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Olympics 2026 Winter Olympics Forty-five years after the "Miracle on Ice, " President Donald Trump honored the 1980 U. S. men’s hockey team with the Congressional Gold Medal. Jacquelyn Martin / Associated Press The 1980 U. S. men’s Olympic hockey team returned to the national spotlight Friday, as President Donald Trump signed a bill awarding the legendary squad the Congressional Gold Medal. Trump greeted players in the Oval Office, calling them “true legends of American sports history, heroes for the entire nation. ” Captain Mike Eruzione, goaltender Jim Craig, forward Buzz Schneider and other team members attended the ceremony, joined by family members of the late coach Herb Brooks. Advertisement Decked in white cowboy hats, echoing their 1980 opening ceremony attire, the team presented Trump with one to wear. Former player Phil Verchota captured the moment, saying, “Like all the other gentlemen here, we’re having a wonderful day and just seeing the history of Washington, D. C. , and you know the invitation and the award is beyond what I could imagine. ” The team’s triumphs during the 1980 Winter Olympics — defeating the Soviet Union and then Finland to claim gold — have left an enduring legacy. Trump noted, “This was one of the biggest moments that I’ve ever seen in sports, and I like sports. These are the men who gave us one of the most storied athletic wins of all time, it’s called the Miracle on Ice, and I guess that’s what it was. ” Bipartisan legislation recognized the team for “revitalizing American morale at the height of the Cold War, inspiring generations and transforming the sport of hockey in the United States. ” It’s official! ? ? Today, the Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act was signed into law, honoring the 1980 U. S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team with the Congressional Gold Medal for lifting the nation, inspiring generations and helping shape the future of hockey in the U. S. pic. twitter. com/Tqa665ib Ws — USA Hockey (@usahockey) December 13, 2025 The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian honor awarded by the U. S. Congress, reserved for individuals or groups who have made a “long-standing impact on American history and culture. ” The bill to honor the 1980 Olympic hockey team was first introduced in October 2024, passed by the House in April and received unanimous Senate approval in September. Under the bipartisan law, three medals will be produced: one for display at the Lake Placid Olympic Center in New York, one at the U. S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum in Eveleth, Minn. , and one at the U. S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs, Colo. Advertisement In recent years, sports icons like Billie Jean King, Willie O’Ree, Steve Gleason and Larry Doby have also received the medal. For the 1980 team, it represents a formal recognition of a moment that went far beyond athletics, cementing its role in American cultural history. The 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, N. Y. , featured 37 countries and more than 1, 000 athletes, but the spotlight belonged to the U. S. men’s hockey team. Facing a dominant Soviet squad that had won gold in the previous four Winter Games, the Americans — mostly college players — pulled off a stunning 4-3 victory in a game that would be forever known as the “Miracle on Ice. ” The United States went on to defeat Finland to win gold. The 1980 U. S. victory remains legendary not just for the upset, but for its timing, inspiring a nation during a tense period of the Cold War. Al Michaels’ iconic broadcast line, “Do you believe in miracles? ” captured the emotion of the moment. That year, speed skater Eric Heiden also made Olympic history by winning gold in all five events, while East Germany topped the medal count with 23 to the U. S. ’s 12. Denny Alfonso is a trending news writer for The Athletic. An Emmy Award–winning New Yorker, Denny previously covered the NBA, MLB, and MLS for ESPN, where she produced and reported the Soccer in America series, earning a Telly Award. She also covered the Rio Olympics for ESPN. Before joining ESPN, Denny worked as an investigative reporter for NBC Telemundo in Los Angeles and has been a contributor to both Yahoo and The Associated Press in New York.