The selection of USA started the 2026 World Cup in the best possible way: two victories in two games, six goals for and only one against. From that account, the table of stars and stripes assured their classification at the round of 32 in the first two days, like another of the hosts, Mexico.
Those led by the Argentine technical director Mauricio Pochettino have left a pleasant taste in the mouth in this start of the World Cup 2026, given that in both the 4-1 victory against Paraguay as in the next one, 2-0 against Australiathe team has received praise locally and internationally, mainly in Europe.
The level of the Americans is such that some media figures have begun to classify them as one of the favorites to win the 2026 World Cup, even though the United States team never has reached a end World Cup, unlike other favorites, such as Brazil, Germany, Argentina, France, Uruguay and England.
The United States has begun to earn the label of candidate to lift the World Cupbut, as his Argentine coach said, the most important It’s going game by game. For this reason, the Americans are already focused on their next match in the group stage, which they will play against Türkiye on thursday June 25.
USA? Can the US win the 2026 World Cup?
Although the United States’ journey in the 2026 World Cup is just beginning, victories against Paraguay and Australia have reinforced the trust in the American team, which hopes to repeat the feat achieved ago 96 yearsin the World Cup Uruguay 1930when the US reached semi-finals for the first and only time.
Faced with this situation, the former Swedish footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovicconsidered one of the best forwards of all time, thinks that the United States team has enough arguments to aspire to the title, despite the fact that it does not reach quarter finals since the World Cup South Korea and Japan in it 2002.
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After one of the matches of the tournament, the most laureate in the history of Sweden, with 32 official titles, after playing in nine clubs and seven different leagues, participated in the broadcast of FOX and was consulted about the real options of the American team to lift the trophy. His answer was clear: “Yes.”
“When you have this support it is difficult let them beat you. That’s what they need and they just have to keep winning. trust from one game to the next,” said Ibrahimovic, who believes that the support that the American team receives in its own country can become a advantage difficult for any rival in the Cup to counter.
“The US must start believing”
“I already said it at the beginning, what happened before the World Cup is not so important like what’s happening now. They currently have the impulse. If you didn’t believe it before, I’ll say it again: America must start believing. “They have an entire country behind them,” he added. Zlatanwho played in two editions of the World Cup: in 2002 and 2006.
Finally, the former attacker wanted to downplay any doubt generated before the start of the competition. In his opinion, the present of the American team is the only thing that counts right now, so those led by Pochettino must focus on defeating Türkiye and, subsequently, overcome the round of 32
“Can the USMNT win the 2026 FIFA World Cup?”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic: “Yes.”pic.twitter.com/Yy4uVuoht5
— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) June 19, 2026