After two wins in two to start the World Cup, the US have gained a high-profile supporter: Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Asked on Foxâs postgame broadcast whether he thinks the co-hosts can win the World Cup, the Swede offered a simple answer: âYes.â
Asked about Ibrahimovicâs comments after Fridayâs 2-0 win over Australia, US players were uniform in their response: Sure, why not?
âI donât think itâs ridiculous,â Chris Richards said. âWe want to lift a trophy by the end of this.â
His fellow defender, Auston Trusty, had similar feelings.
âThatâs our mindset,â Trusty said. âI donât think you enter this tournament not to have that mindset. To have [Ibrahimovic] say that about us, thatâs amazing. But Iâm sure he knows as well, itâs game-by-game.â
If the US do make it deep into the tournament â Fridayâs win guaranteed their spot in the knockout stage â 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 Fridayâs win â a goal that was initially ruled out for offside but was later given after a lengthy VAR review.
âI think you dream of this moment,â said Freeman, the son of Super Bowl champion Antonio Freeman. âAnd 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: âIâve got to run away, theyâre going to tackle me!ââ
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.
âThe evolution is massive,â Pochettino said after Fridayâs game. âHe has potential to be one of the best players in his position in the world. Heâs [a] humble guy, he has an amazing profile. He wants to learn. He always listens ⊠you really enjoy being with him.â
The best US finish at a menâs World Cup was third-place in the tournamentâs first edition in 1930. Their best result in the modern era was a run to the quarter-finals in 2002.
Asked about Ibrahimovicâs comments after Fridayâs 2-0 win over Australia, US players were uniform in their response: Sure, why not?
âI donât think itâs ridiculous,â Chris Richards said. âWe want to lift a trophy by the end of this.â
His fellow defender, Auston Trusty, had similar feelings.
âThatâs our mindset,â Trusty said. âI donât think you enter this tournament not to have that mindset. To have [Ibrahimovic] say that about us, thatâs amazing. But Iâm sure he knows as well, itâs game-by-game.â
If the US do make it deep into the tournament â Fridayâs win guaranteed their spot in the knockout stage â 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 Fridayâs win â a goal that was initially ruled out for offside but was later given after a lengthy VAR review.
âI think you dream of this moment,â said Freeman, the son of Super Bowl champion Antonio Freeman. âAnd 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: âIâve got to run away, theyâre going to tackle me!ââ
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.
âThe evolution is massive,â Pochettino said after Fridayâs game. âHe has potential to be one of the best players in his position in the world. Heâs [a] humble guy, he has an amazing profile. He wants to learn. He always listens ⊠you really enjoy being with him.â
The best US finish at a menâs World Cup was third-place in the tournamentâs first edition in 1930. Their best result in the modern era was a run to the quarter-finals in 2002.
