USMNT winning the World Cup not 'ridiculous,' Richards says - ESPN

SEATTLE — Zlatan Ibrahimovic was succinct in saying he thinks that the United States men's national team has a chance to win the World Cup. Defender Chris Richards doesn't think it's a wild idea at all, either.

After the U.S. turned in a second convincing and largely-complete performance inbeating Australia, 2-0, on Friday, Richards addressed Ibrahimovic's one-word reply — «Yes» — when the former Sweden star was asked on Fox's postgame show if the U.S. had a chance to go all the way at this tournament.

— Freeman goal for U.S. 'full circle family moment'
— Freeman, Adams lead the way in USMNT player ratings vs. Australia
— Poch pleased with 'fantasitc' Pepi, Balogun pairing

«I don't think it's ridiculous to say that we want to win it,» Richards said. «Obviously we have a lot more games before we get to that moment, but you know, we take it one game at a time.»

He added: «We want to lift a trophy by the end of this.»

That would be a remarkable conclusion to a run that has certainly started as well as the U.S. could have hoped.

A comprehensive demolition of Paraguay in the group-stage opener and another strong showing here against Australia — even with star attacker Christian Pulisic out injured — secured the U.S. a place in the knockout stage ahead of its final group game against Türkiye at SoFi Stadium outside Los Angeles on Thursday.

And it has plenty of those in and around the U.S. program thinking, if not talking, about making the ultimate history.

Of course, the farthest the U.S. has advanced at a modern World Cup is the quarterfinals in 2002. Reaching a quarterfinal again was seen by most observers as the benchmark for success for this team as it plays in a home World Cup for the first time since 1994.

So, there