The United States men’s national team (USMNT) has advanced to the World Cup knockout stage following another statement performance, driven by Folarin Balogun’s creative spark, Alex Freeman’s breakthrough goal, and an ever-growing sense of belief that this campaign could be something special.

SEATTLE – If Zlatan Ibrahimovic says it, perhaps there’s a grain of truth to it.

Granted, the Swedish legend is known for his self-aggrandising flair, often stretching reality when the topic is himself. But on Friday, he was talking about someone else – the USMNT, fresh off a 2-0 win over Australia at the World Cup.

That victory marked the first time since 1930 that the United States have won consecutive World Cup matches. While the opening 4-1 triumph against Paraguay lifted optimism, this result – sealed by a Balogun-created own goal and a Freeman header – sent belief across the nation soaring, even impressing Sweden’s most famous footballer.

When asked if he believed the USMNT could win the World Cup, Ibrahimovic’s response was succinct: “Yes.”

That confidence is exactly what head coach Mauricio Pochettino has been fostering for over 18 months – nurturing belief within his players and among supporters. In recent weeks, USMNT players have repeatedly spoken of their faith in the team. But on Friday night, it felt as though the entire country had joined them in that belief.

“Every game, every time that we play, we want to win,” said defender Chris Richards. “I don’t think it’s ridiculous to say that we want to win it. Obviously, we have a lot more games before we get to that moment, and we take it one game at a time. We want to lift a trophy at the end of this.”

Can they really do it? It’s impossible to say. The World Cup is a long, gruelling journey, and even with Friday’s win, there’s much left to achieve. The three points against Australia guarantee a place in the knockouts, but topping the group remains a challenge. From there, the tournament’s elimination rounds bring the toughest tests, where the world’s elite await.

There are no certainties at a World Cup – but there’s also no reason the USMNT can’t dream. That’s the conviction running through this squad and now among its fans. Even Ibrahimovic believes, and that growing confidence is fuelling a bandwagon that’s gaining momentum fast after two major results in their home tournament.

“We’ve had [this belief] for quite some time,” said midfielder Sebastian Berhalter. “It’s not just now; we’ve had this belief. It’s something that’s been growing ever since Mauricio took over, and we’re just trying to keep it going.”

He added: “I think right now people want to say we’re going to do great, but three weeks ago, everyone said we had nothing and didn’t stand a chance. For us, we just have to keep doing what we’re doing.”

GOAL breaks down the Winners & Losers from Seattle...

WINNER: Folarin Balogun

World-class – that’s the only way to describe Balogun’s dazzling play that led to Australia’s own goal. His pace, control, and decision-making were all top-tier, culminating in a perfect delivery that forced the opener and rattled the Socceroos early.

Balogun’s influence goes far beyond his direct contributions. Even in matches like this, where the USMNT weren’t relying on counterattacks – his usual strength – he found ways to shape the game. His runs were intelligent, his hold-up play solid, and his presence constantly threatened the opposition. Partnering with Ricardo Pepi, he kept Australia’s defence on edge throughout.

“To be honest, [Pochettino] has always given us different ideas to attack, so playing with Pepi today wasn’t a shock,” Balogun explained. “It wasn’t like a plan B because CP [Christian Pulisic] was out. It didn’t feel like that to me. It just felt like another solution to win the game.”

It may not have been his name on the scoresheet, but the USMNT’s opening goal was entirely his creation, further cementing Balogun as the team’s breakout star of the tournament.

LOSER: Cameron Burgess

Last week it was Damian Bobadilla; this time, Cameron Burgess suffered the same misfortune. Another early own goal gave the USMNT a calm start. In fact, this marked the first time any team in World Cup history had benefited from own goals in consecutive matches.

Balogun’s incisive run down Australia’s right flank created the danger. His low cross forced Burgess into a difficult position, and the defender could only deflect the ball into his own net.

For the USMNT, it was a dream start; for Australia, a nightmare. They never truly recovered. Unlike Turkey, the Americans didn’t leave themselves exposed on the counter, helped by that early advantage.

A tough night for Burgess and a setback for Australia.

WINNER: Alex Freeman

Just over a year ago, Alex Freeman was a nervous debutant. On Friday, he was a World Cup goalscorer. What a transformation.

Since joining ahead of the 2025 Gold Cup, the Villarreal defender has improved with every outing. His performance in Seattle marked the peak so far – scoring the USMNT’s second goal after a tense VAR review that only heightened the celebration when confirmed.

“I was very anxious to see whether it was a goal or not,” Freeman said. “And then, when it was confirmed, I looked back and saw my teammates running at me, and I thought, ‘Oh Lord.’ I ended up celebrating with them, and it made me very emotional in that moment.”

Freeman’s development from promising fullback to defensive powerhouse has been remarkable. At 21, he’s already a reliable presence in both defence and attack.

“He’s a lovely guy,” Pochettino said. “For me, he has the potential to be one of the best players in the world in his position.”

LOSER: Tony Popovic

When the team sheets were released, much of the attention was on the USMNT’s change – Christian Pulisic replaced by Ricardo Pepi due to a calf injury. But Australia made their own questionable calls. Tony Popovic opted to bench both of his previous match’s goalscorers, Nestory Irakunda and Connor Metcalfe – a decision that, in hindsight, backfired.

Without their key counterattacking threats, Australia struggled in the first half. When the pair came on later, particularly Irakunda, they caused more problems for the US defence. It’s reasonable to wonder how the game might have unfolded had they started.

“We didn’t want to go with the same eleven, and you could see why today. Probably, I should’ve made more [changes] when you look at how difficult the match was,” Popovic admitted. “We judge what we see at training – how the players look, how they’ve recovered physically and emotionally – and we wanted some freshness in those wide areas, which allowed us to bring on more explosive players in the second half.”

Ultimately, Popovic may have overthought his approach, limiting Australia’s ability to compete early on.

WINNER: Seattle

The atmosphere during the USMNT’s opening match against Paraguay was electric, but Seattle took it to another level entirely.

From early morning, the city was alive – fans in old and new USMNT jerseys lining the streets, some with trumpets, others with flares or drinks in hand, setting the tone for a daylong celebration. Helicopters hovered above, the national anthem echoed across the stadium, and the energy remained high well after the final whistle.

Even when the match ended, few fans left. Instead, they sang together – “Livin’ on a Prayer” followed by “Country Roads” – as players joined in, taking laps around the pitch to soak in the moment.

Seattle has long been considered one of America’s footballing strongholds, and on Friday night, it showcased that reputation on the world stage like never before.

“I was walking around at the end of the game, and that’s when I really felt it,” Tyler Adams said. “Walking out for the national anthem and the flyover was special, but after the game, just seeing everyone singing, looking up at my family in the stands – it was incredible. Everyone was happy.”