The 2026 World Cup isn’t even a full week old, and already the tournament is delivering moments that will be replayed for decades. Forget the cautious opening matches and slow-burn group stages we’ve come to expect — this thing started with fireworks.
Let’s start in New Jersey, where Kylian Mbappe reminded everyone why he’s the most dangerous man on the planet with the ball at his feet. France looked lifeless for 65 minutes against Senegal, managing just one first-half shot and an embarrassing 0.02 expected goals. Then Mbappe flipped a switch.
In the 66th minute, he tied Olivier Giroud as France’s all-time leading scorer. Then, deep into stoppage time, he uncorked a long-range screamer that broke the tie and made him the outright top scorer in Les Bleus history with his 14th World Cup goal. The Real Madrid star is now just two goals shy of Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup scoring record. At 27 years old, it’s not a question of if he’ll break it — it’s when.
Meanwhile, Erling Haaland wasted no time making his World Cup debut memorable. He bagged a first-half brace as Norway steamrolled Iraq 4-1 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The Norwegian giant is already putting the tournament on notice.
Ronaldo’s final act — and Portugal’s real shot
Cristiano Ronaldo turns 41 this year. His prime is a memory. But here’s the thing: Portugal might actually be good enough to win this thing without him being the hero. Bruno Fernandes is coming off a record-breaking Premier League season, Rafael Leao is a matchup nightmare, and the supporting cast is deeper than any Ronaldo has had in years.
Portugal opens Group K against debutants DR Congo, with Colombia and Uzbekistan waiting. The path is manageable, but the pressure is immense. Ronaldo has never won a World Cup. Lionel Messi ended that debate in Qatar. If Portugal lifts the trophy this summer, the GOAT conversation gets a whole lot louder — and it becomes the final chapter of a legendary career.
England and the weight of six decades
Sixty years. That’s how long it’s been since England last won a World Cup. This time around, they enter with a perfect qualifying record — eight wins, 22 goals scored, zero conceded. And yet, manager Thomas Tuchel is already under fire for leaving several Premier League stars at home while bringing Jordan Henderson and Ivan Toney. Fans online were swift to question those decisions.
But here’s the thing about tournaments: nobody remembers the squad drama if you win. England opens against Croatia, a team that has ended their dreams before — most painfully in the 2018 semifinal. Croatia is a tough first test, but the Three Lions have lost only one of their last six matches against them.
Harry Kane arrives in North America fresh off another monster club season at Bayern Munich. He’s scored eight goals across the last two World Cups and is a front-runner for the Golden Boot. If England is going to end six decades of hurt, it will almost certainly go through their all-time leading scorer.
Let’s see if Croatia has anything to say about it.
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