Football's biggest stars took centre stage as the 2026 FIFA World Cup continued to produce memorable moments, with Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland inspiring victories for their respective nations.
Defending champions Argentina launched their title defence in impressive fashion, defeating Algeria 3-0 with veteran captain Lionel Messi delivering a stunning reminder of his enduring class. The 38-year-old rolled back the years with a brilliant hat-trick that left the Algerians with no answer and handed Argentina a dream start to the tournament.
France also opened their campaign on a winning note after overcoming Senegal 3-1 in a lively contest. Mbappé put Les Bleus ahead after latching onto a precise pass from Michael Olise and calmly finishing beyond goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
Substitute Bradley Barcola doubled France's advantage shortly after coming on for Ousmane Dembélé, putting the 2018 champions firmly in control. Senegal refused to give up and were rewarded deep into stoppage time when Ibrahim Mbaye reduced the deficit.
However, any hopes of a late comeback were quickly extinguished as Mbappé raced through moments later to restore France's two-goal cushion. The strike completed his brace and saw him become France's all-time leading scorer, adding another remarkable milestone to his growing legacy.
Norway, making their long-awaited return to football's showpiece event, sent a strong message with a convincing 4-1 victory over Iraq. Erling Haaland announced himself on the World Cup stage with two goals on his tournament debut as Norway's attack overwhelmed their opponents.
Austria also enjoyed a successful outing, defeating World Cup newcomers Jordan 3-1. Romano Schmid opened the scoring before Ali Olwan equalised for Jordan. The Europeans regained the lead through an own goal before veteran forward Marko Arnautović converted a late penalty to secure all three points.
Elsewhere, the tournament continued to deliver surprises. Spain were held to a shock goalless draw by Cape Verde, while Belgium and Egypt settled for a 1-1 draw. Saudi Arabia earned a creditable point against Uruguay following a 1-1 stalemate, and Iran shared the spoils with New Zealand in an entertaining 2-2 encounter.
With the group stage gathering pace, the World Cup is already living up to expectations. From Messi's brilliance and Mbappé's record-breaking feat to Haaland's explosive debut, the tournament has offered fans a blend of star power, drama and unexpected results, setting the stage for even more compelling action in the days ahead.
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