Zlatan Ibrahimovic has definitive take on Team USA's chances at the World Cup

Ibrahimovic has never been afraid to speak his mind in the past. If he legitimately thought the World Cup hosts were pretenders, he would probably have said so.

The USMNT has been in fine form to start the World Cup, with two decisive wins over Paraguay and Australia to all but secure the top spot in Group D. The Americans won on Friday despite star winger Christian Pulisic being kept off the field by a lingering calf injury.

Pulisic got kicked in the back of the leg during the first half of last week’s match against Paraguay, which prompted head coach Mauricio Pochettino to keep him out for the second half. Despite the player and coach making it seem like the early substitution was precautionary, Pulisic still sat out the game against Australia.

Ibrahimovic and thousands of other soccer fans may be starting to think that could be Team USA’s year. But the USMNT would more than likely need Pulisic healthy and producing to make the prediction come true.