First Round of the World Cup: biggest highlights, surprises and stars

The World Cup 2026 First Round ended with many stories for football fans to follow. In only a few days of competition, the 2026 World Cup has already delivered excitement, unexpected results and impressive performances.

The opening week featured strong victories, emotional matches and individual highlights. With the new tournament format and more teams competing, the first round showed that the difference between traditional football nations and emerging teams continues to shrink.

The tournament also brought what fans always expect from a World Cup: great players making history and creating unforgettable moments.

World Cup 2026 First Round: Favorites

Several teams arrived at the World Cup as title contenders, and some of them quickly showed their quality.

Germany became one of the biggest stories of the opening round. The team defeated Curaçao 7-1 with an impressive attacking display. The Germans created many chances, controlled the match and showed why they are considered one of the strongest teams in the competition.

Argentina also started the tournament with confidence. The 3-0 win over Algeria showed a mature team with strong organization and experience. The squad handled the pressure of entering the World Cup as one of the favorites.

France confirmed its status as one of the strongest teams in international football. The victory against Senegal showed the team’s quality and ability to decide important moments. Kylian Mbappé once again became a key player for the French side.

England also had a positive debut. The 4-2 victory against Croatia highlighted the team’s attacking strength. However, the defense still needs adjustments during the tournament.

Brazil starts the World Cup with questions

One of the most anticipated matches of the first round was Brazil against Morocco.

The Brazilian team entered the match with high expectations but found a very competitive opponent. Morocco showed organization, intensity and confidence throughout the game.

The 1-1 draw created some doubts around Brazil. The team struggled to control the match at certain moments and did not fully transform its technical quality into clear chances.

Brazil still has time to improve during the tournament. However, as one of the favorites, the pressure will increase in the next matches.

Morocco, meanwhile, continues to prove its growth on the international stage. The team showed that it can compete against the biggest football nations.

Messi, Mbappé, Haaland, Kane and Olise shine in the opening round

The first round also highlighted some of the biggest stars in world football.

Lionel Messi showed once again why he remains one of the most important players in the game. The Argentine star created opportunities, helped his teammates and controlled the rhythm of the match.

Kylian Mbappé started the World Cup as one of the biggest names to watch. His performance confirmed his role as one of the leaders of the French team.

Erling Haaland also impressed in his debut. The Norwegian striker showed his physical strength, finishing ability and dangerous presence inside the penalty area.

For England, Harry Kane proved once again why he is the team’s main attacking reference. Michael Olise also attracted attention with his creativity, movement and technical ability.

On the other hand, Cristiano Ronaldo did not have the impact many fans expected. Among the biggest stars of the tournament, he was the only one who failed to stand out in his first match.

The Portuguese forward had difficulties influencing the game. However, the competition has just started, and a player with his experience can still become decisive.

World Cup 2026 First Round: The biggest surprises of the first round

The opening matches also showed that smaller teams can challenge traditional powers.

One of the biggest surprises was the draw between Spain and Cape Verde.

Spain controlled possession and created opportunities, but Cape Verde found a hero in goalkeeper Vozinha. His important saves helped the team achieve a historic result against one of the tournament favorites.

Japan also impressed during the first round. The 2-2 draw against the Netherlands showed a team with organization, speed and confidence.

Morocco, Sweden and Ivory Coast also started the competition with positive performances.

A more competitive World Cup

The first round of the 2026 World Cup confirmed an important trend: there are no easy games anymore.

Traditional favorites remain strong, but emerging teams continue to improve. Better preparation, tactical discipline and teamwork allow more nations to compete at a high level.

Germany’s victory, Vozinha’s saves and the performances of Messi, Mbappé, Haaland, Kane and Olise became some of the biggest stories of the opening week.

What can fans expect from the next matches?

It is still too early to predict the champion, but some teams already created positive expectations.

Germany, France, Argentina and England started the tournament well. Meanwhile, Brazil, Spain, Belgium and Portugal need stronger performances to match the expectations before the competition.

The 2026 World Cup has already delivered what fans want: emotion, great players, surprises and unforgettable moments.

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