The 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada, has kicked off with incredible goal-scoring action. From the very first days of the tournament, fans have witnessed a true goal fest, and Lionel Messi has immediately established himself as the main favorite for the "Golden Boot".
Messi and his historic achievement
The captain of the Argentina national team has single-handedly topped the scoring charts by scoring the tournament's first hat-trick. This brilliant performance not only secured the Argentine's top spot in the table but also allowed him to equal the total number of World Cup goals scored by the legendary German striker Miroslav Klose. Both players now have 16 goals to their name in World Cup history.
Record-breaking goal-scoring and star doubles
In total, teams scored 79 goals against each other in the first round of the group stage. 57 players from 39 different national teams managed to score with their precise shots. June 14th became the record-breaking day of the tournament, with participants scoring 19 goals. The biggest victory so far was the crushing defeat of Curaçao by the German national team with a score of 7:1.
Aside from Messi, seven players immediately started the tournament with doubles. The first to achieve this feat was American Folarin Balogun in the match against Paraguay. The next day, his success was repeated by German Kai Havertz in the game against Curaçao. They were subsequently joined by Swede Yassin Ayari, Englishman Harry Kane, Norwegian Erling Haaland, and Frenchman Kylian Mbappé. It is worth noting that at the previous World Cup in Qatar-2022, it was Mbappé who became the top scorer, netting eight goals.
Sensations and defensive failures
A true sensation in the list of top scorers was New Zealander Elijah Just, who scored a double against Iran. However, the start of the tournament was remembered not only for bright attacks but also for defensive errors: players already have five own goals to their credit.
In contrast to the general goal celebration, eight national teams failed to score against their opponents in the opening matches. Currently, South Africa, Haiti, Turkey, Ecuador, Cape Verde, Algeria, Panama, and even Spain have zero in the goals scored column.