The first round of matches in the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been completed, the dust has settled on 12 groups and 24 matches and the picture that has emerged is both thrilling and, in some places, genuinely shocking.
Here are the five biggest takeaways from a matchday that felt like a tournament in itself.
1. Messi: Football’s Greatest Story Still Continues
In eight days of football, there was nothing that topped what Lionel Messi did in Kansas City on June 16.
The 38-year-old scored a hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria, equalling Miroslav Klose’s all-time record of 16 World Cup goals.
According to CBS Sports, He scored the hat-trick in his 200th international game, making him the first player to appear in six World Cups and the oldest player to ever net a World Cup hat-trick.
All three of Leo Messi’s goals in his first career FIFA World Cup hat trick pic.twitter.com/jb05ZWMrVU
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 17, 2026
Haaland and Mbappé both got braces on the same day, but Messi still managed to upstage them all. At 38, he’s still in the Best player in the world conversations.
2. Superstars Showoff
Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi have scored nine goals in less than 48 hours at the World Cup.
With a double against Senegal, Mbappé now has 58 international goals and is France’s all-time leading scorer. Haaland’s two goals against Iraq were Norway’s first World Cup goals since 1998.
All three of Leo Messi’s goals in his first career FIFA World Cup hat trick pic.twitter.com/jb05ZWMrVU
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 17, 2026
Kane scored twice in England’s 4-2 win over Croatia. The biggest stars are delivering when they come to the biggest stage.
3. Newcomers Are Not Pushovers
One of the most vocal themes of Matchday 1 was first-timers refusing to be overwhelmed. DR Congo drew 1-1 with Portugal to get a World Cup point since 1974.
All three of Leo Messi’s goals in his first career FIFA World Cup hat trick pic.twitter.com/jb05ZWMrVU
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 17, 2026
Uzbekistan scored their first World Cup goal in a 3-1 loss to Colombia, through Abbosbek Fayzullaev. Cape Verde and Spain also played a 0-0 draw, a result nobody saw coming.
The new, bigger, 48-team format is creating the competitive chaos its creators envisioned.
4. The Problem With Ronaldo Is Getting Hard to Ignore
While Messi was breaking records, his great rival was becoming a frustrated figure.
Cristiano Ronaldo has gone five World Cup games without a goal and 10 games without a goal in major international tournaments.
All three of Leo Messi’s goals in his first career FIFA World Cup hat trick pic.twitter.com/jb05ZWMrVU
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 17, 2026
He played the full 90 minutes against DR Congo but only had three shots, none of which were on target. At 41, the question is not about legacy but whether Portugal’s greatest player has become a liability in the games that count most.
5. Germany Raised the Loudest Alarm
If any one result announced a team’s intent in the most emphatic way, it was Germany.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side thrashed debutants Curaçao 7-1 in Houston, with Kai Havertz grabbing a brace and Felix Nmecha, Nico Schlotterbeck, Jamal Musiala, Kevin Brown and Deniz Undav also on target.
All three of Leo Messi’s goals in his first career FIFA World Cup hat trick pic.twitter.com/jb05ZWMrVU
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 17, 2026
Not only did the four-time world champions win, but they sent a message to every contender watching from home.
The whole world is now looking forward to Matchday 2.
Ghana off to flying start
Yankee Scores earlier reported that Caleb Yirenkyi made his mark in Ghanaian football history after netting a 90th-minute winner as the Black Stars edged out Panama 1-0 in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group L opener.
It was the first senior international engagement between the two countries.
