The United States of America locked up a place in the World Cup knockout stage with a 2-0 victory over Australia in Seattle on Friday. The American team controlled the match from start to finish, even without injured star Christian Pulisic, who missed the game with a calf injury sustained during the 4-1 demolition of Paraguay in the opener.
Cameron Burgess’ own goal in the 11th minute and Alex Freeman’s header in the 43rd minute gave the Americans a comfortable cushion they never relinquished. The USMNT’s performance has surprised many people, with some in the NFL world now viewing them as contenders for the tournament.
Patrick Mahomes, Skip Bayless React as USMNT Advances in World Cup
The optimism surrounding this American squad is arguably at an all-time high. Mauricio Pochettino’s side has outscored opponents 6-1 through two matches, and the defense has held up well so far.
Australia managed a few quality chances across 90 minutes, and the Americans looked comfortable absorbing pressure and transitioning into dangerous attacking positions.
Here’s how the NFL players and analysts reacted to the USMNT’s win against Australia today:
When can I pivot from humble 🇺🇸 fan to absolutely sure @USMNT can win this?
— Colin Cowherd (@colincowherd) June 19, 2026
“Easy group? My brother in Christ, I’ve watched this team fight for its life against Iran, Algeria, Slovenia or just not even get here at all. Six points from two games is something I, quite frankly, never dreamed I’d see.” Dave Helman said on X to express how surprising Team USA’s dominance is.
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NFL insider Jordan Schultz said, “I’m from Seattle. A couple friends at the game today told me the atmosphere for USA-Australia mirrored a Seahawks game: very loud, very passionate, bars jam-packed all day. The city is on 🔥! So much fun!”
COUNTRY ROADS WINNING THE WORLD CUP
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 19, 2026
“USA! USA! USA!! Onto the Knockout Round… WE ARE A SOCCER COUNTRY,” former NFL QB Chase Daniel wrote on X.
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) June 19, 2026
“Once again, Team USA looking like a legit World Cup contender, even without Pulisic,” Skip Bayless said on X.
The rest of the world realizing the USA may be legit pic.twitter.com/LZ0Yufl1Ly
— Bussin’ With The Boys (@BussinWTB) June 19, 2026
The USMNT’s final group-stage match comes against Turkey, with first place in Group D still up for grabs. Winning the group would send the Americans to San Francisco Bay Area Stadium to face a third-place finisher from one of several groups, while a second-place finish would set up a round-of-32 clash against the Group G runner-up in Dallas.
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Pochettino’s staff remains hopeful that Pulisic could return for the Turkey fixture, which would give the squad its full attacking arsenal heading into the knockouts.
However, the real test awaits beyond the group stage. Potential matchups against established teams like France, Germany, Argentina, or England in the later rounds would represent a significant step up from Paraguay and Australia.
The Americans have proved they can handle the tournament’s opening phase with professionalism and poise, but contending for a deep run will require beating teams that have thrived under knockout pressure for decades.
For now, the NFL world and the rest of the country are along for the ride.