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Soccer in America wasn’t born in 1994 but, at the very least, it was reborn. A new era began when the World Cup came to the United States. For the first time ever, American soccer was in the global limelight and, for the first time ever, the sport felt relevant on a broader scale.
The U.S. is still benefitting from the impact of that World Cup, particularly as the country prepares for a 2026 return. That moment back in 1994 sparked a renaissance, as the U.S. men’s national team moved into the new millennium with more momentum than ever before.
Throughout the start of the 21st century, American soccer has seen players continue to raise their level. Playing in Europe was once unheard of; now, there are stars competing for league titles and Champions League crowns on a regular basis. It’s an incredible rise, one headlined by countless trailblazers. From Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey to Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams, American players are now household names, something almost unfathomable just a few decades ago.
So, as we approach the end of the first quarter of the 21st century, GOAL is on hand to rank the top 25…
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Getty Images Sport25Stu Holden
Man, this still makes you wonder “what if?”
Holden was among the most talented players to ever put on a USMNT shirt, but injuries severely derailed his career. During his time, though, he still featured at two Gold Cups, an Olympic tournament and the 2010 World Cup, amassing 25 caps.
He would have had way more if not for those injuries but anyone who watched him play knows that Holden deserves a place on this list.
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Getty24Eddie Johnson
One doesn’t find himself among the USMNT’s top 10 goalscorers by accident but, even so, Johnson remains criminally underrated.
After making his debut in 2004, Johnson went on to score 19 goals in his USMNT career, leaving him ninth all-time. In addition to his achievements on the senior level, he also won the Golden Boot at the 2003 World Youth Championship, a tournament that included the likes of the legendary Andres Iniesta.
He played at the 2006 World Cup and was one of the last cuts in 2010 but, even after, Johnson remained a key scorer, scoring the game-winner against Mexico that helped send the U.S. to Brazil in 2014.
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Getty Images Sport23Fabian Johnson
His USMNT career didn’t feel particularly long but, while he was around, Johnson added so much quality to the USMNT.
After coming up through Germany’s youth system, Johnson made the switch to the USMNT in 2001 and was immediately tossed into the USMNT XI. He started each of the USMNT’s four matches at the 2014 World Cup, showcasing his ability from a wide position.
Able to play on either side of the field, Johnson’s career isn’t loaded with accolades but the eye test tells you how good he was.
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Getty Images Sport22Geoff Cameron
A Swiss Army Knife of a defender and midfielder, Cameron was a vital piece of the Jurgen Klinsmann era, featuring in any number of positions depending on what the team needed. Capable of playing as a fullback, center back or central midfielder, Cameron was asked to do it all.
He was the USMNT’s starting center back for the first two games of the 2014 World Cup, but then moved to the midfield for the USMNT’s Round of 16 clash with Belgium. He then anchored the defense during the USMNT’s Copa America Centenario run, starring alongside John Brooks.
In total, Cameron earned 55 caps during a seven-year run, one which saw him relied upon heavily by his coach.
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Getty21DeAndre Yedlin
Yedlin is a player that, in some ways, was stuck between generations. He was a young contributor in 2014, where his famous breakout performance against Eden Hazard and Belgium put him on the map. He was then the calming veteran of the 2022 group which featured a team loaded with young stars.
In between, though, Yedlin proved that he was one heck of a player, one with pace to burn that could make any defense uncomfortable.
Yedlin has amassed 91 caps for the USMNT, with the first coming just months before the World Cup. He was a shock inclusion that summer, but he proved himself worth time and time again. A key player throughout some of those down years, Yedlin was the perfect veteran to help lead the new generation back to a World Cup.
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AFP20Pablo Mastroeni
Mastroeni broke through in 2001 and, for years, he was the heartbeat of the USMNT midfield.
Just one year after making his debut, he was starting at the 2002 World Cup as an injury replacement, going toe-to-toe with Portugal in a famous 3-2 USMNT Group Stage win. The midfielder was key in the USMNT’s famous Dos a Cero win over Mexico, too, setting a tone as he so often did through his career.
He was back in 2006, when his aggressive attitude resulted in a red card against Italy in an ultimately rough USMNT tournament. Mastroeni’s career isn’t defined by that, though; it’s defined by the sheer presence he provided in one of the fiercest USMNT eras we’ve seen.
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Getty19Weston McKennie
Alongside longtime friend Tyler Adams, McKennie emerged from the wreckage of the 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign. American soccer will be glad he did.
In the seven years since his debut, McKennie went from a baby-faced Schalke starlet to a Juventus regular, becoming a key figure for the USMNT along the way. The midfielder has made big plays and scored big goals in big games, emerging as one of the faces of American soccer as it emerged from its toughest moment. He scored in his debut, a 1-1 draw with Portugal, but his biggest goals came against Mexico in back-to-back wins over El Tri back in 2021.
Just 26, McKennie still has so much left to give, but he’s already accomplished so much.
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Getty Images18Oguchi Onyewu
When you talk about pure presence, that’s the man affectionately known as Gooch.
Now U.S. soccer’s assistant sporting director, Onyewu earned 69 caps between 2004-14, featuring at two World Cups while earning 2006 Athlete of the Year honors after shining at that summer’s big tournament. It was perhaps at the 2009 Confederations Cup that he was at his best, though, as he was fantastic in that famous 2-0 upset of Spain in the semifinals.
The world knows him from the infamous Zlatan Ibrahimovic clash, but American soccer recognizes how fierce a player he was in his own right during his USMNT career.
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Getty17Earnie Stewart
Earnie Stewart originally emerged as one of the stars of the 1994 World Cup, but he had plenty of impact after the turn of the century, too.
Stewart earned 101 USMNT caps during his 14-year international career, with nearly half of them coming between 2000-04. He scored 11 of his 17 goals in the 2000s, including eight during the USMNT’s 2002 World Cup qualifying campaign.
As a result, he was named U.S. Soccer’s Athlete of the Year in 2001 while becoming one of only five American males to play at three World Cups.
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Getty16Tyler Adams
The USMNT’s 2022 World Cup captain, Adams will likely be higher on this list when all is said and done… as long as he can overcome the injury bug.
Adams was the perfect captain for the USMNT in Qatar, as evidenced by his handling of a hostile press conference pre-Iran. But, for as measured an calm as he is on the podium, Adams is equally ferocious on the field, where he serves as the USMNT’s midfield bulldog. All energy and fight, Adams is a tone-setter and was perhaps the most important piece of everything the USMNT did in Qatar.
Injuries have limited him since, but he was still able to score that banger against Mexico in the Nations League. When healthy, Adams is so, so good.
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AFP15Jermaine Jones
Any team could use a player like Jones in it. Heck, imagine if you had a few.
Jones brought so much to the USMNT midfielder after making the switch from Germany. He was a bruiser, one that would set a tone with his energy and ferocity. Don’t underestimate his technical ability, though; his goal against Portugal at the 2014 World Cup may just be the most aesthetically pleasing in USMNT history.
He was an absolute monster at the Copa America Centenario, too, as he showcased that, at his peak, he could go toe-to-toe with any midfielder in the world. Jones was never afraid to do that, either, which brought a certain mentality that radiated throughout the squad.
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Franck Fife14Steve Cherundolo
There probably isn’t a bigger bond between American player and European club than Hannover with the man they call its Mayor. Cherundolo was that important for the German side, and he was just as key for the U.S., too.
An injury left him unable to play at the 2002 World Cup, but he was there in 2006 and then again in 2010. Throughout those two cycles, he was ever-present for the U.S., earning the majority of the 87 caps. The former right-back was about as steady and reliable as a player can be, which is what made him such an integral part of some legitimately great U.S. teams.
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USA TODAY Sports13Jozy Altidore
Because of untimely injuries, there’s still a sense of “What if?” with Altidore. Even with that caveat, though, he was still one hell of a player.
With 42 goals to his name in 115 caps, Altidore is the USMNT’s third all-time leading scorer, behind only two of the names at the top of this list. His biggest moment came in 2009 when, at just 19, he scored a massive goal in the historic win over Spain, setting him up as the USMNT’s striker of the future. He struggled a bit during the 2010 World Cup and was injured just moments into the 2014 tournament, changing the USMNT’s trajectory in that tournament.
In terms of pure presence, Altidore was a game-changing player, but also one whose mind for the game was criminally underrated.
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Getty Images12Michael Bradley
It’s wild to think about, but Bradley is another player who likely doesn’t get the respect he deserves.
Only Cobi Jones and Landon Donovan have appeared in more USMNT matches than Bradley’s 151, which came between 2006-19. He played in just about every major tournament, starring at two World Cups, winning two Gold Cups, featuring in the Confederations Cup and starring at the Copa America Centenario. if there was a big game, Bradley played in it, and he usually played well.
The 2018 World Cup qualifying failure is on his resume, although it’s hardly his fault. Bradley was always steady for club and country, more than earning his place among the greats in a USMNT shirt.
11Kasey Keller
If we take his full career into account, Keller is much, much higher on this list as his international career started in 1990. Even so, he was still one heck of a goalkeeper in the 2000s, too.
After starting at the 1998 World Cup, Keller backed up Brad Friedel at the 2002 tournament but reclaimed a starting spot later in the decade. He helped lead the U.S. to a Gold Cup triumph in 2005, making two saves in the penalty shootout in the finale.
After also recording five clean sheets in seven World Cup qualifying games, Keller was named Athlete of the Year by U.S. Soccer before starting again at the 2006 World Cup.
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Getty Images10Eddie Pope
People don’t realize how good Pope was.
He spent his entire career building the domestic league in MLS but, make no mistake, Pope is a player that could have helped almost any team. He was at his best in the 2002 World Cup, starting all five games during the tournament. before going on to feature in 2006 as well.
He started each of the 82 games he played for the U.S. between 1996 and 2006 as he put together a Hall of Fame career.
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Getty9Brad Friedel
If you want quality and quantity, Freidel had it all. Longevity was his big strength but the reason he was able to so long was because he was so damn good.
The oldest player to ever play in the Premier League, Friedel originally broke through with the USMNT in 1992 and stuck around all the way until 2005. He was an overage player at the 2000 Olympics, his second run at that tournament, but his big moment really came in 2002. Friedel starred during that summer’s World Cup, becoming only the second goalkeeper to save two penalty kicks in a World Cup tournament.
Friedel has a near-unmatched legacy for club and country. No one was as good for as long as he was.
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ROBERTO SCHMIDT8Carlos Bocanegra
The O.G. Captain America himself, although that title has been thrown out a lot in recent years. Bocanegra captained the USMNT for six years, making 110 appearances while scoring 14 goals from the centerback and left-back positions.
Bocanegra became a regular just after the 2002 World Cup, earning a starting role by 2006. Under Bob Bradley, Bocanegra was one of the team’s most important pillars, leading the charge in the famous upset of Spain in 2009 and at the World Cup in 2010.
The defender was the definition of stalwart and is arguably the most steady defensive presence the USMNT program has seen.
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Getty Images7Brian McBride
A legend both in London and the U.S., McBride’s career with the USMNT only tells part of his story.
He made his debut in 1993, but became a key player later on. His goals at the 1998 and 2002 World Cups made him the first American to score at that tournament multiple times. Even after announcing his international retirement in 2006, McBride stepped up to play for the U.S. Olympic team in 2008.
In total, he scored 30 goals in 95 caps, good for sixth-most all-time while also cementing a legacy at Fulham on the club level. He was so good at Craven Cottage that the club named a bar after him. Now that’s impact.
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Getty Images6DaMarcus Beasley
How many different versions of Beasley were there? Several, and that’s putting it lightly.
From a breakout star at the 2002 World Cup to a wily fullback in 2014, Beasley filled every role asked of him in a USMNT shirt. His 126 caps put him seventh all-time, and he made the most of every one of them. He’s the only American male to play at four World Cups, which makes Beasley a main character in the story of American soccer.
That’s before you get into his club career, too, which saw him star at some of the world’s most decorated clubs — including PSV, Rangers and Puebla.
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Getty Images5Claudio Reyna
The first half of Reyna’s career doesn’t even count towards this list. That’s how good his second half was, too.
A member of the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team for his run at the 2002 tournament, Reyna was the USMNT’s best player at their best tournament, establishing himself as a legend based on that summer alone. He then went on to captain the U.S. in 2006, where his international career ended in heartbreak due to the USMNT’s premature exit.
He scored precisely one goal during the time period we’re looking at for this list, but that does little to explain how good Reyna was. In reality, there are few Americans that even come close.
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Getty4Tim Howard
There may not be a better goalkeeping performance in the history of this sport. That’s how good Howard was against Belgium at the 2010 World Cup as he had 16 saves in the quarterfinal loss. It remains a record for the World Cup.
It was a legendary game that highlighted a legendary career, one that earned Howard’s place as arguably the best goalkeeper American soccer has seen. And, given the names we’ve already seen on this list, that really is saying something.
Howard, the most-capped goalkeeper in USMNT history, went to three World Cups, starting at two of them, and was a key figure in the legendary 2009 Confederations Cup run. In short, Howard lived up to his predecessors and probably exceeded them.
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Getty3Christian Pulisic
Check back on this list in a few years. We almost certainly will have a new player at the top.
That player is, of course, Pulisic, and there’s a very real argument to say he should already be No. 1. His club exploits are unmatched. He’s played at a higher level and won more than any American before him. He has a Champions League trophy on his resume, for goodness sake.
Pulisic’s resume on the national team level, though, is still being written. He’s on pace to challenge multiple USMNT records and, as we march toward the 2026 World Cup, there will be chances to make unforgettable memories and moments.
That’s really the only thing Pulisic is lacking right now: signature moments with the USMNT. If he puts in a strong 2026 World Cup, there will be no denying him.
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Getty2Clint Dempsey
If you had to pick one USMNT star to go out and win you a game by himself, it might just be Dempsey. Attitude, skill, physicality, will to win – the superstar from Nacogdoches had it all.
Dempsey is the USMNT’s joint-leading goalscorer with 57 goals. It’s not just about that, though. Dempsey was a trailblazer, emerging as the outfield player leading the fight for respect in Europe throughout his time in the Premier League.
He scored in each of the three World Cups he attended and lifted three Gold Cup trophies, but Dempsey’s impact is so much more than statistics. In many ways, he is the quintessential American player: the perfect mix of tenacity and ability to represent his country at the highest level.
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Getty1Landon Donovan
The architect of the most dramatic goal in USMNT history, Donovan was a central figure for so many of this program’s biggest moments.
After breaking through at the 2002 World Cup as a rising star, Donovan became the face of the USMNT rather quickly, representing the team at two more World Cups. The 2006 tournament didn’t quite go to plan, but the 2010 competition was the one where Donovan cemented his legacy with his legendary goal against Algeria.
He’s the USMNT’s joint-leading scorer with 57 goals, level with Dempsey, the sole leading assister, and he remains the highest-scoring USMNT player in World Cup history. The only American to reach the 50 goal/50 assist club, Donovan is in a class of his own.
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