USMNT Crushes Paraguay in Stunning World Cup Opener: Who Shined Brightest?

The U.S. men's national team delivered a stunning and electrifying performance in the 2026 World Cup opener on home soil, crushing Group D opponent Paraguay 4–1 at SoFi Stadium on Friday evening and igniting hopes of a landmark tournament run among supporters.

The performance, witnessed by a capacity crowd of 70,492, marked the first occasion the team had ever netted four goals in a single World Cup fixture. Their previous best was three goals, achieved at the 2002 tournament in Korea and Japan. In that competition more than two decades ago, the U.S. stunned heavily favored Portugal 3–2 in their opening game, going on to reach the quarterfinals — the deepest the team has ever progressed in the modern World Cup era.

Mauricio Pochettino's squad wasted no time making their intentions clear, determined to establish themselves as genuine contenders this summer. Star midfielder Weston McKennie glided past Paraguay's Damián Bobadilla on his way into the final third, before linking up cleverly with winger Christian Pulisic. McKennie collected the ball again and attempted a probing cross toward striker Folarin Balogun, which deflected off a desperate Bobadilla and into the net, giving the hosts the lead in the seventh minute.

Balogun, who seems to struggle more with staying onside than with actually putting the ball in the net, nearly doubled the advantage just moments after the first-half water break. His explosive pace carried him into the six-yard box just left of Paraguay's goal. He coolly slotted the ball home before the referee's flag was predictably raised.

The 24-year-old forward, who appears to grow even more determined each time a goal is disallowed, found the net legitimately just minutes later, darting into the box to convert a cross from Pulisic. His sharp, first-time finish was greeted with a jubilant, leaping celebration from his teammates — perhaps as much a celebration of Balogun finally keeping himself onside as the goal itself. Balogun clearly developed a taste for scoring, as he added a second in the closing seconds of the first half to send the U.S. into the break with a commanding 3–0 lead.

The U.S. largely looked to control proceedings in the second half, with an eye on keeping a clean sheet. Paraguay did manage a consolation in the 73rd minute, however, as Mauricio fired a shot from inside the penalty area past goalkeeper Matt Freese. Giovanni Reyna then capped the scoring with the U.S.'s fourth in the final moments of the match, a stunning effort struck with the outside of his boot to silence his critics.

The Stars and Stripes will likely need just a single additional point in Group D to book their place in the round of 32; however, buoyed by Friday's thrilling display, they will be aiming to top the group entirely. Their next challenge is a meeting with Australia the following Friday in Seattle.

The One Thing We Can't Ignore

Heading into the World Cup, the USMNT has been a complete unknown quantity. The team has the potential to dominate this summer and mount a historic deep run in the tournament, possibly reaching the quarterfinals or even the semifinals, driven by the energy of a home crowd and the patriotic spirit surrounding the U.S.'s 250th anniversary.

Yet the Stars and Stripes are equally capable of falling well short, as they have done so frequently on football's grandest stage. Even in recent matches against elite opposition, the U.S. has struggled badly, most notably in their humiliating 5–2 defeat to Belgium back in March.

That said, if Friday's performance is any reflection of the team the U.S. intends to be throughout this tournament, all of that skepticism can be set aside. While a victory over Paraguay was always anticipated, the U.S. didn't simply win — they completely and comprehensively took them apart. The visitors were given no breathing room whatsoever, as the hosts relentlessly dismantled their defensive structure.

Beyond their aggression and work rate, the U.S. were also disciplined and well-organized throughout. Players interchanged, overlapped and rotated with remarkable fluidity. The cohesion was so natural that it was almost imperceptible to the watching eye. Every player moved in unison during both attacking and defensive phases of play.

USMNT Player Ratings vs. Paraguay (4-2-3-1)

*Ratings provided by FotMob*

GK: Matt Freese—6.2: The New York City FC shot-stopper wasn't called upon frequently, but delivered when it mattered most.

RB: Alex Freeman—8.1: Returning to his preferred right back role, his attacking instincts were evident throughout. His well-timed sliding tackles were a highlight in themselves.

CB: Chris Richards—7.2: Produced several crucial clearances early on to demonstrate he is fully ready to reclaim his starting spot.

CB: Tim Ream—7.5: Composed and assured at the back, contributing a number of important challenges. Likely relieved to have Richards alongside him once more.

LB: Antonee Robinson—7.5: Made a significant impact going forward, despite transitioning from a wingback role to a more conventional left back position.

CM: Tyler Adams—7.8: Orchestrated play through the center of the park as expected. Disciplined defensively, with several key interventions.

CM: Malik Tillman—8.1: His intelligent link-up play under pressure created multiple threatening situations for the U.S.

RW: Segiño Dest—6.9: The PSV Eindhoven wide man combined effectively with McKennie, frequently tucking inside to give the Juventus star room to operate on the flank. Smooth in his movement.

AM: Weston McKennie—7.4: Demonstrated his quality in the No. 10 role, despite having featured predominantly as a deeper midfielder or winger in recent times.

LW: Christian Pulisic—7.8: His brilliance on the ball was central to the own goal in the seventh minute and Balogun's opening strike.

ST: Folarin Balogun—8.9: Craves goals like oxygen. Set to be the fan favorite of the summer, provided he can keep the linesman's flag at bay.

SUB: Sebastian Berhalter (46' for Pulisic)—6.7: Has consistently shown he deserves a starting role, having initially been expected to serve as a fringe substitute.

SUB: Timothy Weah (72' for Dest)—6.2: Injected energy and lively movement into the game. Must cut down on his foul count.

SUB: Ricardo Pepi (72' for Balogun)—6.1: The fact that Pepi couldn't break into the starting eleven simply underlines the quality depth available to the USMNT.

SUB: Giovanni Reyna (81' for Tillman)—N/A: Remains a dependable option for Pochettino from the bench and underscored his value with a stunning late strike.

Subs not used: Matt Turner (GK), Chris Brady (GK), Auston Trusty, Joseph Scally, Mark McKenzie, Miles Robinson, Brenden Aaronson, Haji Wright, Cristian Roldan, Max Arfsten, Alex Zendejas

What the Ratings Tell Us

The Numbers That Explain the USMNT's Dominant Win