The Americans' performance in their World Cup opener was so dominant that while fans rejoiced, they also found themselves navigating a bit of disbelief.

The USMNT is off to a flying start at the 2026 World Cup after beating Paraguay 4-1 on Friday, as Folarin Balogun scored twice in the first half and Gio Reyna put the exclamation point on a perfect night in Los Angeles.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side are out to make a statement.

And in the one-in-a-million chance that the United States are still alive in the World Cup on July 19, competing in East Rutherford, New Jersey in the final, they’ll look back on Friday’s performance as the catalyst that jumpstarted their epic journey.