The United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) has made history at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, storming to a 3-0 halftime lead against Paraguay – the largest halftime advantage the Americans have ever held in a World Cup match.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — In front of a star-studded, capacity crowd of 70,492 at SoFi Stadium, the USMNT delivered a performance for the ages, dismantling Paraguay 4-1 in their Group D opener. The emphatic victory marks the first time the United States has scored four goals in a single World Cup match, while the three-goal margin of victory equals the team’s best all-time result at the tournament, a feat not achieved since the inaugural 1930 World Cup.
Leading the charge was Folarin Balogun, the New York-born, London-raised striker who announced his arrival on the global stage with a stunning first‑half brace. Balogun’s two goals made him the first American to score multiple goals in a World Cup game since Bert Patenaude’s historic hat‑trick for the United States in 1930.
Balogun’s first goal arrived in the 31st minute, thanks to a sublime setup from Christian Pulisic, who drove down the left flank and cut the ball back for the Monaco striker to fire home. Then, deep into first‑half stoppage time, Malik Tillman sliced open the Paraguayan defense with a perfectly weighted through ball. Balogun held off a defender, spun into space, and curled a brilliant left‑footed strike into the top‑left corner — sending the crowd and Spanish commentator Andrés Cantor into an ecstatic “¡GOOOOOOOOOOL!”.
That goal made it 3‑0 at the break, the largest halftime lead the USMNT has ever enjoyed in its World Cup history.
The scoring had started even earlier, in the 7th minute, when Pulisic split two defenders and slipped a pass to Weston McKennie, whose attempted cross was deflected into his own net by Paraguay midfielder Damián Bobadilla.
While the first half was pure Hollywood, the second half brought a brief scare. Pulisic, who was instrumental in all three first‑half goals, was substituted at the interval and did not return. A U.S. Soccer spokesperson declined to comment on the nature of his departure, though Pulisic was later seen signaling to family in the stands that he was fine.
Paraguay pulled a goal back in the 72nd minute through substitute Maurício, cutting the lead to 3‑1. But the Americans would not be denied. In the eighth minute of stoppage time, substitute Giovanni Reyna — who barely featured for the USMNT at the 2022 World Cup amid a well‑documented family dispute with former coach Gregg Berhalter— provided the perfect final flourish. Receiving a pass from Alex Freeman, Reyna glided into the box and toe‑flicked home his first World Cup goal to seal the 4‑1 victory.
The offensive explosion is a stunning turnaround for a team that managed just three goals total across all four matches in Qatar in 2022. Under new head coach Mauricio Pochettino, the USMNT looked transformed — fluid, aggressive, and ruthless in front of goal. Pochettino, making his World Cup debut as U.S. manager, saw his high‑pressing system click immediately.
The match drew a who’s‑who of American culture and celebrity. Tom Cruise, George Lucas, Halle Berry, Leonardo DiCaprio, Bill Gates, and Kareem Abdul‑Jabbar were all spotted in the stands. The pregame entertainment featured Katy Perry, Future, and Lisa of Blackpink, adding to the Los Angeles spectacle.
With the victory, the USMNT sits atop Group D. They will next face Australia in Seattle on June 19, before returning to SoFi Stadium to close group play against Türkiye on June 25.
⚽️ By the Numbers
· 3–0 halftime lead: Largest in USMNT World Cup history.
· 4 goals: Most the USMNT has ever scored in a single World Cup match.
· 70,492: Attendance at SoFi Stadium, the seventh‑largest crowd to ever watch a USMNT World Cup match and the biggest since the 1994 tournament.
· 2 goals: Folarin Balogun becomes the first American with a multi‑goal World Cup game since 1930.
· 4 goals combined in 2022: The USMNT tripled its output from the entire previous World Cup in just one match.
🔴⚪️ Balogun Makes Monaco History
Balogun’s World Cup breakthrough carries an additional layer of significance for his club, AS Monaco. The 24-year-old is officially the 15th AS Monaco player to score in World Cup history, a testament to the principality club’s enduring global influence. Among Ligue 1 clubs, only Paris Saint-Germain (18) has produced more World Cup goalscorers.
Monaco’s proud lineage of World Cup scorers includes French legends Thierry Henry and Kylian Mbappé (both of whom found the net on the world’s biggest stage), as well as Radamel Falcao (Colombia) and James Rodríguez (Colombia). Balogun now joins that exclusive company, cementing his status as the latest in a long line of Monaco marksmen to shine in a World Cup.
The statistic underscores Ligue 1’s reputation as a breeding ground for elite international talent. PSG’s league‑leading 18 World Cup goalscorers include Mbappé, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Edinson Cavani, Neymar, and Lionel Messi. Monaco’s standing as second on that list speaks to the club’s historic commitment to attacking football and its knack for producing or nurturing players capable of performing on the ultimate stage.
For Balogun, who has scored 13 goals in 30 appearances for Monaco across all competitions this season, the World Cup spotlight offers a chance to further elevate his career. The striker chose to represent the United States over England in 2023 — a decision that has already paid dividends as he leads the American attack on home soil.
