The U.S. and England have had quite the history – and I don’t mean just soccer.
But if we are talking about soccer, this Friday will be a match for the ages. The USMNT will face England for the 12th time in history during the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
England enters the historic showdown with a 6-2 win over Iran while the U.S. finished tied with Wales, 1-1, after giving up a late penalty kick on Monday.
The tie leaves the USMNT in a more difficult spot with a zero goal differential to England's four, giving The Three Lions a leg up in Group B.
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But before we see the two teams battle each other in their third World Cup match, let’s take a look at some history between the two teams:
How many World Cup appearances has Team USA had?
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Team USA has appeared in 10 FIFA World Cups, with the first coming in 1930. Here, it reached the semifinals but lost to Argentina 6-1.
Then, the U.S. participated in the 1934 World Cup and lost to Italy 7-1 in the Round of 16. In the 1950 World Cup, the Americans defeated England 1-0 in a group match.
It wasn’t until 1990, four decades later, when Team USA qualified for its next World Cup. It participated in every competition from 1990 until 2014.
The USMNT, however, did not qualify in 2018, but we are now seeing Team USA this year at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar for its 11th appearance.
How many World Cup appearances has England had?
England did not enter the World Cup’s competition stratosphere until 1950. However, the red and white have been in all subsequent competitions since then, totaling 15 appearances.
Out of its 15 appearances, England lost in the group stage three times (1950, 1958, 2014) and finished in fourth place twice, including Italy’s 1990 World Cup and Russia’s 2018 World Cup. The nation has reached the quarterfinals on nine occasions, including the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
England has one World Cup title, and it was clinched on home soil in 1966.
How many times has Team USA played England in the World Cup?
The two clubs have aligned 11 times total. Nine of these matches were friendlies, and two were World Cup matches.
Team USA and England have faced each other in the 1950 and 2010 FIFA World Cups.
Who’s better: Team USA or England?
Based on numbers, the answer is simple: England. Out of the 11 matches, England clinched eight wins (all in international friendlies), while Team USA only achieved two. There was one draw.
Here is the full record of the two teams’ matches together:
1. June 29, 1950 (1950 FIFA World Cup): Team USA won 1-0
2. June 8, 1953: England won 6-3
3. May 28, 1959: England won 8-1
4. May 27, 1964: England won 10-0
5. June 16, 1985: England won 5-0
6. June 9, 1993 (U.S. Cup): Team USA won 2-0
7. Sept. 7, 1994: England won 2-0
8. May 28, 2005: England won 2-1
9. May 28, 2008: England won 2-0
10. June 12, 2010 (2010 FIFA World Cup): Draw 1-1
11. Nov. 15, 2018: England won 3-0
What can we expect for the 2022 FIFA World Cup?
Team USA was drawn into Group B along with England, Iran and Wales.
The U.S. will battle England in the 2022 World Cup and the 12th time in total on Nov. 25 at 2 p.m. ET in the group stage.
