Well, we did not see that coming. Leading up to the USMNT versus Paraguay, Mauricio Pochettino and Co. were on upset watch. That idea was thrown out the window, as a dominant, simply breathtaking 4-1 win was posted over the South American side. This was exactly the kind of strong start the USA needed to record, and FOX's Zlatan Ibrahimovic loved what he saw.
Christian Pulisic totally shut me up during USMNT’s World Cup victory over Paraguay
Ibrahimovic, an elite striker during his remarkable playing days, was on hand for the eye-opening performance, and it's safe to say he was left favorably impressed. With Rebecca Lowe, Alexi Lalas, and Thierry Henry right next to him, Ibrahimovic did not hold back with his thoughts, speaking directly to fans at home at the same time.
"I mean, we were speaking before the game about believing," Ibrahimovic said. "My message to the American people is if you didn't believe before the game, that performance in the first half... start believing. If they can bring this performance in the upcoming game, this American team can do something big."
Opening Statement. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/yhWOQbVlV8
— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) June 13, 2026
Zlatan Ibrahimovic thinks the USMNT can go on a deep World Cup run
Time and time again, we've all seen the USA being treated as an afterthought in big tournaments like this. The lack of respect the group gets is disheartening, but we can all agree that a massive statement was made in this one. A lot of haters, myself included, thought Paraguay would potentially grab the three points.
Instead, Christian Pulisic saw to it that things would start off with a bang. Pulisic, who suffered a minor injury and was subbed off at halftime as a precaution, reminded everyone just how special of a player he can be when he's at his best.
Folarin Balogun finished with two goals, while Gio Reyna's goal to close things out at 4-1 was just awesome to see for him. Oh, the four goals too is a new record for the USA in a World Cup game. Come on, everything about this performance was incredible, with Poch surely smiling from ear to ear right now.
So, what's next for these players? Come Friday, June 19, the USA will take on Australia in Seattle, and it's going to be a big-time favorite for this matchup. Then, group play will close out with a highly-anticipated showdown against Turkey, with that dance likely going to determine who finishes at the top of the group ahead of the Round of 32.
With the way it looked against Paraguay, no one can rule out the USA grabbing all nine points to get this tourney going. On the FOX broadcast, Lalas called this one of the best performances in World Cup history for the USA, while Henry tried his best to pump the brakes a bit on overhyping this team.
While we love Henry, it's hard to not get overly excited about what Pulisic and Co. were able to get done. It's time for the USA to get the respect it deserves, as Paraguay learned the hard way that the Americans are focused on silencing the doubters, while doing so in style. We're not ready to start dreaming about Pulisic lifting the World Cup trophy high into the sky come July 19, but it's safe to say the win in this 2026 WC debut will give the U.S. the kind of confidence it needs moving forward to really make a splash.
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