USMNT Looking for ‘Miracle’ at 2026 FIFA World Cup

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The USMNT will head into the 2026 FIFA World Cup looking to pull off a "miracle" of its own, as one notable US hero described it.

The US Men’s National Team (USMNT) will be looking to follow in the footsteps of another “miracle.” The American side is hardly a favorite to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The American side will be somewhat of an underdog, something particularly tough when playing on home soil.

But as a story in The Athletic described, the USMNT will be looking to emulate what the 1980 men’s Olympic hockey team accomplished 46 years ago.

The so-called Miracle on Ice featured a group of college kids going up against the vaunted Soviet Hockey team. It was the ultimate David and Goliath matchup, which culminated in Goliath falling by the wayside.

While the USMNT isn’t exactly a puny side by any means, the Americans are not heavy favorites. Even compared to this year’s men’s Olympic hockey team, which slayed a Goliath of its own in Canada, it wasn’t much of an underdog.

According to FIFA’s official world rankings, the USMNT clocks in at 16^th in the world. That’s a fantastic ranking when considering that the US is one spot behind its North American neighbor, Mexico.

So, does that mean the USMNT could be poised for an upset?

As the captain of the 1980 men’s hockey team, Mike Eruzione told The Athletic, it could be the United States turn to shine on the pitch.

“Maybe it’s our turn in soccer. We’re clearly better now than we were 25 years ago, when soccer wasn’t as big a sport in this country as it is now. Our players are way better than they were years ago, so why can’t we win it? I still think the greatest athletes in the world live in the United States.”

USA Has Clear Path in Group Stage

The USMNT will kick off its participation in the World Cup on June 12 against Paraguay. The South American side ranks 40^th in the world and figures to be the Americans’ least challenging opponent.

Then, the US will face the 27^th-ranked Australians on June 19, followed by their final group match against Turkiye, 22^nd in the world, on June 25.

That schedule gives the US a clear path out of the group stage. All the USMNT has to do is win. While the Americans’ opponents won’t exactly be pushovers, the US has at least sidestepped some of the world’s most formidable squads.

Could USMNT Be This Year’s Cinderella Team?

Every World Cup, there seems to be a Cinderella team. One side emerges seemingly out of nowhere to make a strong run. For instance, the 1998 edition saw Croatia make a run all the way to the semi-finals. The European side ended up taking third place.

So, who’s to say that can’t be the US this year?

A strong group stage could build momentum, paving the way for a solid run in the knockout rounds. It’s worth pointing out that anything can happen in such a short tourney. That’s why, as Eruzione pointed out, this could be the USMNT’s turn to make history.