From the most talked-about moments among fans, to on-field controversies, to the biggest stars, best performances, upsets, and more.
Lionel Messi’s first ever hat-trick, mighty Spain stunned small nation Cape Verde, and Democratic Republic of Congo silenced Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.
What more could you ask for in the opening week of the FIFA World Cup?
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Here are the top 10 points earned after the first round of group matches:
Last dance? Probably not, Lionel Messi has more in store
Before the tournament began in North America, many expected Lionel Messi to gear up for his final performance. But after scoring his first hat-trick in a World Cup (also tying the record for most World Cup goals), Messi reminded us that his story is not over yet.
Where is Cristiano Ronaldo? Portugal star player missing
While Messimania has dominated the headlines in recent days, his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo has also been in the news, albeit for the wrong reasons. “Is he past his prime?” viewers asked after his largely anonymous performance in Portugal’s 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Wednesday.
You can’t stop Kylian Mbappé
For Kylian Mbappé, becoming France’s all-time top scorer has always seemed to be a matter of when, but achieving this feat in his first World Cup match is further proof of his extraordinary talent. The 27-year-old is currently two shy of the World Cup goalscoring record and has made it a habit to chase the record.
Golden bootlaces are taking shape
Long range rockets, tap-ins, headers, etc. There was no shortage of goals, with Argentina legend Messi leading the way with three goals. As many as seven players are tied for second with two goals each, including England’s Harry Kane, Norway’s Erling Haaland and France’s Mbappe.
Title favorites are struggling
This is the upset of this tournament. Spain, the absolute favorites for the World Cup, stumbled at the first hurdle and were held to a shocking goalless draw by Cape Verde, an archipelago of around 500,000 people in the west of the African continent, whose team sits 65 places below second in the world in the FIFA world rankings.
Don’t write off the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Iohan Ouissa’s first ever goal, and the Democratic Republic of Congo’s first World Cup goal, caused the joy of millions from Kinshasa to Niangara. And for the other teams in the tournament, the 1-1 draw with fifth-placed Portugal sent a warning that underdogs are about to take on soccer’s powerhouses, especially with the world watching.
Dear Curacao, welcome to the World Cup
The 7-1 defeat by Germany did little to dampen the spirits of Curacao’s fans, many of whom left for the United States. For the small Caribbean island, the smallest country to ever compete in a World Cup, defeat meant nothing compared to the joy of seeing their country score on sport’s biggest stage. Libano Comencia is a hero for the entire island of Curacao.
pink boots are everywhere
Pink seems to be the color of the month, at least for the World Cup. Regardless of manufacturer, several players were seen wearing bright, solid-colored boots, or cleats as Americans call them. Sportswear giants like Nike, Adidas, and Puma are also joining in on this trend by making their boots “electric fuchsia.”
From beats to booze, fans bring the party to the World Cup
It is no exaggeration to say that the World Cup is soccer’s biggest festival. And some countries are doing it better than others.
With green and yellow shirts, flags and beating drums, Brazilian fans brought some of Rio to New York, but then Moroccans joined the party, with red smoke from smoke bombs setting the mood for the World Cup. In Boston, Scotland’s famous Tartan Army gulped down beer after beer, almost draining some pubs of beer in the first weekend they took over the city for the World Cup.
Introducing Mexico’s unofficial mascot, Marlin the Duck
The best way to sum up the soccer fever in co-host Mexico is that the fan base is not limited to humans. A domesticated duck named Merlin, wearing a miniature Mexican shirt and custom-made duck socks, entered the hearts of many and became the unlikely unofficial mascot of the country’s World Cup campaign.
