At the Copa América, the U.S. Men’s National Team showed great wins and hard games against South America’s best squads. Two campaigns stand out; 1995 and 2016. Two times they got to the semi-finals.
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Uruguay, 1995
In Uruguay for the 1995 Copa América, the U.S. team, fresh off the ’94 World Cup, was keen to show their strength. Surprisingly, the team clinched a decisive 3-0 win over Argentina. This wasn’t just a win; it was an achievement that proved the team’s power on a larger scale.
The group stage success continued with a mixed bag of results — a 1-0 defeat to Bolivia but a shaky 2-1 win over Chile. After moving past the group stage, the U.S. met Mexico in the quarterfinals. The match was intense and ended in a draw, pushing the teams into a penalty shootout. The U.S. won the shootout 4-1.
In the semifinals, the U.S. faced Brazil, the eventual winners, and lost 1-0 after a tough match. They then met Colombia for third place, where they lost 4-1. Despite these defeats, finishing fourth was their best Copa América result.
The 2016 Centenario
Fast forward to 2016. The U.S. hosted the Centenario edition of Copa América, celebrating the tournament’s 100th anniversary. The U.S. team started with a loss, 2-0 to Colombia. They bounced back strongly, defeating Costa Rica 4-0 and Paraguay 1-0, topping their group and moving into the knockout stages.
In the quarterfinals, the U.S. took on Ecuador and secured a 2-1 win. This victory showed they could hold their own against tough South American opponents. In the semifinals, they met Argentina, led by Lionel Messi. Argentina proved too strong, defeating the U.S. 4-0.
The third-place playoff was a rematch against Colombia, and despite a spirited performance, the U.S. narrowly lost 1-0. Yet again, the U.S. finished fourth, matching their best-ever performance in the tournament’s history.
The 1995 and 2016 Copa América tournaments were high points for U.S. soccer, showing the team’s growth and toughness.
Remembering Zagallo
Sambafoot Series launched a new documentary about the football legend Zagallo. Known as ‘Velho Lobo‘ and as superstitious as it gets, Zagallo helped shape what Brazilian football is nowadays — as a player and as a coach.
Binge the full series, available on Sambafoot’s Youtube channel.
