The USMNT got off to a roaring start at the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a resounding 4-1 victory over Paraguay. The big win fueled the hype surrounding the host nation, sparking talk of a prolonged run in this year’s tourney.
As one former USMNT star noted, the US could be on a path for a strong performance. And that strength could be on display in the Americans’ next match against Australia.
Brad Friedel, who starred in the 2002 edition, predicted that the US would pull out a relatively easy win against Australia.
In a recent interview with casino.org, Friedel pointed out that while Australia has a strong side, it won’t really stack up against the US.
“Australia, I think man for man, player for player, we’re better than Australia, but they’re gonna fight. I’m not saying we’re going to beat them 4-0, but it’ll be easy. When all is said and done, I think our players are better than the Australian players this time around. They don’t have the Cahills, Viduka’s and the Kewell’s anymore in this squad.”
That bodes well for the USMNT as they look to advance in Group D. However, Friedel cautioned about one of the United States’ other opponents:
“And Turkey, I believe that almost man for man, is superior to the US.”
So, it seems that the USMNT will have to get past Turkey to have any real chance at advancing beyond the group stage.
USMNT Will Have Difficult Path Advancing in Knockout Round
Assuming the US makes it to the knockout round, the path forward will be difficult at that point. As Friedel pointed out, beating the top teams in the tourney will not be an easy task.
“Could the US make a run into the quarterfinals, yeah I think they could. But we’re not a footballing nation. However we do have some very good players, and we’ll give it a go. Mauricio Pochettino will set the team up to be very difficult to play against. But for us to beat Spain, Germany, Brazil, or even England, in the knockout rounds, it will be difficult. “
Previous tourneys have shown that anything can happen. Some teams make an improbable run, knocking off some of the major players.
But for that to happen, the USMNT will need to get more than just a few bounces going their way.
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Winning a World Cup Will Take Something Special
Friedel addressed the elephant in the room by making it clear that becoming a top soccer nation will take a lot more than just producing good players.
The US will eventually have to become a soccer-mad nation like Brazil in order to produce the sorts of talent needed to excel on the world stage. Friedel drilled down on the point by stating the USMNT will need “something special” to one day become champions.
“But winning a World Cup is different. It takes something extra special.”
Is it possible? Absolutely. But the question is: Is it likely? The answer to that question will likely come down to generations of players growing up wanting to excel at soccer. As it stands, the USMNT may have a long way to go before it can become a true world superpower.
USMNT Former Star Predicts ‘Easy’ Win in Next Match