1994 USA Reunion: Former Players Relive The ’94 World Cup, Look Ahead to 2026

Thirty-two years ago, many fans in the global soccer community saw the United States planning to host its first FIFA World Cup in 1994 and asked one collective question: Why? 

At the time, the United States men's national team was a largely anonymous squad of unknown players wearing now-nostalgic denim uniforms. 

In mainstream America, soccer did not have the same popularity as other sports like gridiron football or baseball. But then, the tournament kicked off. 

To look back at the summer of 1994, members of that squad — Alexi Lalas, Cobi Jones, John Harkes, and Marcelo Balboa — reunited to take a trip down memory lane and recount the tournament that changed the sport stateside.

Alexi Lalas and USA head coach Bora Milutinovic ahead of a friendly match vs. England in 1994 (Getty Images)

The architect behind the Americans' 1994 transformation was Bora Milutinović. The enigmatic manager arrived with a storied World Cup pedigree, having already guided Costa Rica and Mexico to the round of 16 and quarterfinals, respectively. 

Milutinović specialty was inspiring underdogs to play far above their weight class, but his methods frustrated a young Lalas.

"Bora, incredibly intelligent man... spoke five languages, not a single one of them well, and will go down for me as... the most frustrating coach I ever had in my life, but also the coach that gave me the opportunity that changed my life," Lalas.

For the players, Bora was not the most popular person in the locker room, as his experience was initially met with resistance, until the team won its first-ever major international tournament title at the 1991 Gold Cup.

"I hated it, and I tell you why, because he made me the translator. Nothing like being on a team, and you're the