US kicks off its World Cup campaign against Paraguay side that promises to put up a fight

In a clash of Argentine coaches with contrasting styles, co-hosts the United States will face Paraguay to kick off their 2026 North American World Cup campaign on Friday with the conviction that Group D allows for no missteps.

Under the guidance of Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino, the United States has secured home-field advantage even beyond the demanding group it shares with Paraguay, Australia, and Turkey.

But the fans’ enthusiasm is not guaranteed, in a country that is often outnumbered at home by rival fan bases, driven by large immigrant communities.

Opposite them is a resurgent Paraguay, returning to the World Cup after a 16-year absence and planning to put up a fight.

Led by fellow Argentine Gustavo Alfaro, the Paraguayans are determined to reclaim their identity and return to being the disciplined and tenacious team that for years gave soccer giants a run for their money.

While AC Milan’s Christian Pulisic will be the man to watch for the home team, the South Americans’ defensive strength lies in their captain, Gustavo Gómez, a key player for Brazil’s Palmeiras.

For Pochettino, the key for his team will be to capitalize on the “enormous inspiration” that comes from playing at home.

In the lead-up to the match, the former Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea coach said he expects a “very tough” game.

For Paraguay, Alfaro is calling on his players to "uphold the team’s historic identity."

"The idea is to minimize the margin for error, maximize the abilities we have ... to see if at some point we can make life difficult" for the co-host of the World Cup that kicked off this Thursday in Mexico, and for the other rivals in the group, the coach said this Thursday at a press conference.

Argentine strategy

The Argentine school of soccer reigns on both benches, but the personalities and playing styles proposed by Pochettino and Alfaro differ.

Sober in his approach on the field, the U.S. coach faced several ups and downs on the road to the World Cup. But at the end of the year, he made headlines by humiliating Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay 5-1 with a lineup mostly made up of substitutes.

A few days ago, with the World Cup—which it is co-hosting alongside Mexico and Canada—in focus, Team USA put up a fight against the powerful German team despite losing 2-1 in its final warm-up match before the World Cup debut.

Better equipped on the soccer field than when the country hosted the World Cup in 1994, the Americans know they can “compete with anyone,” Pulisic told AFP.

The 27-year-old star said that Pochettino has focused them on “being ready for battle.”

On Friday, on the opposing bench will be Alfaro, who rescued Paraguay from the depths to return it to the world elite.

Known for providing a philosophical tone to his pep talks and speeches, Alfaro once again appealed to the epic in the run-up to the World Cup to fire up his players and the fans.

At South Africa in 2010, their last World Cup appearance, Paraguay gave eventual champions Spain a run for their money in the quarterfinals.

At North America 2026, Alfaro will try to make his team once again a "thorn in the side" for the powerhouses.