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The long wait is finally over. Christian Pulisic and the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) are set to kick off their home World Cup campaign against Paraguay on Friday, with attention firmly on Chris Richards’ fitness and several key tactical choices.

After years of anticipation, countless discussions and weeks of preparation under the summer sun in Atlanta, Chicago, and Orange County, the USMNT’s World Cup journey begins. Paraguay are familiar opponents, but the occasion itself is anything but ordinary.

The stakes could not be higher. The pressure comes from every direction — from fans, critics, and observers at home and abroad. There’s no room for mistakes at this level, and the opening game will set the tone for the entire tournament. This is more than just a match; it’s the start of a story that could define how this generation of American footballers is remembered.

“I would say the message is to believe,” said goalkeeper Matt Freese in a message to supporters. “We’re believing, and when you have a group of guys that fight and sacrifice for each other on the pitch, anything can happen.”

So, how can the USMNT turn that belief into success? What must they execute to win on Friday? What defining moments could shape the match? Here are five key factors for the USMNT’s opener.

Chris Richards’ fitness

All eyes have been on Richards’ ankle in recent weeks. In his own words, there’s no cause for concern.

“I wouldn’t put myself in this position if I didn’t think I could do everything,” he explained. “Part of playing football is dealing with some level of pain. As long as I’m functionally fine, that’s what matters most.”

The final call rests with coach Mauricio Pochettino. The defensive setup will depend greatly on how much trust he places in Richards’ recovery. If the Crystal Palace defender isn’t fully ready, there are backup options, but none match his quality. If he plays, how close will he be to the form he showed during the final months of 2025? That version of Richards could be crucial in silencing Paraguay’s attack early in the tournament.

Lessons from their last encounter

When these sides met last autumn in a friendly, the match ended with a heated scuffle. A brief confrontation between Alex Freeman and the Paraguay bench escalated before teammates rushed in to support Freeman — a moment that now feels like foreshadowing, given the World Cup rematch.

What can be learned from that earlier clash? “At the end, there was a little bit extra,” recalled Tim Ream. “It felt like a match that meant more, and looking back, it was the perfect test for us at that time. We’ve learned from it, but now it’s in the past.”

The USMNT won that match 2-1. Gio Reyna opened the scoring in the fourth minute, Alex Arce equalised soon after, and Folarin Balogun netted the winner in the 71st minute.

“It was an intense game,” Reyna said. “I was happy to score, but this will be totally different. The World Cup is another level. We just have to match that same intensity. With our talent, we believe we can find a way to win again.”

However, both squads will look very different this time. The USMNT were missing Richards, Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, Malik Tillman, and Antonee Robinson in that friendly — all of whom are expected to start on Friday. That means neither side can rely too heavily on the previous match’s blueprint.

“For those of us who played that game, it helps because we’ve now got film of what worked and what didn’t,” Adams explained. “They’ll be even hungrier this time, so we need to be ready for that.”

‘We need to be ready’

At the last World Cup, the U.S. set the tone early when Tim Weah scored against Wales, even though a late penalty meant they had to settle for a draw. Early goals can shift momentum — Clint Dempsey did it in 2014 against Ghana, and Weah repeated the feat in 2022. Can the U.S. do it again on Friday night on home soil?

They must also avoid conceding early. Against Germany, the U.S. allowed a goal inside two minutes, part of a worrying trend — they’ve conceded in the first half in nine of their last ten matches. While they’ve shown resilience, that’s not a sustainable approach in a World Cup.

“A strong start is everything,” Cristian Roldan said. “Scoring early would be great, but even if we start pressing well and have momentum by the 15th minute, that’s a good foundation. We can’t afford to switch off like we did against Germany.”

Getting three points against Paraguay would ease nerves before facing Australia and Turkey. Anything less would ramp up the pressure.

“I’m definitely not thinking about finishing third,” Adams added. “After the last World Cup, I know how important that first game is.”

The goalkeeper decision

Pochettino likely already knows his starting goalkeeper, even if he hasn’t revealed it. Matt Freese and Matt Turner both said they’re unsure who will get the nod, suggesting the competition has been close until the end.

It’s a crucial decision. Ideally, the goalkeeper would have a quiet night, but World Cups rarely go that way. There’s always a moment that requires a decisive save. Pochettino must choose who he trusts more — Freese, the recent first-choice, or Turner, who brings World Cup experience with two clean sheets from the previous tournament. The right call could determine how far the USMNT go.

Managing the weight of expectation

This final point may be the simplest to describe but the hardest to handle. On Friday, the USMNT won’t just confront Paraguay — they’ll confront the immense weight of hosting a World Cup. The attention, the expectations, the pressure — all will test their composure.

At the 2022 World Cup, the team generally rose to the occasion. At the 2024 Copa America, they faltered. The years since have been filled with highs and lows, but this is a new challenge altogether.

Hosting a World Cup is unlike anything else in football. It brings unrivalled scrutiny and emotion. The U.S. may have more talent on paper, but Paraguay will relish the underdog role and look to heap pressure on the hosts.

“It has that big-game feeling,” Pulisic admitted. “It’s similar to 2022, but in some ways I feel more relaxed now because I’ve been through it before. That experience helps.”

Still, this match will test the players mentally as much as physically. The spotlight will be intense, and composure will be key.

“I’m going to try to enjoy the moment as best I can,” Pulisic said. “We’re so highly focused, it’s a huge game, and you want to start strong. But I’ll take a second to look around, see my friends and family in the stands, and soak it all in. It’s a special moment.”