The group stage of the 2026 World Cup is in the books, and the 48-team format has already done exactly what FIFA hoped. New faces, wild stories, and at least one moment that makes you forget all the politics and money that got us here.
That moment belongs to Vozinha. The Cape Verde goalkeeper is 40 years old. He didn’t turn pro until he was 25. He just got released by a second-division club in Portugal. And in his first World Cup game, he held Spain to a draw. The European champions. On the biggest stage in sports.
After the final whistle, cameras caught him crying. Not because of the result, though that was huge. He said it was because his grandparents died a few years ago and couldn’t see it. And because his mom couldn’t get a visa in time. The money and the paperwork just didn’t work out. His social media following went from a few thousand to millions overnight. Cape Verde made the knockout round on their first try.
Messi at 39 Is Just Showing Off Now
What else is there to say about this guy? Lionel Messi has six goals in maybe two and a half games of actual playing time. He hit a hat trick against Algeria, two more against Austria, and another off the bench against Jordan. He’s the first player ever to score in seven straight World Cup matches. Miroslav Klose’s all-time record is gone. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is chasing back-to-back World Cups at an age when most players are retired or playing in Saudi Arabia.
The Best Game Nobody Will Forget
Algeria versus Austria in the final group game was pure chaos. Both teams needed a draw to advance, which usually means a boring stalemate. Instead, they played like it was a knockout final. Algeria came from behind twice. Then Riyad Mahrez scored in stoppage time to put them ahead, which would have sent Austria home. But Austria answered in the 96th minute with a header from Saša Kalajdžic. It’s the first time in World Cup history a team fell behind in the 90th minute or later and still escaped with a point. Both teams advanced. Iran got bounced. That’s how you end a group stage.
France Looked Scary Good
Group I was supposed to be a minefield. France made it look like a training camp. They went 3-0 with 10 goals scored. Senegal, Iraq, Norway — it didn’t matter who stood in front of them. Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele each scored four goals. Michael Olise racked up three assists. Desiré Doue is 21 and already looks like he belongs in that front four. Good luck stopping that in the knockout rounds.
On the flip side, Turkey came in with all the usual dark horse hype and went home with zero wins. A team with Arda Guler, Kenan Yildiz, and Hakan Calhanoglu finished dead last in a group with the USA, Australia, and Paraguay. That’s going to leave a mark.
And then there’s Kerim Alajbegovic. The 18-year-old Bosnian signed with Bayer Leverkusen before the tournament, which is looking like a steal. He tore through Qatar with a mazy run and a rocket from distance. That goal made him the youngest player to score from outside the box at a World Cup since 1966. His price tag just went up.
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