Zlatan Ibrahimovic says USMNT now deserves World Cup title talk

Heading into the 2026 FIFA World Cup, few analysts or fans gave the U.S. Men's National Team much chance of winning the tournament.

Many expected the team to advance from the group stage, and the added pressure of hosting the event made a strong showing seem reasonable. Still, no one thought the United States could actually win the whole thing.

After convincing wins over Paraguay and Australia that carried the team into the knockout rounds, some observers have begun to raise their expectations.

One of those voices is 12-time Swedish Player of the Year and FOX Soccer analyst Zlatan Ibrahimovic. After watching the USMNT in two matches, the former striker said the team now looks different.

"I didn't think this USMNT had a shot in hell to even make it past the round of 16," Ibrahimovic said, "but the way this team moves the ball and attacks looks completely unfamiliar to anything I've seen from them in past World Cups, and the talent is at a higher level than it's ever been before."

Manager Mauricio Pochettino has drawn praise for the team's organization and attacking play. Ibrahimovic said the improvement is clear enough that the squad should be taken seriously.

Even so, the former Sweden captain stopped short of predicting a title. He said he would still bet on the field because several strong teams remain in the tournament.

The fact that a realistic discussion about a U.S. title is now taking place shows how far American soccer has advanced, he said.