The 2026 FIFA World Cup is in full swing in the United States of America, Canada, and Mexico. The USMNT wasted no time making a statement, as Mauricio Pochettino’s squad dismantled Paraguay 4-1 at SoFi Stadium on June 12.
It was the country’s most dominant performance, as they scored four goals in a World Cup match for the first time in their history. The result has energized a nation, and the excitement has spilled beyond the soccer world with former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho being among those who took notice.
Emmanuel Acho Sees a Different USMNT in World Cup
During a segment on “Speakeasy,” Acho delivered a glowing assessment of a team he believes has the look of a genuine contender.
“What I liked was both the confidence that Team USA played with and also, like, the tenacity that Team USA played with,” Acho said. “It wasn’t as though Team USA was playing from fear. They were actually playing from a space of, you know what, we actually can go out here and dominate, and dominate they did.”
The performance backed up Acho’s words as Folarin Balogun scored twice in the first half, while Christian Pulisic orchestrated the attack before being subbed at halftime as a precaution after taking a kick to his calf.
Even without their best player for 45 minutes, the Americans never lost control, and they still added a fourth goal through Giovanni Reyna’s stunning stoppage-time strike.
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Acho then widened his lens to the rest of the tournament, and what he saw only strengthened his case.
“When I looked around, Brazil ain’t looked that dominant,” he added. “When I looked around, I said, ‘You know what? Germany looked dominant. They didn’t look like they was playing with these folks.’ But when you look at Team USA, you’re like, ‘Wait a second, you all actually look capable of competing.'”
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“I wasn’t able to say that in 2022, and obviously, in 2018 the team didn’t qualify,” Acho continued. “So to me, when you look at this Team USA, you actually look at them as a formidable force and a force that can make some legitimate noise.”
Germany did indeed hammer Curacao 7-1, but other top-ranked teams stumbled. Apart from Brazil’s 1-1 draw with Morocco, Spain, which is widely considered a title favorite, was held to a scoreless draw by Cape Verde. The Netherlands drew 2-2 with Japan, and the early results suggest a tournament that could be more open than expected.
The caveat, as with any World Cup, is that the group stage is just the beginning. Favorites tend to find their form as the tournament progresses, and one dominant result against Paraguay doesn’t guarantee the USMNT can sustain that level against elite opposition.
Australia awaits them in Seattle on June 19, and it will be fascinating to see whether Pochettino’s team can keep pace with the rising tide of competition as the knockout rounds approach.
