World Cup 2026: Mbappe lights up MetLife Stadium, Ronaldo’s last shot begins, England dare to believe again | OneFootball

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has barely started, yet records are falling, and the standout stars are already making headlines.

Erling Braut Haaland wasted no time on his World Cup debut, netting a first-half brace as Norway thrashed Iraq 4-1 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

Approximately 300 kilometres away, France and Senegal kicked things off in Group I with a high-scoring contest, highlighted by Kylian Mbappe’s historic performance.

Read on as we round up the biggest storylines and preview the action still to come.

Kylian Mbappe makes history at MetLife Stadium

France took time to adapt to New Jersey’s heat as they bounced back from a disappointing first-half display to beat Senegal 3-1 on the back of Mbappe’s brilliant showing.

Didier Deschamps’ side finished the first half with a single shot. They were lucky to enter half-time on level terms.

Les Bleus did nothing in the front third for over 60 minutes, and it was clear that someone would have to step up. Unsurprisingly, Mbappe, who cannot stop impressing at World Cups, answered the call.

La Liga’s top scorer broke the deadlock in the 66th minute to draw level with Olivier Giroud as France’s all-time leading goalscorer.

In second-half stoppage time, he unleashed a long-range screamer to break the tie, becoming the outright top scorer for his country with his 14th World Cup goal.

Mbappe is now only two goals shy of Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup scoring record. The Real Madrid talisman should leapfrog the German legend this summer.

Although the 27-year-old stole the show, it’s worth noting that Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola scored off the bench, while Ibrahim Mbaye found the consolation goal for the Indomitable Lions.

Now or never for Ronaldo

As commentator Peter Drury expertly said, ‘Lionel Messi shook hands with paradise’ when Argentina ended their World Cup drought in Qatar four years ago, opening a huge gap between himself and his arch-nemesis Cristiano Ronaldo.

That one piece of silverware that’s currently separating the two most iconic footballers of our time could make all the difference in a never-ending ‘GOAT’ debate.

And it also begs the question – will this be Ronaldo’s tournament? One thing’s certain, he won’t have another chance.

At 41, Ronaldo’s illustrious career is drawing to a close, and there’s no better way to cap it off than by winning the only trophy missing from his glittering cabinet.

Despite entering the tournament as outside favourites to ascend to the throne, this Portugal team is more than just the Al-Nassr superstar.

With Premier League record breaker Bruno Fernandes and AC Milan talisman Rafael Leao joining the five-time Ballon d’Or winner in a star-studded frontline, they could be a force to be reckoned with.  

Portugal’s World Cup journey starts with a heavily anticipated clash against debutants DR Congo in Group K’s curtain-raising fixture, with matches against Colombia and Uzbekistan waiting in the wings.

Is it finally coming home?

Sixty years have passed since England won their last and only World Cup title. Expectations are as high as ever after the Three Lions won all eight qualifying fixtures by a combined score of 22-0.

Despite England’s flawless qualifying record, German manager Thomas Tuchel has come under scrutiny after his controversial squad selection, with numerous standout Premier League stars left out in favour of some wash-ups, such as Jordan Henderson and Ivan Toney.

However, all that will be forgotten should England break their six-decade wait for a major international trophy, with Tuchel bidding to become the first foreign manager in history to lead another nation to World Cup glory.

A strong start would serve to settle fans’ nerves after several underwhelming performances in warm-up games, yet standing on the other side are back-to-back semi-finalists Croatia.

Zlatko Dalic’s men represent anything but an ideal opening opponent for a side carrying the weight of expectation, although the fact that this clash takes place in the opening round could work in England’s favour.

Unbeaten in seven of their last eight World Cup openers, England will seek revenge for a heartbreaking 2018 semi-final loss, which remains their only defeat in the last six meetings between the sides.  

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England’s pursuit of a long-awaited World Cup success may not entirely rest on Harry Kane’s shoulders, but if they are to end their wait, their all-time top scorer will almost certainly have a major role to play.

With eight goals across the last two editions, the Bayern Munich striker is one of the leading contenders for the Golden Boot, and there’s little doubt he’ll be eager to announce his candidacy from the outset.

Fresh off another remarkable club season, Kane arrives in North America in red-hot form and determined to edge one step closer to football immortality.

Let’s see if Croatia can stop him.