FIFA WC 2026 Week 1 round-up: Messi and Mbappe shine as Ronaldo’s star dims | FIFA World Cup 2026

The FIFA World Cup 2026 has completed its first week of action and, in just seven days, fans have witnessed masterclasses in individual performances, memorable upsets, and impressive displays from some of the tournament favourites, not to mention some spirited resistance from lesser-known teams. By the end of the opening week, co-hosts Mexico had also become the first side to secure their place in the round of 32.

Week 1 has been a reminder that football’s old order refuses to go quietly into the night even as a new generation threatens to crash the party. Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane and Erling Haaland lit up the tournament with statement performances, while Cristiano Ronaldo’s much-anticipated return failed to produce the fairytale beginning many had hoped for.

Here is a recap of all the memorable happenings over the first week of the FIFA World Cup 2026 being held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Messi’s magic remains intact

For years, the World Cup had been the stage where Messi’s brilliance was measured against expectations. In 2026, the Argentine captain finally appears to be playing with freedom, likely because, for the first time in his six appearances at the tournament, he is defending the trophy rather than chasing it.

Argentina’s title defence began with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Algeria in Group J and, fittingly, all three goals came from Messi.

Mbappe’s historic night

If Messi reminded the world of his magic, Mbappe once again showcased why he is regarded as the heir to football’s throne.

France’s 3-1 victory over Senegal saw the French captain score twice and overtake Olivier Giroud to become his country’s all-time leading scorer with 58 goals.

The brace also took Mbappe’s World Cup tally to 14 goals, levelling with Germany’s Gerd Muller in fourth place on the all-time list. Only Messi and Klose, with 16 goals each, and Brazil legend Ronaldo Nazario, with 15, are now ahead of the 27-year-old.

Most goals in FIFA World Cup history

Norway announce their return

Few teams entered the tournament with as much momentum as Norway, who qualified for the World Cup with a perfect record in the European qualifiers.

But expectations were tempered by the country’s long absence from football’s biggest stage.

Their emphatic 4-1 victory over Iraq confirmed that they are more than just participants in the 48-team event. Star striker Erling Haaland scored twice, while Martin Odegaard dictated the tempo as Norway celebrated their first World Cup appearance since 1998 in style.

Having won all eight qualifying matches and starting the tournament with a convincing victory, Norway are rapidly emerging as one of the teams nobody will want to face.

Ronaldo’s wait grows longer

While Messi, Mbappe, and Haaland dominated the headlines, the storyline for Cristiano Ronaldo during the opening week was considerably less memorable.

Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their opening game, with the 41-year-old failing to score despite several opportunities.

It was also the first World Cup since 2014 in which Ronaldo failed to find the net in his opening match. He scored a hat-trick against Spain in Portugal’s first game at the 2018 World Cup and netted against Ghana in the opening match of the 2022 edition.

With what is likely to be his final World Cup underway, the pressure is mounting on the all-time leading scorer in men’s international football.

Controversies arrive early

No World Cup is complete without debate, and the first week provided plenty.

Mandatory hydration breaks, introduced to help players cope with the North American summer, became one of the biggest talking points. Critics argued they disrupted the rhythm of matches and increased commercial interruptions.

Several VAR decisions also came under scrutiny, while players and coaches voiced concerns about scheduling and extreme weather conditions.

The tournament also encountered political complications. Iran captain Mehdi Taremi and head coach Amir Ghalenoei revealed that FIFA had ordered the team to leave the United States immediately after their 2-2 draw against New Zealand in Los Angeles and return to their base in Tijuana, Mexico, denying the squad an overnight stay for recovery.

Mexico strike first

Amid all the drama, co-hosts Mexico became the first team to secure a place in the round of 32.

Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0 in their opening game before edging past South Korea 1-0 to collect six points from two matches.

With South Korea on three points and both Czechia and South Africa on one point each, Mexico became the first side to officially progress to the knockout stage.

Canada secure historic breakthrough

Co-hosts Canada are also enjoying a memorable campaign.

Before the start of the tournament, Canada had never won or drawn a match at the FIFA World Cup. However, just two games into the 2026 edition, they have already earned their first point with a draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina and followed it up with a commanding 6-0 victory over Qatar.

With four points from two games, Canada are now well placed to join Mexico in the round of 32.

Germany turn back the clock

Germany arrived at the tournament with lingering doubts after suffering group-stage exits in both 2018 and 2022.

Those concerns briefly resurfaced when debutants Curacao cancelled out Felix Nmecha’s early opener to level the scores at 1-1.

However, Julian Nagelsmann’s side responded emphatically. Kai Havertz scored twice as Germany ran out 7-1 winners, recreating the scoreline of their famous victory over Brazil in the semi-finals of the 2014 World Cup.

Vozinha steals the show for Cape Verde

In one of the biggest David-versus-Goliath stories of the opening week, debutants Cape Verde held tournament favourites Spain to a goalless draw.

The star of the night was 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha, who produced a string of saves to frustrate the European champions.

Spain registered 23 shots and eight efforts on target, but the veteran goalkeeper stood firm to earn Cape Verde their first-ever World Cup point. His heroic display also earned him the Player of the Match award.

Kane continues his purple patch

After finishing as the leading goalscorer at club level during the 2025-26 season, England captain Harry Kane carried his rich vein of form into the FIFA World Cup 2026, scoring twice in England’s commanding 4-2 victory over Croatia in their Group L opener.

Kane put England ahead from the penalty spot in the 12th minute, but Croatia responded through Martin Baturina, who levelled the scores in the 36th minute. The England skipper restored his side’s advantage six minutes later with his second goal of the night, only for Petar Musa to strike in first-half stoppage time and send the teams into the break locked at 2-2.

England regained control soon after the restart as Jude Bellingham found the net in the 47th minute before Marcus Rashford sealed the victory with a late goal in the 85th minute, helping the Three Lions begin their campaign with an impressive win.

FIFA World Cup 2026 Week 1 results

One week into the expanded tournament, familiar stars have once again dominated the headlines, but the opening round of matches has also shown that surprises are never far away. With qualification places at stake and the race for the round of 32 gathering pace, the second week promises even more drama.