could have taken that momentum from 1930 and became a world powerhouse... 2002, best performing team ever. They punched well above their weight and made the quarters. 2014, our most talented team ever! Yes I said it! For all the talent our 2022 boys have they lack so much experience, 2014 had talent and the experience. Got out of the group of death! Ghana, best African team at the time, Portugal with Ronaldo at the height of his career, and Germany who we lost by just one that went on to win it all!! And we nearly beat Belgium in the round of 16.

Only Kahn kept them out of the semifinals that year.

17:25, I understand I going to get hate for this and I know I am being that guy, but that is not, as far as I am concerned, a handball. The arm is in as natural a position as humanly possible and if we are going into hypothetical s, maybe the ball bonces into the arms of the keeper.

7:10. C'mon that's not exactly an apples to apples comparison. There may be more MLS teams now but there are also more quality Americans playing in Europe compared to back then. No American had won Champions League back then either. You're better than that.

Mexico played a good game besides the penalty call missed Mexico and USA have won some big games

I’m curious, will you go back to putting jerseys back on the wall again, because it is always cool to see those in the background? But overall in the video,hopefully the whole roster that Gregg puts together in Qatar will be reminiscent of that 2002 team.

La peor eliminación de México después de la de Qatar 2022

Also 9:24 Donovan was offsides by 2 yards. 2002 officiating was a complete joke and travesty

Je me souviens de cette équipe us. Elle aurait pu aller en demi finale car Sanneh égalise en quart face aux Allemands...

should hvave made the semis

I mean the best usa has done ls 3rd place back in 1930

Mexico fan but USA Claudio Reyna Landon Donovan Demarcus Beasley McBride Josh Wolff

Beitrag des Donnerstages, 4. Oktober 2002 US teams at FIFA World Cups (until 1970 resp. in 1991) , resp. FIFA World Championships (since 1974; resp. 1995) L = ladies G = gentlemen 1st place L; 1991; Mainland ... Peoples Republic of China; 12 teams in the world Cup; 49 associations in the qualifying L; 1999; United States of America; 16 teams in the world Cup; 88 associations in the qualifying L; 2015: Canada; 16 teams in the world Cup; 136 associations in the qualifying L; 2019: [V.] French Republic; 16 teams in the world Cup; 148 associations in the qualifying 2nd place L; 2011: Federal Germany of Germany; 16 teams in the world Cup; 126 associations in the qualifying 3rd place G; 1930: Repbulic East of the Uruguay; 13 team in the world cup; FIFA founded in the year 1904 ... USA: 0.667 in 3 matches L; 1995; Kingdom of Sweden; 12 teams in the world Cup; 55 associations in the qualifying L; 2003; United States of America; 16 teams in the world Cup; 99 associations in the qualifying L; 2007; Mainland ... Peoples Republic of China; 16 teams in the world Cup; 119 associations in the qualifying 4th place never! quarter final G; 2002: State of Japan; Republic of Korea; 32 teams (world cup); 198 teams (qualifying) ... USA: 0.595 [C+Q; XXI]; 0.500 [C; V]; 0.625 [Q; XVI] eigth final G; 1934: Kingdom of Italy; 16 teams in the world championship; 32 associations in the qualifying ... USA; 0.500 [C; I] [Q; I] G; 1994; United States of America; 24 teams in the world cup; 143 associations in the qualifying ... USA: 0,375 [IV] G; 2010; Republic of South Africa; 32 teams in the world cup; 206 associations in the qualifying ... USA: 0.500 [IV] group stage G; 1950; Federal Republic of Brazil; 13 teams in world championship; 34 associations in the qualifying ... USA: 0,375 [Q; VI] G; 1998: [V.] French Republic; 32 teams (world cup); 166 associations (qualifying) ... USA: 0.578 [C+Q; XIX]; 0.000 [C; III] 0.6875 [Q; XVI] G; 2006: Federal Germany of Germany; 32 teams (world cup); 198 teams (qualifying) ... USA: 0.643 [C+Q; XXI] 0.167 [C; III]; 0.722 [Q; XVIII] G; 2014; Federal Republic of Brazil; 32 teams in world championship; 204 associations in the qualifying no participation at the final tournament G; 1938: [III.] French Republic; 16 teams in world championship; 38 associations in the qualifying ... Cuba with freepass! G; 1954; Swiss Confederation; 16 teams in world championship; 38 associations in the qualifying ... USA: 0.500 in 4 matches G; 1958; Kingdom of Sweden; 16 teams in the world championship; 52 associations in the qualifying ... USA: 0.000 in 4 matches G; 1962; Chile; 16 teams in the world championship; 54 associations in the qualifying ... USA: 0.250 in 2 matches G; 1966: England; inside United Kingdom; 16 teams in the world championship; 71 teams in qualifying ... USA: 0.500 in 4 matches G; 1970; United Mexican States ... 16 teams in the world championship; 70 associations in the qualifying ... USA: 0.500 in 4 matches G; 1974: Federal Germany of Germany ... Berlin (West); 16 teams in the world cup 99 associations in the qualifying G; 1978; Argentina; 16 teams in the world cup; 106 associations in the qualifying G; 1982: Kingdom of Spain; 24 teams in the world cup; 107 associations in the qualifying G; 1986: United Mexican States; 24 teams in the world cup; 121 associations in the qualifying; ... originally given to Colubmia! G; 1990: Italian Republic; 24 teams in the world cup; 112 associations in the qualifying G; 1998: [V.] French Republic; 32 teams in the world cup; 166 associations in the qualifying ... Puerto Rico: 0.000 [C; II] G; 2006; Federal Germany of Germany; 32 teams in the world cup; 198 associations in the qualifying ... US Virgin Islands: 0.000 [C; II] G; 2018: Russian Federation; 32 teams in the world cup; 211 associations in the qualifying world cups to come G; 2022: Emirate of Qatar; USA is qualified, drawn into a group with England, Wales and Senegal L; 2023: Commonwealth of Australia ... New Zealand; 32 teams in the world cup; 174 associations in the qualifying ° Qualified via CONCACAF Women´s Championship 2022; United Mexican States; 4th July to 18th July G; 2026: United States of America ... Canada ... Mexiko; 48 teams in the world cup; 211 associations currently in FIFA

Please stop pretending like the mls is good enough to be World Cup quality. We’re trying to build something that can win world cups

😂😂😂😂😂🌶🌶🌶

I've been totally underwhelmed by the 2022 USMNT. I fear a three losses and a plane ticket home in Qatar.

🌷 ρɾσɱσʂɱ

It. Was still a mediocre team back in the days

LOL FIRST EVEN THO I JUST GOT HOME AHAHAHAHAHGA

@dabronco