For months, maybe even years, American soccer fans have been waiting for this moment. Not just the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The chance to see the United States open a FIFA World Cup at home and actually look like it belonged on the occasion.
Friday night in Los Angeles delivered exactly that. The United States beat Paraguay 4-1 at SoFi Stadium, and while the scoreline was impressive, it wasn’t what stayed with me after the final whistle. What stood out was how comfortable the Americans looked from the opening minutes.
That’s not something I’ve said often about this team in recent years. There have been plenty of occasions when the USMNT looked talented but nervous. Plenty of games where possession felt slow, attacks felt forced, and players seemed aware of the pressure sitting on their shoulders.
This wasn’t one of those nights. Seven minutes in, the United States was already ahead thanks to a Paraguayan own goal. Sometimes an early goal changes everything. Sometimes it doesn’t.
This one did. You could feel the tension leave the stadium. The crowd relaxed. The players relaxed. From that point forward, the Americans played with an energy that Paraguay simply couldn’t match.
Pulisic Didn’t Need 90 Minutes
I’ll be honest. One of the biggest questions I had entering this tournament was whether Christian Pulisic would arrive in peak form. The talent has never been the issue. The expectations have. For years, American soccer has asked him to be the face of the program, the creative force, the leader, and occasionally the miracle worker.
That’s a heavy burden for any player. Against Paraguay, he looked like someone who wasn’t carrying that burden at all. The assist on the opening goal will get attention, but what caught my eye was how aggressive he was every time he touched the ball. There was no hesitation. No playing it safe.
Around the midway point of the first half, Paraguay’s defenders started doing something interesting. Instead of stepping toward him, they began backing off. That’s usually a sign of respect. Or fear. Maybe both.
Every time Pulisic received the ball, it felt like something dangerous might happen. By halftime, his work was done, and the United States was firmly in control. Not a bad night’s work.
Balogun Gave the United States Something It Has Needed for Years
The goals were excellent. The movement was even better. One thing that has frustrated American fans over the years is watching promising attacks fall apart inside the penalty area. The buildup looks good. The final pass arrives. Then the finish doesn’t.
Balogun changed that. His first goal came from being in the right place at the right time. His second showed real composure. What impressed me wasn’t the number of goals. It was how natural everything looked.
FIFA World Cup openers can make players do strange things. They rush chances. They force shots. They try to create a highlight instead of simply making the correct decision. Balogun looked calm throughout.
Even the disallowed goal that would’ve completed a hat trick showed his instincts. He kept finding dangerous spaces while Paraguay’s defenders seemed increasingly unsure of where he was. The United States has produced talented forwards before. Finding one who looks this comfortable on the FIFA World Cup stage is another matter.
The Performance That Won’t Make Headlines In FIFA World Cup
If most fans are talking about Chris Richards this weekend, I’d be surprised. Defenders rarely get much attention after a game like this. But I thought he was outstanding. Paraguay’s goal will probably prevent people from discussing the defensive performance too much, but Richards quietly controlled large stretches of the match from the back.
Completing every one of his 83 passes is impressive. Doing it in a FIFA World Cup opener is something else entirely. More than once, Paraguay looked ready to build momentum, only for the United States to calmly recycle possession and make them start over again. Those moments don’t appear in highlight packages. They win football matches.
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Paraguay Looked Unprepared for What They Faced ( 2026 FIFA World Cup)
I expected more from Paraguay. Not necessarily a victory. Just more resistance. Instead, they spent much of the evening reacting to American attacks rather than creating problems of their own. Their right side struggled badly. Their defensive shape looked unsettled. Every time the United States increased the tempo, Paraguay seemed a step behind.
Maybe it was opening-night nerves. Maybe it was a tactical issue. Whatever the reason, they never really recovered after falling behind. There are still matches left in the group stage, but they’ll need to improve quickly. This version of Paraguay won’t survive long in the tournament.
One Result Doesn’t Change Everything ( 2026 FIFA World Cup)
Sports fans love declaring that everything has changed after one game. I’ve done it myself before. Sometimes we’re right. Most of the time we’re not. The United States deserves enormous credit for this performance. It was arguably the most complete match the team has played in quite some time.
At the same time, it’s important not to pretend every question has suddenly been answered. Australia will present different challenges. The knockout rounds, if the Americans get there, will present even bigger ones. One excellent night doesn’t guarantee a deep FIFA World Cup run. But it does something almost as important.
It creates belief. For the players. For the supporters. For a country that has spent years wondering when its men’s national team would finally take a meaningful step forward. Maybe this was that step. Maybe it wasn’t. It’s too early to know.
What I do know is that when I left this match, I wasn’t thinking about ticket prices, empty seats, or pre-tournament concerns. I was thinking about a team that looked confident, dangerous, and completely comfortable under the brightest spotlight in football. That’s a pretty good way to start a FIFA World Cup.