The 2026 FIFA World Cup has barely begun, but the tournament has already produced a series of memorable moments as football’s biggest stars wasted little time making their mark on the competition.
Staged across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the expanded 48-team tournament entered its opening week with heightened anticipation, and several of the game’s most recognisable names have already delivered performances that could define the early stages of the competition.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi rolled back the years with a stunning display against Algeria, scoring a hat-trick as the defending champions opened their campaign with a convincing 3-0 victory. The three goals marked Messi’s first World Cup hat-trick and saw him draw level with former Germany striker Miroslav Klose’s long-standing record of 16 World Cup goals.
The performance further strengthened Messi’s legacy on football’s biggest stage and provided an ideal start for an Argentina side seeking to defend the title it won four years ago.
Speaking after the match, Argentina’s players praised their captain’s influence, noting that his leadership and experience continue to inspire a squad carrying the expectations of an entire nation.
While Messi’s heroics dominated headlines, France forward Kylian Mbappe quickly ensured the spotlight would be shared.
The French star scored twice in his country’s opening victory over Senegal, helping Les Bleus begin their tournament with a 3-1 win. The goals carried added significance for Mbappe, who became France’s outright leading goalscorer with 58 international goals.
Still only in the prime years of his career, Mbappe continues to build a remarkable international résumé and remains one of the leading contenders for the tournament’s Golden Boot award.
France entered the competition among the favourites and their opening performance offered a reminder of the attacking quality available to manager Didier Deschamps. With Mbappe leading the line, the French squad will believe another deep tournament run is within reach.
Beyond the achievements of the sport’s established superstars, the opening round of fixtures also delivered several notable storylines involving teams making long-awaited returns to the global stage.
Norway made a triumphant return to World Cup football after a 28-year absence, defeating Iraq 4-1 in one of the most impressive performances of the opening week. The match also marked the World Cup debut of striker Erling Haaland, whose arrival on football’s biggest stage had been eagerly anticipated by supporters and analysts alike.
Norway’s convincing victory immediately boosted hopes that the Scandinavian nation could emerge as one of the tournament’s surprise packages.
Austria also enjoyed a historic evening, recording its first World Cup victory in 36 years with a 3-1 win over Jordan. The result represented a major milestone for a side that has spent decades attempting to re-establish itself among football’s elite nations.
The expanded format of the tournament has already created opportunities for new nations to compete on the world stage, and early results suggest the competition could be one of the most unpredictable in recent memory.
With matches taking place across three host countries and millions of fans following events around the globe, attention now turns to the next round of group-stage fixtures. Several heavyweight clashes remain to come, while smaller nations will look to build on encouraging starts and challenge the tournament favourites.
The road to the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19 remains long, but the opening days of World Cup 2026 have already demonstrated why the competition remains football’s premier event.
From record-breaking performances by Messi and Mbappe to breakthrough moments for nations such as Norway and Austria, the tournament has delivered drama, history, and excitement from the very start—and there is every indication that much more is still to come.
