The USA beat Paraguay 4-1 in its World Cup opener, and the result immediately turned the question from one tournament test to the next. The United States will likely play Australia next, with Mauricio Pochettino already facing a selection call that could reach Tyler Adams.
That question matters because Adams is not just another name on the sheet. He missed the March roster because of injury, finished the season very strongly at AFC Bournemouth and then played 80 touches against Paraguay, where he won seven of 10 ground duels, made two interceptions, added four clearances and drew three fouls. For a side looking for control, those are the kinds of numbers that explain why he sits at the center of everything the USA wants to do.
The performance also carried a little more weight because March looked nothing like this. The United States had come through friendly losses to Belgium and Portugal looking unsteady, yet in the World Cup opener it moved the ball cleanly enough to break down Paraguay's midfield and take the match apart. Chris Richards was 83/83 in his passing and Tim Ream had 102 touches, a reminder that the back line is not just there to defend but to start the attack.
That pairing has become part of the team's structure whenever it has been healthy. Ream and Richards were established as a central defense pairing at the 2025 Gold Cup, and the current tactics used at the World Cup were introduced there as well. The numbers suggest the plan has carried over without much loss of shape: the 38-year-old Ream kept the game moving, while Richards gave the ball away not once.
Still, there is a catch that hangs over the next selection. Pochettino may rest Adams against Türkiye if Adams picks up another yellow card against Australia and the United States secures at least a point, which makes the next match more than just the next match. Card accumulations are wiped clean after the group stage, but suspensions do not disappear before then, and the coach has to balance the value of keeping Adams on the field against the risk of losing him when it matters more.
So the answer to who does the USA play next is Australia, but the larger story is how much Pochettino is willing to ask from Adams before the group phase reaches its sharpest edge. If the opener was a statement, the next game is the one that decides whether the United States keeps its best midfielder available for the rest of the group run.
