Christian Pulisic is the undisputed first-goalscorer favourite — the only player both Sports Interaction and Yahoo Sports specifically back. He enters this tournament just one goal from tying Eric Wynalda for fourth on the USA's all-time scoring list, a milestone he'll be desperately motivated to chase. With 33 international goals in 86 caps, he's the most prolific scorer in the current squad.

His versatility gives him multiple routes to the first goal: combination play in the half-space, free kick delivery, and counter-attack finishing. He scored against Paraguay in the November 2025 friendly. Yahoo Sports notes he is "the player Paraguay are most concerned about" and that "Pulisic finding the net at some point is a genuinely strong proposition" in a game where the USA is expected to dominate possession.

Folarin Balogun is Racing Post's "expected USA line leader" for this match and may be the highest-upside pick on the board. Starting as the central striker, every USA attacking move in the final third feeds through him. With 13 Ligue 1 goals for Monaco this season, he arrives in form and bringing genuine penalty-area instincts to this stage.

FanDuel has him at +380 to lead the USA in tournament scoring — only marginally behind Pulisic (+300) — acknowledging he's the primary finishing option. As the No. 9, he benefits from Pulisic's creative service and the wing-back overlaps. At +250 anytime and ~+600 first scorer, he offers better value per unit than Pulisic for a player whose entire role is to be in the box when chances arrive.

The standout dark horse. One analyst who pulled Gómez's header stats from CONMEBOL qualifying found he registered 3 headed attempts on target from corners alone — an extraordinary number for a center-back. He is described as "Paraguay's primary aerial weapon from dead-ball situations" and the cornerstone of everything Alfaro builds defensively and offensively from set pieces.

There's a compelling narrative layer: Gómez was sent off when Paraguay lost 2-1 to the USA in the November 2025 friendly. He captains this side on the biggest stage of his career with a score to settle. At +900 anytime, this is genuine set-piece value — not just a defender at random long odds.

Pulisic enters this tournament one goal from a historic all-time milestone, scored against this exact opponent four months ago, and is the player Paraguay fear most. He delivers free kicks, can manufacture a goal from limited supply, and in a home World Cup opener at SoFi with the crowd roaring, Pulisic on the scoresheet is the most likely single outcome.

33 international goals. One from a historic milestone. Scored vs Paraguay in November. Set piece delivery. Sports Interaction's top pick. The USA's most dangerous all-round threat in a game they're expected to win on home soil.

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Racing Post's "expected USA line leader." 13 Monaco goals. Starting center-forward whose role is to be in the box when chances fall. Better value per unit than Pulisic for a player who starts every attack at the point of the attack.

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3 headed attempts on target from corners in qualifying. Paraguay's aerial weapon from set pieces. Sent off vs USA in November — a captain with a point to prove. At 9/1 with a genuine structural route to goal on every dead ball, the best longshot value on the board.

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