The USA went where they had never been before in 2002. Or since.
Football — or soccer you could say — began to grow in popularity in the decade prior with qualification for the first time in 40 years in 1990 and hosting in 1994.
This undoubtedly inspired the next generation and Bruce Arena’s side wowed in the Far East, famously beating Portugal in their opening game before knocking off neighbours Mexico in the round of 16.
They fell narrowly to Michael Ballack and Germany but did the nation proud and set the standard for the class of 2026.
But where are the 14 players who played in that quarter-final clash? Let’s take a look.
Brad Friedel
- Position: Goalkeeper
- Age: 54
A true Premier League legend, Brad Friedel holds a number of records in the post-1992 division.
From August 2004 to October 2012, he played every single league game, a run of 310 consecutive starts for Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa and Tottenham. His 450 total appearances are the most of any North or South American and he is also the oldest player in Aston Villa and Tottenham history, a further sign of his incredible longevity.
The keeper retired from USMNT duty in 2005 after winning 82 caps and has moved into a media career in the last decade.
Frankie Hejduk
- Position: Defender
- Age: 51
Frankie Hejduk was a stalwart of US football, making 85 appearances between 1996 and 2003 while plying his trade on both sides of the Atlantic.
The full-back returned to the US in 2003 after struggling for game time with both Bayer Leverkusen and Switzerland’s St. Gallen.
He picked up MLS Cups with Columbus Crew and LA Galaxy before taking up a front office position with the Crew for whom he played for well over 100 times.
Gregg Berhalter
- Position: Defender
- Age: 52
Gregg Berhalter moved to Germany after the tournament following a single season with Crystal Palace, going on to play for Energie Cottbus and 1860 Munich before returning home with LA Galaxy.
He won the last of his 44 caps in 2006 but his international career turned to management in 2018 when he took charge of the USMNT.
His six years in charge saw highs, with Gold Cup success, bringing through Christian Pulisic and others. But there were also lows, including a group stage exit at the 2022 World Cup and a saga with former close friend Claudio Reyna. He now is the head coach and director of football of Chicago Fire.
Pablo Mastroeni
- Position: Defender
- Age: 49
Born in Argentina, Pablo Mastroeni won 65 caps for the US from 2001 to 2009, playing both in defence and midfield.
At club level, he spent the bulk of his career with the Colorado Rapids, where he had his No.25 shirt retired.
He later went onto manage the club for three seasons to middling success in the mid-2010s and is currently the manager of Real Salt Lake
Tony Sanneh
- Position: Defender
- Age: 54
Another player capable of playing both at the back and in midfield, Tony Sanneh’s career took him all over MLS in the years after the World Cup.
The last of his 43 caps for his country came at the 2005 Gold Cup, where he was part of the winning squad.
Since retiring in 2009, he has been involved in a number of coaching and youth development programmes both on the mainland and the Virgin Islands.
Eddie Pope
- Position: Defender
- Age: 52
Eddie Pope is a true icon of American football (not that one), being named MLS Defender of the Year in just his second season of a career that would see him inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The defender remarkably started every single one of his 82 international caps in a 10-year span between 1996 and 2006.
Since his retirement in 2007, he has served time as the director of player relations for the MLS Players Union and is now the Sporting Director of new MLS Next Pro side Caroline Core, who play in his home town of High Point, North Carolina.
John O’Brien
- Position: Midfielder
- Age: 48
John O’Brien was one of the first American players to make waves in Europe in the 1990s, becoming a regular for Ajax over seven seasons in Amsterdam.
He won two Eredivisie titles but his career was hampered by injuries following his star performances at the World Cup, where he scored the opener in the famous win over the much-fancied Portuguese.
Injuries forced him to retire with just 32 caps to his name and he has since pursued a career in psychology.
Eddie Lewis
- Position: Midfielder
- Age: 51
Eddie Lewis spent much of his career in England, moving on from Fulham after a two-year stint to join Preston North End following the World Cup.
Three years at Deepdale preceded spells with Leeds and Derby and it was at Elland Road where he was named Fans’ Player of the Year – just the fourth non-British player to do so at the time.
At international level, Lewis won the last of his 82 caps in 2008 but not before he made a second World Cup run in Germany.
Claudio Reyna
- Position: Midfielder
- Age: 52
Claudio Reyna was another American who thrived in Europe, having joined Bayer Leverkusen in 1994. He didn’t return stateside until the final season of his career with New York Red Bulls.
Following Sunderland’s relegation in 2003, he joined Manchester City where he made 88 appearances over four years.
At international level, Reyna won 112 caps and was part of four World Cup squads, last playing in 2006 where he was also team captain.
The accusations of blackmail in he and his wife’s feud with former close friend Berhalter over his son Gio’s game time at the 2022 World Cup has damaged both his executive career and reputation within the game.
Landon Donovan
- Position: Forward
- Age: 34
Landon Donovan is probably the best-ever American player.
The forward has won the second most caps for his country (157) and ties Clint Dempsey for the most goals (57), as well as the most in World Cups (4). His 58 assists are another national team high.
Just 20 in South Korea and Japan, his career would take him to two loan spells with Everton and one with Bayern. But it is his exploits with LA Galaxy he is best remembered for. There was a record six MLS Cups and the MVP award has been named in his honour.
He was controversially left out of the 2014 squad by Jurgen Klinsmann but his place in US soccer’s history is beyond secure.
Brian McBride
- Position: Forward
- Age: 53
A hero for nearly every team he played for, Brian McBride played in three World Cups and became the first American to score in two tournaments after netting in 2002 and 2006.
At club level, he is best remembered for his time in England with Fulham but loan spells under David Moyes at Preston and Everton came first.
McBride attained icon status in West London, winning multiple Player of the Year awards, being named club captain and even having a bar named after him at Craven Cottage.
He is now the general manager of Brooklyn FC.
Earnie Stewart
- Position: Forward
- Age: 56
Capable of playing both in midfield and further forward, Earnie Stewart was in the twilight of his 101 cap international career when he came off the bench in the loss to Germany.
Born in the Netherlands, he played all but one season of his career there, featuring for the likes of NAC Breda and Willem II.
He is the current director of football with PSV Eindhoven.
Cobi Jones
- Position: Midfielder
- Age: 55
Cobi Jones was another veteran who came off the bench in 2002 and like Stewart, a centurion.
However, his staggering 164 caps are the highest in USMNT history and tell you everything about how good a player the midfielder.
He spent the final 11 years of his career with LA Galaxy, winning multiple team and individual honours, following stints with Coventry City and Vasco de Gama. Diverse.
Clint Mathis
- Position: Forward
- Age: 49
Clint Mathis famously shaved his hair into a mohawk for the World Cup and backed it up with the opener in the draw with hosts South Korea.
He was on the bench for the quarter-final loss to Germany and won the last of his 46 caps in 2005.
The forward retired with LA Galaxy – where had started his career – in 2010 with one MLS Cup name to his name from the year prior.
