USMNT Win Group D As Zlatan Ibrahimovic Urges Belief For World Cup Run

Zlatan Ibrahimovic says the United States can win the World Cup, urging supporters to trust this team after qualification for the last 32 was secured with a match left, following a 2-0 victory over Australia and Turkiye’s defeat to 10-man Paraguay in Group D.

The USA will now play a third-placed side in the last 32 on July 1 at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, with Mexico the only nation to reach the knockouts earlier, and attention already turning toward how far Mauricio Pochettino’s squad can progress on home soil.

Asked on Fox Sports by presenter Rebecca Lowe whether the World Cup co-hosts could actually lift the trophy, former Sweden striker and television pundit Ibrahimovic answered with a single word: "Yes." The exchange came shortly after the final whistle in Seattle, as celebrations continued among United States supporters.

The USA’s 2-0 success over Australia in Seattle, combined with Turkiye’s 1-0 loss to Paraguay later on Friday, confirmed top spot in Group D, meaning Vincenzo Montella’s side are guaranteed to finish bottom and the final group match in Los Angeles on Thursday carries no qualification pressure.

Pochettino’s team began the World Cup with a 4-1 win over Paraguay, so this campaign marks only the second occasion the USA have claimed consecutive victories at the tournament, the previous instance coming during the first two fixtures of the inaugural 1930 edition almost a century ago.

The United States have already scored six goals in 2026, leaving the team just one short of matching their best single-tournament tally, having hit seven goals at both the 1930 World Cup and the 2002 World Cup, underlining the attacking productivity shown across the first two group games.

Modelling from the Opta supercomputer now gives the USA a 4.6% chance of winning the World Cup, which ranks as the eighth-highest probability at this tournament, behind France, Argentina, Spain, England, Germany, Brazil and Portugal, reflecting both recent performances and the advantage of hosting.

The victory against Australia featured confident attacking play and defensive control, prompting further praise from Ibrahimovic, while social media footage from the camp, including the "VICTORY CAM" clip shared by the national team account, highlighted the relaxed mood within the squad after reaching the knockout stage early.

Ibrahimovic expanded on his view, saying: "If you didnt believe before, I will repeat; start believing. They have the country behind them, and when you have this support, it's difficult to beat you. They had a good performance today. To be honest, Australia was not a threat."

Ibrahimovic also stressed that previous form is irrelevant, adding: "I said it before, that whatever happened before the World Cup doesn't matter. It is important what happens now. Now, the momentum they have, that is what they need. They just need to continue bringing confidence from game to game."

Looking ahead, Ibrahimovic pointed to possible rotation, stating: "The third game, let's see what happens now. They can rest some players now that they have qualified. It is looking good." With first place in Group D secure and Turkiye already condemned to last, the USA can manage minutes while keeping rhythm before the last-32 tie.