Friday night was one of the more unforgettable nights in U.S. men’s national team history.Between the passion, the performance and the outcome to kick off the 2026 World Cup on home soil, it’s hard to think of many better occasions for the program on such a stage — which got us to thinking: where did the 4-1 victory over Paraguay rank in terms of all-time USMNT World Cup wins?Before we get into the rankings, let’s establish the criteria. This isn’t simply a ranking of the best opponents the U.S. has beaten at a World Cup. I’m weighing four factors: the magnitude of the occasion, the quality of the opponent, the quality of the performance, and the lasting — or potential lasting — impact on soccer in the United States.And just to get ahead of it: before anyone reminds me about the famous 1950 victory over England, yes, I know. It remains one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history. But the reality is that the U.S. didn’t qualify for another World Cup afterwards until 1990! As historic and unexpected as that win was, it didn’t spark the sustained growth of the game in America the way many of the matches on this list did (the U.S. finished bottom of its 1950 group, too).That’s why I’ve chosen to focus on the modern era of U.S. Soccer.With that in mind, here’s my list, counting down from No. 5:5. USA 3-2 Portugal (2002 group stage)This was the toughest match to place.From a pure performance perspective, it may have been the most impressive result in U.S. Soccer history at the time. Portugal arrived with world-class talent — including 2000 Ballon d’Or winner Luis Figo — and legitimate aspirations of winning the tournament.