Messi Made History Again at 38. But a 40-Year-Old Goalkeeper Stole Matchday 1.

The first round of the 2026 World Cup is in the books, and if you blinked, you missed something insane. Cape Verde held Spain to a 0-0 draw, Lionel Messi became the oldest man to score a hat trick at a World Cup, and a teenager from Lille outplayed Brazil’s midfield. Let’s start with the biggest surprise.

The 40-Year-Old Who Ruined Spain’s Day

Vozinha, Cape Verde’s goalkeeper, is 40 years old. He’s the ninth-oldest player ever to appear in a World Cup. And against Spain, the pre-tournament favorites, he was unstoppable. Seven saves. A clean sheet. According to expected goals on target data, he prevented 1.5 goals, which tied for the best mark among any keeper who posted a shutout. His performance wasn’t just good. It was the kind of thing that gets remembered for decades.

A Dublin-Born Defender Anchored the Same Upset

Roberto Lopes, who goes by Pico, is not a household name. He was born in Dublin and plays for Cape Verde. Against Spain, he made 11 clearances, the sixth-most of any player in the tournament so far. But stats don’t capture the way he kept snuffing out danger as Spain grew more desperate. It wasn’t pretty. It was relentless. And it worked.

Messi Just Did Something No One His Age Should Be Able To Do

Argentina beat Algeria 3-0, and Messi scored all three goals. Two were from outside the box. One was a tap-in. He’s 38 years and 357 days old, which makes him the oldest player to bag a World Cup hat trick by a wide margin. Cristiano Ronaldo was 33 when he did it against Spain in 2018. Messi also tied Miroslav Klose for the most World Cup goals ever, with 16. You don’t need a stat to justify putting him in a best XI for Matchday 1. But for the record, he earned it.

Haaland Scored Twice and Still Wants More

Erling Haaland made his World Cup debut for Norway against Iraq and scored two goals before halftime. His first was a poacher’s finish off a cross. His second came after the Iraqi keeper botched a clearance. He probably should have had a hat trick, but he shot straight at the keeper on a breakaway. His 1.85 expected goals led everyone on Matchday 1. He’s the first Norwegian to score multiple goals in a World Cup game. Norway is being called a dark horse for a reason.

The Teenager Who Outplayed Brazil

Ayyoub Bouaddi is 18 years and 254 days old. He plays for Lille. And in Morocco’s 1-1 draw with Brazil, he had 87 touches. Only Brazil’s two center-backs had more, which tells you where the game was played. He completed 60 of 66 passes, a 90.7 percent rate. That makes him the second-youngest player since 1966 to complete 50-plus passes in a World Cup match. He also carried the ball forward, beat defenders, and generally looked like he belonged on that stage. He does.

Mbappé Keeps Chasing History

Kylian Mbappé had a quiet first half against Senegal. Then he scored twice in the second half to win 3-1. The first goal was a smart finish off a gorgeous pass from Michael Olise. The second was a long-range strike in stoppage time. He attempted nine dribbles, second only to Jérémy Doku on Matchday 1. His brace made him France’s all-time leading scorer with 59 goals. He now has 14 World Cup goals, three behind Klose and Messi. The chase is on.

USA Rolls Paraguay, and McKennie Was Everywhere

The United States beat Paraguay 4-1, and Weston McKennie was one of the best players on the pitch. He attempted 31 passes in the final third, which no one else came within five of. He created three chances, matched only by Malik Tillman. He completed all three of his dribble attempts. Antonee Robinson, the Fulham left-back, was also a constant threat, with 20 carries and the most final-third passes of any defender besides two others from teams that lost. This was a statement win for the US.

Panama’s Right Wing-Back Was a One-Man Wrecking Crew

Amir Murillo of Panama lost 1-0 to Ghana, but he still made the list. He created three chances from open play, which tied for the most among defenders. He had 12 progressive carries, more than any other right-sided full-back or wing-back. He contested 20 duels, the fourth-most among defenders, and won 70 percent of them. He also attempted six tackles, which only two players in the entire tournament topped. Sometimes a loss says more about a player’s effort than a win does.

Matchday 2 starts soon, with Czechia vs. South Africa. But for now, this is the team that made the first round unforgettable.