Live coverage of the World Cup Group D match USMNT vs Paraguay. With the beginning of the 2026 World Cup last Thursday, excitement is growing for every country, and now it is time for the USMNT to make their debut against Paraguay in the opening match of Group D. Expectations were already high for the USMNT, but what they did in their last friendly may be encouraging. Beating Senegal was a good result, and standing toe-to-toe with Germany in a 2-1 loss may be the moment fans begin to place their hopes on this team. The 5-2 defeat to Belgium and the loss to Portugal in March also gave rivals a benchmark at the highest level. Unlike their opponents, Paraguay decided to play just one friendly before the tournament, using it more as a farewell for the players returning to this stage after 16 years away. In that comfortable win over Nicaragua, their best player went down in pain. Even so, Julio Enciso could be ready to start from the first minute in the lineup.
The confirmed lineups for the 2026 World Cup match USMNT vs Paraguay, with Christian Pulisic in the lineup. With the kickoff of the 2026 World Cup already behind some teams, the time has come for the USMNT to make their debut in the competition against Paraguay in Group D, with Christian Pulisic ready to start. This group may easily be the most balanced in the entire tournament, with no team being a clear favorite over any other. For the USMNT, the good feeling they left in the match against Germany despite the 2-1 loss could give them confidence. They were also able to beat Paraguay in a friendly last November. It should be a historic day for Paraguay too, as they are coming back to the highest level, where they have not been since 2010. Their main concern was not a small one, but Julio Enciso was confirmed after the injury he suffered in his team’s farewell friendly. The lineups Mauricio Pochettino opted for this lineup for the USMNT: Matt Freese; Alex Freeman, Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson; Tyler Adams, Malik Tillman; Sergino Dest, Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic; Folarin Balogun. Enciso could be on the bench (Christian Alvarenga /Getty Images) Gustavo Alfaro picked this lineup for Paraguay: Orlando Gill (GK); Juan Cáceres, Omar Alderete, Gustavo Gómez (c), Júnior Alonso; Diego Gómez, Andrés Cubas, Damián Bobadilla, Miguel Almirón; Antonio Sanabria, Julio Enciso. Their group The USMNT and Paraguay were placed in Group D with Australia and Turkey, who began the competition on June 13.
In a super-sized edition that makes Australia a middle power their young squad can budget for four matches at the tournament with the hope of more⚽️ How to watch the Socceroos | Australia team guide⚽️ Guide to all 1,248 players | Bracketology | World CupThe selections, the sessions, the sweat left steaming on the Oakland grass. These are all now behind the Socceroos, as they fly to Vancouver to begin an adventure that comes around just once every four years.Australia’s best men’s footballers are back again at the World Cup, this time in a super-sized edition that makes a nation that was once a football underdog a middle power. Continue reading...
The 2026 men’s World Cup is official underway and the United States men’s soccer team kicks off its group stage slate on Friday night when they face Paraguay. The match gets underway at 9 p.m. ET at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The USMNT is +110 to win the match, a draw is +210, and […]
Ousmane Dembélé addressed the relentless criticism aimed at Kylian Mbappé, firmly backing his international teammate ahead of the tournament. Just days before France kicks off their 2026 World Cup campaign against Iraq, captain Kylian Mbappé has drawn heavy criticism across his country after temporarily leaving the national team camp for personal reasons—a departure that was fully authorized by the French coaching staff. Amid the brewing media storm surrounding the forward, his longtime international teammate Ousmane Dembélé stepped up to defend the Real Madrid superstar. “They have been very unfair to him. They go a bit too far with the criticism of Kylian because he is an incredible player and a great person off the pitch,” Dembélé stated in an exclusive interview with MARCA. “I’ve known him for a long time. They cross the line with the criticism simply because it’s Kylian Mbappé. People don’t need to be so harsh on him”. Mbappé has found himself in the eye of a media hurricane since before even reporting for international duty. During the final stretch of Real Madrid’s domestic season, the forward suffered a minor injury. While undergoing rehabilitation, he was spotted traveling with his partner, a move that sparked significant frustration among the demanding fan base of the Spanish giants. ⚽🏆 El Balón de Oro @dembouz se sienta con MARCA antes del debut de Les Bleus ante Senegal: Mbappé, Messi, Luis Enrique, Deschamps o Zidane, sobre la mesa, y por supuesto, España ✍️ @polomarca https://t.co/C873RrkBsV— MARCA (@marca) June 12, 2026 For Dembélé, the constant scrutiny directed at Mbappé has transcended footballing matters, crossing a line into absurd territory. “If he ties his shoelaces, if he doesn’t tie them, if he pulls up his socks, if he doesn’t… it’s just too much,” the Paris Saint-Germain winger continued. “At the end of the day, he is still a human being, as well as being a player of exceptional quality”. Dembélé defends Mbappé’s leadership role with France Rumors regarding a fractured locker room within the French national team began to surface following Les Bleus‘ shocking 2-1 friendly defeat to the Ivory Coast before the 2026 World Cup kick off. During the pre-match buildup, clip segments went viral showing an alleged tension point where veteran midfielder N’Golo Kanté and Mbappé supposedly bypassed shaking hands before stepping onto the pitch. The viral footage ignited immediate controversy, causing media outlets to question Mbappé’s standing and influence within the national team dynamic. However, Dembélé was quick to silence the speculation, emphasizing that Mbappé remains an exemplary leader who commands total respect from the locker room. “Here in the French national team, he gets along great with all of us. He is a leader, the captain of our team, and an incredibly important player for what we want to achieve,” Dembélé concluded. As France prepares to begin their quest for a third global title, Didier Deschamps and his squad are actively closing ranks, choosing to ignore the outside noise as their captain prepares to rejoin the group ahead of the opening whistle.
