The CONCACAF Gold Cup is the main association football competition of the men’s national football teams governed by CONCACAF, determining the continental champion of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.
The Gold Cup is held every two years. It was previously referred to as the CONCACAF Championship before being renamed to the CONCACAF Gold Cup starting in 1991.
The United States men’s national soccer team is the most successful national team in CONCACAF. They have won the Gold Cup 6 times since the tournament began in 1991.
Quick Answer
The United States men’s national soccer team has won the CONCACAF Gold Cup 6 times. They won in 1991, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2013 and 2017.
US Gold Cup Wins by Year
Here is a breakdown of the years the USMNT won the CONCACAF Gold Cup:
- 1991 – 1st Gold Cup title
- 2002 – 2nd Gold Cup title
- 2005 – 3rd Gold Cup title
- 2007 – 4th Gold Cup title
- 2013 – 5th Gold Cup title
- 2017 – 6th Gold Cup title
Details of USMNT Gold Cup Wins
1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup
The inaugural CONCACAF Gold Cup was held in 1991, with the United States hosting the tournament. Eight teams participated including the USA, Mexico, Canada, Honduras, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica.
The USMNT won their group stage with wins over Trinidad & Tobago, Mexico and Guatemala. In the semi-finals they defeated Honduras on penalties after a 0-0 draw.
In the final against Honduras at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the US won 4-3 on penalties after another 0-0 draw to claim their first confederation championship.
2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup
The 2002 Gold Cup was co-hosted by the United States and Mexico. Twelve teams participated in the tournament including the hosts.
The US breezed through the group stage with wins over Korea Republic, Cuba and Costa Rica. In the quarterfinals they knocked off neighbor Mexico 2-0.
A close 1-0 semifinal victory over South American guest Brazil set up a final against Costa Rica. The US defeated Costa Rica 2-0 to repeat as Gold Cup champions.
2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup
The 2005 tournament was hosted solely by the United States with 12 teams participating. The US were upset by Panama in the group stage but still advanced with wins over Cuba and Canada.
They defeated Jamaica 3-1 in the quarterfinals and scored a late extra time winner against Honduras to reach the final where they faced Panama. A 0-0 draw after extra time meant penalties again. The US won the shootout 3-1 to capture their 3rd confederation title.
2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
For the 2007 Gold Cup, the United States hosted the tournament joined by co-hosts Canada and Mexico. There were again 12 participating national teams.
The US dominated their group with wins over Guatemala, Trinidad & Tobago and El Salvador. They knocked out Canada 2-1 in the quarterfinals.
In the semifinals, the US met regional rival Mexico in what would be one of the most memorable matches in Gold Cup history. After trailing 1-0, the US stormed back with a pair of second half goals from Landon Donovan to dramatically defeat Mexico 2-1.
They went on to defeat Guadeloupe 1-0 in the final to hoist their 4th Gold Cup trophy.
2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup
The 2013 edition saw the Gold Cup expand to 12 teams and was hosted solely by the United States. The US cruised through group play with a perfect 3-0 record.
They knocked out El Salvador 5-1 in the quarterfinals. In another dramatic semifinal, the US scored in extra time to defeat Honduras 3-1.
The final was played at iconic Soldier Field in Chicago. The US faced Panama and emerged with a 1-0 victory to claim their 5th confederation title.
2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup
The United States hosted the 2017 tournament joined by co-hosts Costa Rica and Jamaica. The field expanded again to 12 teams.
The USA finished on top of their group with narrow wins over Panama and Martinique along with a draw against Nicaragua.
They eliminated El Salvador 2-0 in the quarterfinals. Next up was a rematch with Costa Rica who they defeated 2-0 in the semifinals.
In the final at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, the US faced Jamaica and cruised to a 2-1 victory to capture their record 6th Gold Cup title.
Comparison to Other Gold Cup Champions
Here is how the US stacks up against other Gold Cup winners:
| Country | Gold Cup Wins |
|---|---|
| United States | 6 |
| Mexico | 11 |
| Canada | 1 |
| Jamaica | 2 |
| Costa Rica | 3 |
As the table shows, Mexico has won the most Gold Cup titles with 11. The US is second with 6 wins. No other CONCACAF nation has won more than 3 Gold Cups.
USMNT Gold Cup Winning Coaches
Here are the head coaches for each of the USMNT’s 6 Gold Cup winning campaigns:
- 1991 – Bora Milutinovic
- 2002 – Bruce Arena
- 2005 – Bruce Arena
- 2007 – Bob Bradley
- 2013 – Jurgen Klinsmann
- 2017 – Bruce Arena
Bruce Arena holds the record with 3 Gold Cup titles as a head coach. Bora Milutinovic and Bob Bradley each guided the USMNT to 1 Gold Cup championship.
Most Gold Cup Goals for USMNT
Here are the top 5 USMNT players in Gold Cup history ranked by goals scored:
- Landon Donovan – 18 goals
- Clint Dempsey – 13 goals
- Brian McBride – 10 goals
- Eddie Lewis – 10 goals
- Eric Wynalda – 9 goals
Legendary attacker Landon Donovan holds the US record with 18 career Gold Cup goals. Forwards Clint Dempsey, Brian McBride and Eddie Lewis round out the top 4. Eric Wynalda’s 9 goals puts him 5th all-time for the USMNT in the CONCACAF tournament.
Conclusion
In summary, the United States men’s national team has won the CONCACAF Gold Cup 6 times since the tournament began in 1991. Their wins came in 1991, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2013 and most recently in 2017.
The US is second only to rival Mexico for Gold Cup titles. Key players like Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey led the USMNT’s success over the years in the confederation championship.
Winning the 2021 Gold Cup and qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup are the next major objectives for the USMNT to continue adding to their trophy case.
