The 2000 Summer Games in Sydney, Australia represented a great leap for the make-up of the roster experience-wise, compared to the 1996 Olympic squad.
The team assembled was mostly stocked with players that boasted solid Major League Soccer experience or had competing in Europe.It showed on the pitch.
The teambecame the second American side to reach the second round of a Summer Olympics, accomplishing the feat for the first time since 1924with a 1-0-2 record and five points the group stage.
The Americans started with a 2-2 draw with the Czech Republic, as Chris Albright and Josh Wolff scored in Canberra. They followed that with another draw, a 1-1 result with Cameroon – the eventual tournament champions - as Peter Vagenasconverted a penalty kick to help secure the point. They moved into the knockout round with a 3-1 triumph over Kuwait in the final match of group play, as Danny Califf, Albright and an 18-year-old Landon Donovan found the net in Melbourne.
In an epic quarterfinal matchup against Japan, Josh Wolff and Vagenas scored for the USA, with Vagenas finishing a 90th minute penalty kick to send the match to a shootout. The Americans were 5-4 victors in Adelaide that day, with Sasha Victorine putting away the game-winning kick from the spot.
In the semifinals in Sydney, the U.S. ultimately fell 3-1 to Spain, with Vagenas again scoring from the penalty spot to provide the lone U.S goal. They’d fall just shy of a medal, falling to Chile by a 2-0 scoreline in the bronze medal match.
Many of the players from the 2000 Olympic roster became American soccer legends, and even more still contribute to the game today. Here’s where they ended up:
Goalkeepers
Brad Friedel - One of three over-age players on the squad, Friedel already had FIFA World Cup experience coming out of France 1998. At the time of the games, he’d been playing at Liverpool in England, where he’d been since 1997. After the Olympics, he’d make a move to Blackburn Rovers, with whom he’d go on to appear 288 times over the next eight years. Friedel’s 20 year professional career then included a three-year stint at Aston Villa, followed by four seasons with Tottenham Hotspur, where he retired in 2015. For the USMNT, Friedel backstopped the team’sfamous quarterfinal run at the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan, and made 82 appearances for his country. He is a 2018 inductee into the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Tim Howard - He did not see any action in Sydney while serving as Friedel’s backup, but Howard would go onto a legendary career for the USMNT. The USA’s career leader in appearances (121) and wins (63), Howard was in the middle of a five-year stretch in MLS playing for the NY/NJ MetroStars at the time of the Sydney games, and was one year shy of a 2001 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year campaign in 2001. In 2003, his European journey started with an acquisition by Manchester United, where he’d appear 45 times before making the jump to Everton, where he’d spend the majority of the next decade making 329 appearances. Howard came back to MLS in 2016 to play for the Colorado Rapids from 2016-2019. A 2024 inductee into the National Soccer Hall of Fame, Howard was just recently named a Houston Dynamo minority owner in July.
Defenders
Jeff Agoos – Agoos is yet another member of the 2000 Olympic team that would go on to have a National Soccer Hall of Fame worthy career. Agoosbolstered the backline in Sydney as an overage player after being a vital part of three MLS Cup winning sides at D.C. United,as well as a member of the 1998 FIFA World Cup team, although he didn't see any action. He’d also win a pair of MLS Cups with the San Jose Earthquakes before retiring as a member of the NY/NJ MetroStars in 2005. A stalwart member of the USMNT during his career, Agoos ranks fifth on the all-time appearances list with 134 from 1988-2003. He is currently the MLS vice president of competition.
Danny Califf - After starring for the University of Maryland, Califfwas in the midst of his rookie season in MLS at the time of the Sydney games. He’d decided to turn pro after his sophomore season, and was selected sixth overall by the LA Galaxy in the 2000 MLS SuperDraft. His 13-year playing career saw stops in MLS with the Galaxy, San Jose Earthquakes, Philadelphia Union, Chivas USA, and Toronto FC bookend a three-year stint in Denmark playing with AaB and Midtjylland. He made 26 appearances for the senior USMNT from 2002-2010.
Ramiro Corrales - Corrales played for nine teams while forging an amazing 25-year professional career. He started as an 18-year-old with the California Jaguars of the U.S. Interregional Soccer League, before performing for four MLS sides - San Jose Clash, Miami Fusion, NY/NJ MetroStars, and San Jose Earthquakes - a pair of Norwegian clubs in HamKam and Brann,as well as the Santa Cruz Breakers of USL. He made 387 league appearances in total, scoring 19 times, and retiring at the age of 42 in 2019. Corrales, who also represented the USMNT on six occasions, is currently an assistant coach with Monterey Bay FC in the USL Championship.
Brian Dunseth –The 2000 Olympic team captain, Dunseth member of the New England Revolution at the time of the summer games. He played professionally for a decade, mostly in Major League Soccer. Dunseth began his career with the Revolution in 1997, following that up with stints with Miami Fusion, Columbus Crew, Dallas Burn, Real Salt Lake, and the LA Galaxyin his final year in 2006. He also played for Bodens BK (Sweden) in 2004, andmade one appearance with the USMNT in 2000. After hanging up his boots, Dunseth became an analyst on RSL broadcasts and currently does MLS matches for Apple TV.
Frankie Hejduk – After taking part in the 1996 Summer Games, Hejduk was back as part of the U.S. Olympic squad in 2000 – this time as an overage player. At this point in his career, Hejduk was playing in Germany for Bayer Leverkusen II. He’d returned to the states in 2003 to play eight seasons with the Columbus Crew, before finishing his career with the LA Galaxy in 2011. Hejdukplayed 85 times for the USMNT, was a three-time Concacaf Gold Cup Champion (2002, 2005, and 2007), and – alongside his pair of Olympic games – was also on the USA’s 1998 and 2002 World Cup squads.
Chad McCarty - A University of Washington product, McCarty was part of the Tampa Bay Mutiny backline during the summer of 2000, whom he’d been allocated to in 1998. He’s play in Florida for four years, before being picked up by the Columbus Crew in the waiver draft in 2002. He retired after the next season. McCarty earned one USMNT cap in 1999. Since retiring, McCarty has coached at the youth, high school and college levels.
Evan Whitfield – At the time of the 2000 Olympics, Whitfield had recently returned to the States from a stint playing with Gent in Belgium. He was at the outset of five-year tenure with the Chicago Fire, where he appeared 103 times, before retiring with Real Salt Lake in 2005. Whitfield earned a law degree from DePaul University in 2006, and has continued his work in the field since.
Midfielders
Joey DiGiamarino – A Colorado Rapids player in 2000, DiGiamarino began and ended his career with the club. As one of the first Project 40 signings, he played with the Rapids from 1997-2000, before trying a season in the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen. DiGiamarinothen played with the NY/NJ MetroStars for two campaigns,before returning to Colorado to finish his career as a defender in 2004.
John O'Brien – O’Brien was a member of Dutch powerhouse Ajax when the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney came around, and was coming off of a loan spell at Utrecht the season prior. The Los Angeles native joined Ajax in 1998, where he remained until joining ADO Den Haag in 2005. When healthy, O'Brien was among the USMNT’s most impactful players. He was a major part of the USMNT's march to the quarterfinals at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He scored in the 3-2 stunning triumph over Portugal, set up Clint Mathis' tally in the 1-1 draw with the Korea Republic and played every minute in the tournament. He also played in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In all, O'Brien scored three times in 32 appearances for the USA. After retiring, O'Brien earned a doctorate in clinical psychology.
Ben Olsen - A soccer icon in the nation's capital, Olsen spent virtually his entire career with D.C. United, from 1998-2009, with an 18-game stint with Nottingham Forest (England) from 2000-01. With D.C., the former University of Virginia standout scored 29 goals in 221 matches while lifting MLS Cup in 1999 and 2004. Olsen made 37 appearances for the USMNT, scoring seven goals. After retiring from playing, he took the head coach job D.C. United in 2010 and remained for a decade. As off 2022, Olsen is the head coach of the Houston Dynamo, where he led the squad to the 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup crown.
Peter Vagenas – An MLS rookie in 2000, Vagenas was at the outset of his 13-year playing career when he was called in to be part of the Olympic squad. The Pasadena, Calif. nativebegan his career with the LA Galaxy, where he’d go on to appear 183 times before departing in 2008. He remained on the west coast until retiring in 2012 following stints with the Seattle Sounders, Vancouver Whitecaps, and Chivas USA. He was a member of two U.S. Open Cup championship teams (2001, 2005) and a pair of MLS Cup winners (2002, 2005), captaining the later side. After retiring,Vagenas was the Galaxy general manager from 2016-17. Vagenas, the USA's penalty kick hero at the 2000 Summer Games, made three appearances for the senior national side.
Sasha Victorine – Much like Vagenas, Victorine spent his entire career in MLS, and was also a 2000 MLS SuperDraft pick of the LA Galaxy. In fact, the players were also born four days apart in 1978. Victorine competed for five seasons with the Galaxy, scoring 17 times in 121 games. He was then dealt to the Kansas City Wizards in 2005, where he appeared in 106 contests. He closed out his career after two seasons with Chivas USA in 2009. After he retired, Victorine worked as a Kansas City TV commentator and in membership development for Sporting Kansas City.
Forwards
Chris Albright – Albright began his career as an attacker, joining D.C. United as a rookie in 1999 and helping them lift MLS Cup in his inaugural season in the league. Over time, Albright transitioned to defense, which helped him to play 238 games over a 15-year career. After leaving D.C. following the 2001 season, he’d go on to play for the LA Galaxy, New England Revolution, New York Red Bulls and Philadelphia Union before retiring in 2013. The Philadelphia native, who was a 2005 MLS Best XI selection with the Galaxy, was also part of two MLS Cup title-winning sides and an Open Cup championship. Now the general manager of FC Cincinnati, Albright was named the 2023 MLS Sporting Director of the Year after helping bring home a Supporters Shield win.
Conor Casey - In contrast to many of his contemporaries, Casey started his pro career in Europe and not in the USA. The 2000 Summer Olympics led to Casey signing a contract with Borussia Dortmund of the Bundesliga. He played in Germany for six years, starting with the Borussia Dortmund reserve team, before joining the first team, and playing for Hannover 96, Karlsruher SC and Mainz 05. He returned to North American to compete with Toronto FC, Colorado Rapids, Philadelphia Union and Columbus Crew before retiring in 2016. For the USMNT, Casey scored twice in 19 appearances, but those two goals were special as they were recorded in a 3-2 win at Honduras on Oct. 10, 2009, which secured the USMNT a spot in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
Landon Donovan – The future was extremely bright for 18-year-old Landon Donovan in the summer of 2000. Now widely regarded as one of the best players to ever represent the United States, Donovan – then plying his trade in Germany on the club level – parlayed his breakout performance at the Sydney Olympics into a full senior team debut that October, and the rest – as they say – was history. Upon returning to Major League Soccer, Donovan starred for the San Jose Earthquakes and LA Galaxy, accruing 145 goals and 136 assists in 315 MLS matches. He would go on to win more MLS Cups - six - than anyone else, he was named an MLS Best XI player seven times, and he had the league’s MVP award named after him. For the USMNT, he competed in three FIFA World Cups (2002, 2006, 2010), scoring one of the most famous goals in program history against Algeria in the 2010 group stage in South Africa. Donovan shares the USMNT’s career scoring record (57) with Clint Dempsey, and holds the career record for assists (58) to go with his 157 appearances – the second-most all-time. Donovan is currently an analyst for FOX Sports, most recently working Euro 2024.
Josh Wolff - Wolff stood out for club and country, using his talent and guile as a menacing presence on the attack. The Georgia native was two years into his pro career at the time of the Sydney games, having set the then-MLS rookie scoring record (8 goals) en route to helping the Chicago Fire win the MLS Cup and U.S. Open Cup double in 1998. His career also included stints at the Kansas City Wizards and D.C. United, as well as 1860 Munich in Germany. In all, he scored 94 goals in 319 games for his club teams, while also connecting for nine goals in 52 international appearances. Wolff has been head coach of Austin FC since 2020.