96 Years Later: USA and Paraguay Renew a Historic World Cup Rivalry
The United States and Paraguay have rekindled one of the FIFA World Cup's oldest rivalries, meeting once again on football's biggest stage at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, nearly a century after their first encounter in the inaugural tournament.
The two nations first faced each other on July 17, 1930, during the very first FIFA World Cup in Uruguay. The United States secured a memorable 3-0 victory over Paraguay, a match that entered football history books thanks to American striker Bert Patenaude, who scored the first-ever hat-trick in FIFA World Cup history.
Ninety-six years later, the rivalry was renewed in the 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup, with the United States once again emerging victorious. In their Group D opener at Los Angeles Stadium, the USMNT defeated Paraguay 4-1 to make a powerful start to their 2026 campaign.
USA vs Paraguay: Then and Now
FIFA World Cup 1930
United States 3-0 Paraguay
⚽ Bert Patenaude (Hat-trick)
FIFA World Cup 2026
United States 4-1 Paraguay
⚽ Damián Bobadilla (Own Goal)
⚽⚽ Folarin Balogun
⚽ Gio Reyna
⚽ Mauricio (Paraguay)
The 2026 victory extended a remarkable historical connection between the two nations, linking the first World Cup match-up in 1930 with a modern-day encounter 22 editions later. From Bert Patenaude's historic hat-trick in Uruguay to Folarin Balogun's brace in Los Angeles, the rivalry continues to produce memorable moments on football's grandest stage.
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