Ahead of the 2025 Gold Cup, GOAL revisits the last U.S. men's national team to win the tournament
The current edition of U.S. men's national team looks considerably different from the one just four years ago. From the coach to the players, there has been drastic change within the program.
Only three of the 26 players from the 2021 Gold Cup-winning team remain on the 2025 roster for the tournament: Matt Turner, Walker Zimmerman and Miles Robinson. The USMNT have won the Gold Cup seven times, but the most recent was that trophy lift in 2021, as the Gregg Berhalter-coached team stunned Mexico, 1-0, in the final.
And those winning memories remain vivid, and special, for those remaining U.S. players.
"For me, winning that Gold Cup in 2021, I'm not really sure I was in a period where I could process exactly the gravity of what we achieved," Turner said this week. "If you look at that, that team and the Mexico team that we beat in the final, the Qatar team that we beat in the semifinal, we just really enjoyed it. I think looking back at that team, the joy that we played with – the passion, the energy, the way we started games, I think all of that kind of stuff are things that I look back upon and think that we could bring towards the future.
"From there, I've grown a lot. I'm pretty sure that Gold Cup is essentially what launched me to get my move to Arsenal. And I'm now fighting my way through Europe, and trying to make it work over there right now. Since then, I've been through a lot. I've had two kids, I've moved to three different teams, so I've had a lot of change. But yeah, it's definitely an experience I hold near and dear to my heart."
The 2025 Gold Cup starts next week, the final continental tournament ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup that will be hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. Mexico, Gold Cup champions in 2023 and winners of the 2025 Nations League, will look to remain to the top, but they'll be competing with a red-hot Canada side and a USMNT squad with a chip on their shoulder.
Beyond Zimmerman, Robinson and Turner, a number of names from that squad have dropped out of the player pool. It was an entirely different group, and a team that pulled off an upset with a relatively young roster.
GOAL revisits the 2021 squad and what happened with them in the years since.
Getty ImagesGoalkeepers
Brad Guzan: Currently the starter for Atlanta United, Guzan, 40, is still going strong as one of MLS's most reliable goalkeepers. He has not been called up to the USMNT since his Gold Cup win.
Sean Johnson: Currently plays for Toronto FC, where he's been since January 2023. Previously, he played for NYCFC from 2016 onward, and with the Chicago Fire before that. He last appeared on a roster for the USMNT in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where he served as a backup.
Matt Turner: Currently the USMNT's No. 1, Turner is on the books of Nottingham Forest, but spent the 2024-25 season on loan at Crystal Palace. It is expected that he will leave this summer. Turner has said he is keeping his options open.
AdvertisementGettyDefenders
George Bello: He currently plays for Austrian first division side LASK, and has not appeared on a USMNT roster since spring 2022 when he replaced an injured Sergino Dest in camp. A former Homegrown with Atlanta United, he has not had an impact on the national team since moving to Europe.
Reggie Cannon: He had a whirlwind career in Portugal with Boavista, which included a legal saga, but has now returned to MLS with the Colorado Rapids. His last call-up with the U.S. was in 2022, when he came off the bench in a 2-0 loss to Japan in an international friendly.
Shaq Moore: He was named to the 60-man shortlist for the 2025 Gold Cup roster, but was not selected. He currently plays for FC Dallas and was a part of Mauricio Pochettino's January Camp, as well as the U.S. team at Copa America 2024.
Donovan Pines: He has not appeared for the U.S. since the 2021 Gold Cup, when he received his first call-up. He currently plays for Barnsley in League One in England.
Miles Robinson: He is on Pochettino's roster for the 2025 Gold Cup and currently plays for MLS side FC Cincinnati, where he has become one of the best defenders in the league.
James Sands: He is on loan at German Bundesliga side FC St. Pauli from MLS outfit NYCFC, but is currently sidelined with a lower-leg injury. He was a part of the 2023 Gold Cup roster, but has not been called up since.
Sam Vines: He had a stint in Europe following the 2021 Gold Cup, but is back with the Colorado Rapids in MLS, where he's become a regular. He hasn't appeared for the USMNT since September 2022. He was not selected for the 2022 World Cup.
Walker Zimmerman: He was selected as an overage member for the USMNT at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and is back with the senior team for this month's Gold Cup. The captain and stalwart for Nashville SC, the 32-year-old has amassed 43 senior caps for the U.S. and was a member of the 2022 World Cup team.
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Kellyn Acosta: He amassed 58 appearances for the senior U.S. roster and now plays for the Chicago Fire in MLS. He has not been called up since the 2023 Gold Cup.
Gianluca Busio: He was a member of the roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics, and plays in Italy with Venezia – who were relegated to Serie B this season. He has not appeared for the senior USMNT since the 2023 Gold Cup.
Sebastian Lletget: He was last called up in 2021, with the Gold Cup his last major tournament for the USMNT. He currently plays for FC Dallas.
Cristian Roldan: He was a member of the 2022 FIFA World Cup roster and is currently a club stalwart with the Seattle Sounders. Roldan has consistently been a top midfielder in MLS over the past five years.
Eryk Williamson: He currently on the roster for Charlotte FC, and has become a rotation player with the Eastern Conference side. Facing a career plagued by injury, he was last called up in January 2023.
Jackson Yueill: He last appeared at the 2023 Gold Cup, and has been a consistently good player in MLS – but has never made it extensively with the senior team.
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Paul Arriola: He transferred to the Seattle Sounders ahead of the 2025 MLS season, but sustained an ACL tear early in the 2025 season. He last appeared for the USMNT in September 2022, but did not make the World Cup roster.
Daryl Dike: He currently plays for English Championship side West Brom, and in recent years, has sustained back-to-back Achilles injuries. He has not appeared for the U.S. since the 2023 Gold Cup, but remains an option in the player pool now that he is back to health.
Nicholas Gioacchini: He has not appeared for the USMNT since the 2021 Gold Cup and currently plays as a winger for Greek Super League club Asteras Tripolis
Matthew Hoppe: He has not appeared for the USMNT since 2021, and after bouncing around Europe and MLS, he now plays for Danish Superliga club Sønderjyske.
Jonathan Lewis: He played for Barnsley in League One in England during the 2024/25 season, but was released at the end of the campaign, making him a free agent. Lewis has not appeared for the USMNT since the 2021 Gold Cup.
Gyasi Zardes: He earned 68 caps for the USMNT, but is currently a free agent. He played for MLS side Austin FC in 2024 and last appeared for the U.S. in 2021.