For the first time in 16 years, the United States will compete in both soccer events at the Olympics, with the U.S. U-23 men’s national team joining the four-time gold medalist U.S. women’s national team in Paris.
This is only the fourth time that two football teams have competed in the Olympics at the same time, and the first time in nearly 30 years since women’s football was added to the Olympics in 1996. While both teams have achieved some of the best results at the Olympics during that time, their journeys have been different. While the U-23 men’s team has failed to qualify for the Olympics several times, the women’s team has won medals in the event on all but one occasion.
Let’s take a look back at Team USA’s history at the Olympics.
USWNT’s History of Success
- Atlanta 1996: gold medal
- Sydney 2000: Silver medal
- Athens 2004: gold medal
- Beijing 2008: gold medal
- London 2012: gold medal
- Rio de Janeiro 2016: Quarterfinals
- teaOkyo 2020: Bronze Medal
The U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team is the most successful women’s soccer team in Olympic history, winning four gold medals. That means many of the team’s iconic players have received the highest Olympic honors during their careers.
In the first women’s soccer game at the Olympics, the U.S. women’s team defeated China 2-1 in the final, just three years after their victory at the 1999 World Cup. Despite a narrow elimination by Norway in Sydney, the Europeans won the only gold medal in the event, and won their third consecutive title in London. The 2012 tournament also featured one of the best performances in recent history, a 4-3 semifinal win over Canada, in which the U.S. came back three times before Alex Morgan scored the winning header in overtime.
Since then, things have become less straightforward, with more investment and intent in the women’s game, creating more competitive tournaments. The U.S. women’s team was knocked out by Sweden in the quarterfinals in Rio de Janeiro, but recovered to win bronze in Tokyo despite an unimpressive tournament performance.
U-23 USMNT returns to action
- Barcelona 1992: Group stage
- Atlanta 1996: Group stage
- Sydney 2000: 4th place
- Athens 2004: Failed to pass
- Beijing 2008: Group stage
- London 2012: Failed to pass
- Rio de Janeiro 2016: Failed to pass
- Tokyo 2020: Failed to pass
The U-23s have only occasionally competed in the Olympics, making it out of the group stage once in 2000. The tournament has often showcased some of the nation’s rising stars, including Brad Friedel and Claudio Reyna who made the cut in 1992. Future USMNT legends Landon Donovan and Tim Howard were part of the 2000 bronze medal-winning team, two years before Donovan became a breakout star at the 2002 World Cup, where the U.S. advanced to the quarterfinals.
The last time the U-23 team competed at the 2008 Olympics, six players went on to play at the 2010 World Cup: Jozie Altidore, Michael Bradley, Maurice Edu, Benny Feilhaber, Brad Guzan and Stuart Holden.
