Zlatan Ibrahimovic backs USMNT to win World Cup after Australia victory

After two wins in two to start the World Cup, the US have gained a high-profile supporter: Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Asked on Fox’s postgame broadcast whether he thinks the co-hosts can win the World Cup, the Swede offered a simple answer: “Yes.”

Asked about Ibrahimovic’s comments after Friday’s 2-0 win over Australia, US players were uniform in their response: Sure, why not?

“I don’t think it’s ridiculous,” Chris Richards said. “We want to lift a trophy by the end of this.”

His fellow defender, Auston Trusty, had similar feelings.

“That’s our mindset,” Trusty said. “I don’t think you enter this tournament not to have that mindset. To have [Ibrahimovic] say that about us, that’s amazing. But I’m sure he knows as well, it’s game-by-game.”

If the US do make it deep into the tournament – Friday’s win guaranteed their spot in the knockout stage – it will likely be due in no small part to the emergence of Alex Freeman. The 21-year-old defender, now at Villarreal after becoming one of the best young players in MLS with Orlando City, has been a revelation at this World Cup. Playing on the right side of a three-man backline, Freeman scored the second goal to seal Friday’s win – a goal that was initially ruled out for offside but was later given after a lengthy VAR review.

“I think you dream of this moment,” said Freeman, the son of Super Bowl champion Antonio Freeman. “And for it to finally happen with such a support system to help you celebrate it makes is so much more special. When it was confirmed, I saw all my teammates running and I thought: ‘I’ve got to run away, they’re going to tackle me!’”

Mauricio Pochettino said at his introductory press conference as US head coach that his goal is to win the World Cup with the US. He too had praise not just for Freeman, but the system that developed him.

“The evolution is massive,” Pochettino said after Friday’s game. “He has potential to be one of the best players in his position in the world. He’s [a] humble guy, he has an amazing profile. He wants to learn. He always listens … you really enjoy being with him.”

The best US finish at a men’s World Cup was third-place in the tournament’s first edition in 1930. Their best result in the modern era was a run to the quarter-finals in 2002.