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| The Nike U.S. Cup is the most prestigious annual men’s event conducted by the U.S. Soccer Federation. The tournament, which was born in 1992, prior to the U.S. hosting their first World Cup, is usually staged as a four-team, six-game international tournament. The U.S. has won three tournament crowns, including the inaugural edition in 1992, while the team’s arch-rivals Mexico have also won three titles. In seven past tournaments, the U.S. has compiled a lifetime record of 9-7-4 against Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Denmark, England, Germany, Guatemala, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Portugal and South Africa. |
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| The 2000 Nike U.S. Cup returned to its normal round-robin competition, after the 1999 tournament was played as two doubleheaders. The 2000 U.S. Cup was played across five dates, which included a doubleheader on the final day of tournament play. After a convincing 4-0 shutout of South Africa in the opening game, the USA managed a 1-1 draw with Ireland, who were coming off a come-from-behind 2-2 tie with Mexico. With Mexico downing South Africa 4-2 in their second match, that left a showdown with the U.S. on the final day of competition. In their first-ever international game at Giants Stadium, the crowd of 45,008 saw the USA end Mexico’s run of three straight Nike U.S. Cup titles with a 3-0 blanking. The victory was the first for the U.S. over Mexico since June, 1995. |
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| Using a two-game, double header format in 1999, the U.S. and Mexico each won their opening contests to set up a winner take all final in San Diego on March 13, 1999. Despite a strong 3-1 victory over Guatemala, the U.S. couldn’t break their streak against Mexico, losing a well-played match 2-1, and giving the Tri-Colores their third straight Nike U.S. Cup trophy, adding to their victories in 1996 and 1997. Part of Mexico’s recent undefeated streak included a classic Mexico-USA clash on June 16, 1996 at the Rose Bowl. A 2-2 draw was an appropriate finish to reward the bipartisan crowd of 92,216 and hand Mexico their first U.S. Cup crown. |
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| In 1995, the U.S. put on a dazzling display of soccer in three East-coast cities to claim their second U.S. Cup title. The Americans twice overcame one-goal deficits to defeat a strong Nigerian team, 3-2, in the opening match and followed that performance with a 4-0 demolition of Mexico on national television, the most lopsided win ever for the U.S. against Mexico. A 0-0 draw with Colombia in the USA’s final match claimed the title, but it wasn’t without last-minute heroics. In injury time, U.S. defender Mike Burns leaped from his goal line to head away what would have been Colombia’s tournament-winning goal. |
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| With a star-studded lineup that included the U.S., Brazil, Germany and England, U.S. Cup ’93 served as a prelude to the 1994 World Cup. Five U.S. cities — including four world cup venues — hosted matches with an overall attendance of 286,761 fans, an average of 47,794 per game. The tournament was televised in more than 80 countries and credentials were issued to more than 1,500 members of the domestic and international media. |
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| Highlights of U.S. Cup ’93 included the USA’s historic 2-0 victory over England at Foxboro Stadium on June 9 (the first time the U.S. had defeated England since 1950); ABC’s nationally televised live broadcast, without commercial interruption of game action, of the USA-Germany match June 13 from Soldier Field, the first such effort by network TV; and the first international soccer match played on natural grass in an indoor stadium when Germany defeated England, 2-1, at the Pontiac Silverdome June 19 to clinch the U.S. Cup ’93 title |
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| The United States claimed the inaugural U.S. Cup title in 1992 after impressive victories over Ireland (3-1) and Portugal (1-0) and a critical 1-1 draw with three-time world champion Italy in Chicago on June 6, 1992. |
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