USA Crushes Paraguay 4-1 in Electric World Cup Opener

The United States just delivered their most commanding World Cup performance ever, and two soccer legends are telling Americans it's time to believe something special is happening.

The U.S. crushed Paraguay 4-1 in their home World Cup opener at Los Angeles Stadium, scoring four goals in a men's World Cup match for the first time in history. The Americans dominated every aspect of the game, controlling 71% of possession in the first half while Paraguay struggled to even cross midfield.

Fox Sports analysts Zlatan Ibrahimović and Thierry Henry watched the electric performance unfold and had the same message. This team can go on a deep run.

"If you didn't believe before the game, the performance in the first half should make you start believing," Ibrahimović said during the postgame show. "Because if they can bring this performance into the upcoming games, this American team can do something big."

The Swedish legend had challenged American fans to believe before kickoff. Now he's saying they have every reason to.

Henry, a French World Cup champion himself, agreed that belief is the secret ingredient this team needs. He's been saying it since the tournament draw and doubled down after watching the U.S. dominate.

"I believe in what I see, and I saw a great team today, a team performance," Henry said. "I believe personally that they can go on a run."

Why This Inspires

What makes this moment special isn't just the scoreline. It's watching a home nation rise to the occasion when the pressure was highest.

The crowd at Los Angeles Stadium brought an energy that fueled the players, and the players rewarded that faith with their best performance on the biggest stage. Henry noted this was exactly what the team needed to do, not in friendly matches where critics panicked, but when it truly mattered.

Two of the greatest players in soccer history just told America they see something real in this team. That kind of validation doesn't come lightly from legends like Ibrahimović and Henry.

The U.S. faces Australia next Friday at Seattle Stadium, where another raucous home crowd will be waiting to push them forward.