Frank Christian
The latest Copa America edition in 2024 marked the early exit of the U.S. national team at the group stage.
Over the years, the USMNT played a significant role in expanding the tournament by involving more CONCACAF nations. The 2016 centenary edition was notable as it was the first time the tournament took place outside a CONMEBOL nation.
Despite their efforts in this championship and globally, the USMNT still faces challenges in the Copa America, struggling against the longstanding South American teams.
Assessment by Sporting News covers the historical performance of the USMNT at Copa America, detailing titles, games, and player achievements.
Exit Strategy of USA from Copa America
Heading into the final group stage, the U.S. team held the second spot in Group C, a qualifying position. Yet, they suffered a defeat against title contenders Uruguay and were surpassed by Panama who defeated last-placed Bolivia.
| Pos | Team | GP | Pts | W-D-L | GF | GA | GD |
| 1. | Uruguay | 3 | 9 | 3-0-0 | 9 | 1 | +8 |
| 2. | Panama | 3 | 6 | 2-0-1 | 6 | 5 | +1 |
| 3. | USA | 3 | 3 | 1-0-2 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 4. | Bolivia | 3 | 0 | 0-0-3 | 1 | 10 | -9 |
Performance History of USMNT at Copa America
Despite several attempts, the USMNT has never clinched a Copa America title, mirroring the continued dominance of CONMEBOL nations since their entry into the tournament in 1993.
Mexico reached the finals twice but fell short against Argentina in 1993 and Colombia in 2001.
| Nation | No. of Titles | Years Won |
| Argentina | 15 | 1921, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1937, 1941,1945, 1946, 1947, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1991, 1993, 2021 |
| Uruguay | 15 | 1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1926, 1935, 1942, 1956, 1959, 1967, 1983, 1987, 1995, 2011 |
| Brazil | 9 | 1919, 1922, 1949, 1989, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2007, 2019 |
| Chile | 2 | 2015, 2016 |
| Paraguay | 2 | 1953, 1979 |
| Peru | 2 | 1939, 1975 |
| Bolivia | 1 | 1963 |
| Colombia | 1 | 2001 |
The evolving structure of Copa America paints a varied picture for the USMNT. They had uninvited qualifications in 1993, 1995, and 2007 before hosting the event in 2016.
| Team | Games Played | Wins | Draws* | Losses | Goals For | Goals Against |
| USA | 21 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 21 | 32 |
*Draws consist of games decided by penalty shootouts.
Top Scoring Players and Appearances for USA at Copa America
The highest number of appearances in Copa America for the USMNT is jointly held by Cobi Jones, Alexi Lalas, and Tab Ramos with nine each. Eric Wynalda and Clint Dempsey lead the goal tally with three each.
| Name | No. of matches | No. of tournaments |
| Cobi Jones | 9 | 2 |
| Alexi Lalas | 9 | 2 |
| Tab Ramos | 9 | 2 |
| Paul Caligiuri | 8 | 2 |
| Name | No. of goals |
| Eric Wynalda | 3 |
| Clint Dempsey | 3 |
| Alexi Lalas | 2 |
