Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – From Lionel Messi rolling back the years to full stadiums and a Cape Verde team that shocked Spain, here is what we learned after the first round of games at the World Cup:
Issued on: 18/06/2026 - 07:00
3 min Reading time
Messi's still got itLionel Messi's World Cup odyssey appeared to reach its perfect climax in Qatar four years ago when he lifted the trophy. Or so we thought.As his 39th birthday approaches, the Argentina captain could not resist one last crack at football's biggest prize and he produced a memorable hat-trick in Kansas City.Messi's goals against Algeria -- two thunderous strikes and a poacher's finish -- took him level with Miroslav Klose's all-time World Cup record of 16 goals.France forward Kylian Mbappe is two goals behind."In the end, it's just a statistic and nothing more," a delighted Messi said.No set of numbers can adequately sum up Messi's genius, but they help tell the story of a man who continues to dazzle on the global stage.Against Austria on Monday, Messi has the chance to claim the record outright, further strengthening his case as the greatest player the game has ever seen.Toothless RonaldoCristiano Ronaldo took centre stage in Portugal's opening match against the Democratic Republic of Congo after three of football's biggest stars lit up the first round of matches.Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland both scored twice as the race for the Golden Boot got off to a flying start, while Lionel Messi outshone them all with a hat-trick.
