U.S. Versus Paraguay: A Soccer History

A Rivalry Forged in 1930: The History Between the USMNT and Paraguay

When the United States and Paraguay kick off Friday night in Los Angeles, it will mark the latest chapter in a rivalry that stretches back nearly a century—one defined by memorable moments, unexpected upsets and a healthy dose of competitive fire.

The story begins at the very first World Cup in 1930, when Bert Patenaude etched his name into the history books by scoring the competition's first-ever hat-trick, lifting the U.S. to a 3-0 group stage victory. It remains one of the most historically significant individual performances in American soccer history.

The two nations wouldn't cross paths again for 67 years. When they finally did, in a 1997 friendly in St. Louis, neither side could find the net in a scoreless draw. A second friendly followed in 1998, this one ending 2-2 with Chad Deering and Marcelo Balboa on the scoresheet for the U.S. Then in 2003, Landon Donovan and Earnie Stewart combined to power a comfortable 2-0 American win.

Paraguay got its revenge in the 2007 Copa América group stage, handing the U.S. a 3-1 defeat—their first loss in the series. They followed it up with a 1-0 friendly win in 2011, briefly flipping the momentum in the rivalry.

But the U.S. has dominated since. Clint Dempsey's lone goal won a 2016 Copa América group-stage meeting; Bobby Wood converted a penalty in a 1-0 victory in 2018; and, most recently, Gio Reyna and Folarin Balogun, both on this World Cup roster, each scored in a 2-1 friendly win last November.

The all-time record stands at 5-2-2 (WDL) in favor of the United States. Friday night, both sides will be eager to add another memorable line to the ledger.