The FIFA World Cup 2026 has only been underway for 10 days, yet it has already delivered a series of historic and unforgettable moments, with several major records shattered and football legends making headlines around the world.
Superstars such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane, and Erling Haaland have all delivered outstanding performances in their opening matches, setting the stage for what is shaping up to be one of the most record-breaking tournaments in history.
Argentina’s captain Lionel Messi stole the spotlight with a sensational hat-trick against Algeria, taking his total World Cup goal tally to 16. With this achievement, he has now equaled Germany’s Miroslav Klose’s long-standing record, putting him just one step away from becoming the all-time top scorer in World Cup history.
France’s Kylian Mbappé is not far behind, sitting on 14 World Cup goals. He is now only two goals shy of matching Messi and Klose, while also becoming France’s all-time leading scorer in World Cup competitions.
England’s Harry Kane also made history by scoring twice against Croatia, bringing his World Cup total to 10 goals for England. With this, he has equaled Gary Lineker’s record as England’s highest World Cup scorer.
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, despite a quiet start to the tournament, reached a unique milestone by becoming only the second player in history to participate in six different World Cup editions. At 41 years old, he also became the oldest outfield player ever to feature in a World Cup match.
Norway’s Erling Haaland added his name to the record books as well, scoring twice against Iraq and becoming his nation’s joint all-time top scorer in World Cup history.
Meanwhile, Cape Verde’s goalkeeper Vozinha produced a remarkable performance against Spain, setting multiple records in his team’s debut World Cup appearance.
The early stages of the tournament have also been marked by intensity and discipline issues, with six red cards already shown, highlighting the aggressive and high-stakes nature of the competition.
With such a dramatic start, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is already proving to be a tournament filled with records, legends, and unforgettable moments.