That outlook may be shifting. The United States opened Group D with a convincing win over Paraguay on June 12 at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, California, then followed with another strong result against Australia on June 19 in Seattle. Alex Freeman reportedly headed in a goal past Australia goalkeeper Patrick Beach during the Group D match. Those results sent the Stars and Stripes into the knockout rounds and appear to have prompted a wider reassessment of how far this roster can go.
Ibrahimović is known as a hard figure to impress, but after seeing the USMNT up close across two matches on the world's biggest stage, he is said to be ready to believe in the team. Coverage of his reaction points to a brief clip in which he may have offered a one-word response when asked about America's World Cup chances, though the exact wording was not spelled out in available reporting.
Analysis tied to the team's start highlighted the U.S. side's speed and confidence, with many players reportedly bringing experience from higher levels of the game. Under manager Mauricio Pochettino, the way this team moves the ball and attacks has looked unfamiliar compared with past U.S. World Cup sides, and the overall talent level appears higher than in previous cycles.
Whether the United States can actually win the 2026 tournament remains an open question, and plenty of quality teams still stand in the way. Even so, the fact that a figure like Ibrahimović is reportedly rethinking his ceiling for the USMNT after group stage wins over Paraguay and Australia underscores how quickly expectations around this squad may be moving.
