The United States U-23 men's national soccer team, also known as the United States men's Olympic soccer team, is a youth soccer team operated under the auspices of U.S. Soccer. Its primary role is qualification into and competition at the quadrennial Olympic Football Tournament, with the next one to be held during the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, which the team has already qualified for as hosts.

Its most recent major tournament was the 2024 edition at the Paris Olympics, in which the team made it to the quarter-finals before being eliminated by Morocco.

In accordance with FIFA regulations, the roster can be augmented with three "overage" players during Olympic competition.

History Men's Olympic soccer became an under-23 competition for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. In the group stage, the Americans defeated Kuwait but lost to Italy and only managed a draw with Poland. As a result, they were eliminated in the first round. Several U.S. players on the roster, however, would go on to have a major influence with the United States men's national soccer team in the 1994 FIFA World Cup, which the United States would host.

The 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia would be the first time that teams could add overage players to their rosters. Being the host nation and with Major League Soccer in the middle of its inaugural season, the USSF tapped then-D.C. United head coach Bruce Arena to manage the Olympic team. They would fall short again, however, as a loss to eventual-silver medalists Argentina offset a win against Tunisia and a draw with Portugal.

The 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia marked a significant turnaround in the fortunes of the team. This time, the United States, led by head coach Clive Charles, won their group on goal difference on the strength of draws with the Czech Republic and eventual-gold medalists Cameroon and a win over Kuwait. A tense quarterfinal match against Japan ended in a penalty shoot-out which the United States won. Losses to Spain in the semifinals and Chile in the bronze medal match left the Americans short of medal dreams, but the fourth-place finish in a sixteen-team tournament was the program's greatest youth team.

The team did not compete at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece; the United States, led by head coach Glenn Myernick, failed to qualify after a defeat to Mexico in the semifinals of the 2004 CONCACAF Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament.

In late 2006, former Chivas USA head coach Bob Bradley was given the reins to both the senior national team and under-23 national team. His tenure would be brief as his elevation to full-time head coach of the senior team would result in him handing control of the under-23 team to his assistant head coach, Piotr Nowak. Under Nowak, the United States qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics after a 3–0 win over Canada in the 2008 CONCACAF Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament, thanks to goals by Freddy Adu and Sacha Kljestan. The Olympics began promisingly; the Americans defeated Japan and led Holland late. However, a stoppage time goal equalized for the Dutch, and the Americans followed up with a loss to Nigeria.

Under the leadership of new coach Caleb Porter in the 2012 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament, the Americans defeated Cuba but were then beaten by Canada and surrendered a late lead against El Salvador, causing them to miss the Olympics for the second time in three tournaments.

Coaches 1988–1992: Lothar Osiander 1994–1995: Timo Liekoski 1995–1996: Bruce Arena 1996–2003: Clive Charles 2003–2004: Glenn Myernick 2006–2007: Bob Bradley 2007–2009: Piotr Nowak 2011–2012: Caleb Porter 2013–2014: Tab Ramos 2015–2016: Andreas Herzog 2019–2021: Jason Kreis 2023–2025: Marko Mitrović 2026: Russell Payne (interim) 2026–present: Steve Cherundolo

Recent schedule and results The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

2025

2026

Current squad The following 19 players were named to the squad for the June 2026 friendlies.

Caps and goals correct as of November 18, 2025, after the match against Serbia.

Recent call-ups The following players have been called up for the team within the last 12 months.

March 2026 friendlies. November 2025 friendlies.

Notes: : Withdrew due to injury

Overage players in Olympic Games TournamentPlayer 1Player 2Player 3 Kasey Keller (GK) Alexi Lalas (DF)did not select Brad Friedel (GK) Jeff Agoos (DF) Frankie Hejduk (MF) Brad Guzan (GK) Michael Parkhurst (DF) Brian McBride (FW) Walker Zimmerman (DF) Miles Robinson (DF) Djordje Mihailovic (MF)

Honors CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament Winners (1): 1992 Runners-up (2): 2000, 2008 Third place (1): 2015 Pan American Games Gold medalists (1): 1991

Top goalscorers Rank Player Year(s) U-23 Goals1Steve Snow1992102Landon Donovan2000–200493Jordan Morris2014–201674Jerome Kiesewetter2011–20156Brent Goulet198866Freddy Adu2008–201257Joe Corona20124Luis Gil2011–20164Bobby Convey20044Sacha Kljestan2007–20084Alecko Eskandarian2002–20044Chris Albright20004Mike Seerey19724Carl Gentile19644

Competitive record

Olympic Games Summer Olympics recordQualification recordManagerYearResultSquadThrough 1988See United States men's national soccer team1988 Pre-Olympic TournamentOsiander 1992Group stage9th311165Squad65011710 1996Group stage10th311144SquadQualified as hostsArena 2000Fourth place4th6132911Squad421182Charles 2004Did not qualify5311117Myernick 2008Group stage9th311144Squad531161Nowak 2012Did not qualify311195Porter 20165401154Herzog 2020420263Kreis 2024Quarterfinals8th420278Squad7610312Mitrović 2028Qualified as hostsQualified as hosts rowspan="2" 2032 colspan="9" colspan="6" Total——196673032—39235810334—

Summer Olympics historyFirst Match 2–1 (July 24, 1992; Barcelona, Spain)Biggest Win 4–1 (July 27, 2024; Marseille, France) 3–0 (July 30, 2024; Saint-Étienne, France)Biggest Defeat 4–0 (August 2, 2024; Paris, France)Best ResultFourth place in 2000Worst ResultTenth place in 1996

Pan American Games Pan American Games recordQualification RecordManagerYearResultSquadThrough 1995See United States men's national under-20 soccer teamQualified automaticallyLiekoski 1999Bronze medal3rd631268SquadCharles 2003Did not enterDid not enterMyernick 2007See United States men's national under-18 soccer teamQualified automaticallyBradley 2011Did not enterDid not enterPorter 2015Herzog 2019Kreis 2023See United States men's national under-19 soccer team2022 U-20 ChampionshipMitrović 2027Qualifed2026 CONCACAF U-20 ChampionshipTBDTotal——631268————————

Pan American Games historyFirst Match 1–0 (July 23, 1999; Winnipeg, Canada)Biggest Win 1–0 (July 23, 1999; Winnipeg, Canada) 2–1 (July 27, 1999; Winnipeg, Canada) 2–1 (August 6, 1999; Winnipeg, Canada)Biggest Defeat 4–0 (August 4, 1999; Winnipeg, Canada)Best ResultBronze medal in 1999Worst ResultBronze medal in 1999

Pre-Olympic Tournament Olympic Qualifying Championship resultsQualificationManagerYearResultSquadThrough 1988See United States men's national soccer teamSee United States men's national soccer teamOsiander 1992Champions1st65011710Squad4310182 1996Qualified as hostsNo qualificationArena 2000Runners-up2nd421182SquadQualified automaticallyCharles 2004Fourth place4th53111111Squad2200100Myernick 2008Runners-up2nd531162SquadQualified automaticallyNowak 2012Group stage5th311195SquadPorter 2015Third place3rd5401154SquadHerzog 2020Third place3rd420263SquadKreisTotal——3220487237—6510282—

Olympic Qualifying Championship historyFirst Match 2–1 (March 25, 1992; Mexico City, Mexico)Biggest Win 6–0 (March 22, 2012; Nashville, United States)Biggest Defeat 4–0 (February 10, 2004; Guadalajara, Mexico)Best ResultChampions in 1992Worst ResultGroup stage in 2012

See also United States Soccer Federation United States men's national soccer team United States men's national under-17 soccer team United States men's national under-20 soccer team Football at the Summer Olympics

References

External links