By J.T. CHADWELL
Another World Cup, and another American team that has people wondering if Team USA finally is going to break through in this tournament.
In this week’s Friday 5, we look at five things you need to know about Group D — the one involving the Americans — that begins play tonight when the U.S., hosts Paraguay in Los Angeles.
1: How did the USA get here?
When people start talking about a national soccer team entering a golden age, that’s a phrase that tells me it’s a country that has never won a World Cup before and expects to have its best chance ever to hoist a trophy. When the U.S., faced Belgium in the round of 16 12 years ago, Belgium was considered to be in its golden age. Team USA? Still waiting. That 2014 side was the peak for the United States in the World Cup in the past two decades. Not much is expected out of the U.S. in this tournament. Then again, 12 years ago in the World Cup, the United States did not have many expectations — and had been selected into the group of death with Germany, Portugal, and Ghana. Instead, the Americans reached knockout play and battled Belgium to extra time before falling 2-1, despite an epic performance in goal by Tim Howard, who made 15 saves. Julian Green was 19 at the time and scored the only USA goal, and the Americans walked off the pitch that night as hopeful as ever for what the future held. Then Team USA failed to qualify for the World Cup in 2018, followed by a hapless 3-1 defeat in the round of 16 to Netherlands in 2022.
2: Turkiye’s top six is strong
Specifically, the top six for Turkiye, which enters this tournament 22nd in FIFA’s international rankings, might be the strongest in this group. The Turks have a 4-0-1 record in their past five matches, but all their recent competition came against sides that are not in this World Cup and may never make one. Leading the way is Real Madrid superstar winger Arda Guler, who’s only 21 years old and already a centerpiece of the future of Real Madrid. Guler contributed on 13 goals for Madrid this past season, playing alongside Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior as a secondary attacking option. For Turkiye, Guler will most certainly be featured. The rest of Turkiye’s top six are all featured players for prominent European clubs, however this team lacks a traditional number 9 striker, so tactics will be important in all their matches. Kerem Akturkoglu will probably get the nod up top; he’s scored double-digit goals in three of the past seven seasons, and had 15 goal contributions (goals and assists combined) at Fenerbahce. Wingers Baris Yilmaz (19 goal contributions for Galatasaray) and Kenan Yildiz (16 for Juventus) supplement the attack. Turkiye is also strong in the midfield with veterans Orkun Kokcu ( 15-plus goal contributions in three straight seasons) and Hakan Calhanoglu (13 with Inter Milan in 2025) in charge. Turkey opens with Australia, followed by Paraguay before ending group play with the United States.
3: There’s no ‘D’ in Paraguay, but …
Maybe there should be, given how hard this team from South America (41st in FIFA rankings) leans on its back line. And in the qualifying stage, that strategy worked pretty well. In the final two rounds of qualifying Paraguay played 18 games and only four of those matches saw over 2.5 total goals scored. Paraguay closed qualifying on a fantastic run of form, only losing one of its last 12 matches, a 1-0 defeat to Brazil. They had wins over Argentina and Brazil during this run, so this is not a team to be taken lightly. Unfortunately, Paraguay might be without its top attacker, Julio Enciso, due to injury. Paraguay wasn’t going to attack much in this group anyways, but the loss will most certainly hurt its chances of advancing if he is unable to go. Enciso is a nice combo winger/midfielder and had nine goal contributions in the French Ligue 1 with Strasbourg this past season. Still, the chances of advancing all rest on the backs of the back line, but all the other teams in the group feature some nice attacking options. This adds up to be a tough draw.
4) The Steelers of the World Cup?
That would be Australia (27th in FIFA rankings), which plays soccer a lot like the Steelers performed under Mike Tomlin. You always knew under Tomlin that the Steelers would play a certain type of football, go on a losing streak, go on a winning streak, and somehow wind up either 9-7, 8-8, or 7-9 every year. The Aussies are the same way. They have now qualified for six straight World Cups without making it past the round of 16, although their 2022 showing was maybe their most impressive, ending in a hard-fought 2-1 match in the round of 16 to eventual champion Argentina. Australia is never an easy out. I also like that Australia prepared for this World Cup by playing Mexico on the road. The attack will be led by Mohamed Toure who really seems to be blossoming into a very nice no. 9 option. He had nine goals and three assists in 12 appearances with Norwich in the Championship of England. Veteran Jackson Irvine will head the midfield for the Socceroos and be playing his 85th international match when Australia opens play against Turkey.
5) How the Americans shape up
The USA , 17th in the FIFA rankings, comes to the 2026 World Cup in very mediocre form, albeit all of the matches have been friendlies. Leading the way is winger Christian Pulisic, who has dealt with injuries off and on for the past several years, seems to be healthy for this competition. Pulisic had a mediocre 2025-26 at AC Milan in the Italian Serie A (12 goal contributions in 30 games). The United States needs Pulisic in his 2023-24 form (40 goal contributions in 70 games) to have any chance to be competitive. The other three attackers — Folarin Balogun, Malik Tillman, and Weston McKennie — need to be in form, too. Tillman featured with Bayer Leverkusen in the German Bundesliga this past season but only amassed six goals without an assist in 29 matches. Balogun was inconsistent but great at times for Monaco in the French Ligue 1, while McKennie looked to be in the best form of the three playing for Juventus in Serie A. For the Americans to be successful, their back line has to be cohesive. Options include Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Miles Robinson, Antonee Robinson, and Sergino Dest. Team USA has conceded in nine of the last 11 international matches, and given up 11 goals in its last four matches. Low-level teams like Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Haiti all got goals against this back line.