Skip Bayless Dragged the Cowboys Into a World Cup Match — and His Jab Landed Hard

Skip Bayless doesn’t need a reason to bring up the Dallas Cowboys. But on Friday night, he found one anyway — during a U.S. Men’s National Team World Cup game.

The USMNT rolled past Paraguay 4-1 at Los Angeles Stadium, marking the program’s first four-goal performance in World Cup history. Christian Pulisic set the tone early, Folarin Balogun bagged two first-half goals — becoming the first American to do that since 1930 — and Gio Reyna capped a 26-pass sequence with a stoppage-time finish.

It was a statement win. It was also, apparently, a reminder of what went wrong in Dallas last season.

Bayless fired off a post on X during the match that connected Team USA’s quick start to a familiar critique. “I don’t closely follow World Cup buildup, but from what I just saw, either Team USA is better than I expected – a true contender – or Paraguay’s defense is no better than last year’s Cowboys’.”

The post landed because Bayless rarely passes on a chance to drag the Cowboys into any conversation. Even a World Cup stage wasn’t off limits. For Dallas fans, the comparison stung — last season’s defense, once a strength under Dan Quinn, showed cracks that opponents exploited late in the year. Paraguay, chasing shadows for most of the night, looked similarly disorganized.

Sports media figures have been slow to engage with the USMNT during this home World Cup cycle. Bayless’ comment signals a shift. When a polarizing NFL commentator uses a soccer match to take a shot at America’s Team, it means the tournament has grabbed the broader sports audience.

The USMNT didn’t just win. They controlled the tempo from kickoff. Balogun’s brace gave the home crowd belief, and Reyna’s late goal — built from nearly 30 uninterrupted passes — showed the kind of composure that head coach Mauricio Pochettino has emphasized since taking over.

Bayless’ critique, meanwhile, keeps Dallas in the headlines during the NFL offseason. The Cowboys haven’t made a deep playoff run in years, and their defensive struggles in 2025 remain a sore spot. That a World Cup match became the backdrop for another reminder of those issues is exactly the kind of overlap that defines the current sports landscape.

For the USMNT, the attention is welcome. For Cowboys fans, it’s just another stray bullet.