Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes the United States can pull off one of the biggest upsets in football history and win the 2026 World Cup after making an impressive start to this summer's tournament.

Mauricio Pochettino's side recorded a 2-0 win against Group D opponents Australia on Friday to secure their place in the knockout rounds.

It was another solid display from the co-hosts, who made a dream start to their World Cup campaign on June 13, when goals from Damian Bobadilla (OG), Folarin Balogun (2) and Giovanni Reyna sealed a 4-1 victory over Paraguay.

So, how far can the United States go? Ahead of the tournament, few backed Pochettino's men to make a dent in the competition.

But in the aftermath of their latest victory over Australia, an optimistic Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes the USMNT can go all the way after recording back-to-back World Cup victories for the first time since 1930.

"If you didn’t believe before, I will repeat; start believing," Ibrahimovic said on Fox Sports.

"They have the country behind them, and when you have this support, it’s difficult to beat you. They had a good performance today. To be honest, Australia was not a threat today.

"I said it before, that whatever happened before the World Cup (doesn't matter). It is important what happens now. Now, the momentum they have, that is what they need. They just need to continue bringing confidence from game to game.

"The third game, let's see what happens now, they can rest some players now that they have qualified. It is looking good."

Asked by presenter Rebecca Lowe if Pochettino's side can shock the world and win this summer's World Cup, Ibrahimovic was emphatic in his response. Without much hesitation, he replied: "Yes."

Zlatan says the US can win the World Cup 👀

Do we do this every time the World Cup comes around? Yes. The reason this feels different is because the young talent is obvious. pic.twitter.com/EQGpUMlgxI

— Quincy (@TheWPBandit) June 20, 2026

United States become 'unofficial world champions' with World Cup win over Australia

The US were crowned unofficial world champions after their win over Australia. Let me explain.

Australia claimed this unofficial world champion honour when they defeated Turkey in their opener, with the European nation holding the informal title coming into the World Cup after they claimed it in March 2026, when they defeated Kosovo.

It is the third time that the US have held the title, and they will begin their defence when they face Turkey in the final group game of this World Cup.

READ MORE: Folarin Balogun is only playing for USA at World Cup because of loophole

So, what does that even mean? The Unofficial Football World Championships is an informal way of calculating the world's best international side, with the idea stemming from when Scotland beat England in the 1967 Nations Championship, the first defeat the Three Lions had suffered since lifting the World Cup.

To secure the title, a nation must beat the current holders of the informal honour in a knockout title system similar to that used in some combat sports.

England were the first official holder of this title following their 4-2 victory in March 1873, after they retroactively went back to the earliest international fixtures between the Three Lions and the Scots.