After one week of the 2026 World Cup’s first-round group matches, standout performances have propelled Lionel Messi and the U.S. men’s national team, while Cristiano Ronaldo’s quiet opening and coaching shakeups in Tunisia have raised immediate stakes for team
By the time Thursday rolled around, the 2026 World Cup had already delivered a clear message: no matter how big the names are, every group match can flip the story.
This year’s tournament is the longest World Cup ever, built around a 48-team format. In the first 48-team World Cup, every team has now played one match. Thursday marks the beginning of the second round of group-stage matches. with the final two groups playing their openers on Wednesday. The first round delivered plenty of goals. star power that showed up on cue. and several shocks that—so far—came in the form of draws rather than wins.
Out of that opening burst of action, the winners looked like they belonged to the tournament’s contenders. The losers left questions hanging—some about tactics, some about age and role, and some about whether a coach can survive a single bad night.
Lionel Messi answered early doubts with a statement. Heading into the tournament, there were questions about whether Messi—about to turn 39—could still carry one of the favorites. Against Algeria, he did more than deliver. He scored a sensational hat trick, moving into a tie for most men’s World Cup goals ever.
The U.S. men’s national team, meanwhile, treated its first match like a mission briefing. The team has two intertwined goals: go on a deep run in the knockout stage and help grow the sport in the United States. With a 4-1 thrashing of Paraguay, the U.S. start landed both parts at once—winning in a thrilling and emphatic fashion while delivering the kind of result that pulls attention.
Then there were the “little guys,” the teams that seemed least likely to make noise before kickoff. New Zealand, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar were all among the long-shots. None of them lost their openers. and aside from New Zealand—who tied Iran—they managed at least a point against heavily favored opponents. Cape Verde earned special mention after drawing mighty Spain, the shock of the first round of matches.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s opening, by contrast, put uncomfortable attention on Portugal’s choices. Like Messi. Ronaldo also entered the tournament with questions—only. for him. the focus was even sharper around age and role. Against Congo DR, Portugal could only manage a 1-1 draw, and Ronaldo was mostly invisible. The 41-year-old touched the ball 25 times in the full match, with no shots on target. One moment stood out: a shot that ended up robbing what looked like an easy goal from teammate Bruno Fernandes.
That performance left a sharp, practical question hanging in the air: will Roberto Martinez follow in predecessor Fernando Santos’ footsteps and bench Ronaldo at a World Cup?
Another disappointment quickly turned personal for coaching staff. Tunisia’s opener ended so badly that it produced immediate consequences. Last week, Tunisia was hammered 5-1 by Sweden. The match turned early when goalkeeper Mouhib Chamakh made an error that led to the first goal. Chamakh’s start itself was tied to a gamble from Sabri Lamouchi—he went out on a limb by backing a keeper who wasn’t expected to start. and the move backfired.
Lamouchi’s time didn’t last long. He was sacked after the loss, and Hervé Renard has since taken over on the bench.
There was also a starker kind of fall-from-words disappointment: Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Turkey didn’t just lose—they did it after insisting they would do something specific. Ahead of Turkey’s match against Australia, the Turkey captain declared that his team would “dominate” the Socceroos. Turkey had provided enough material for bulletin boards, but the result was blunt. Turkey lost 2-0 in their first World Cup match in 24 years.
After the game, Çalhanoğlu still insisted that Turkey dominated. The argument may have been about possession or shots, but the scoreboard told the only stat that matters—Turkey lost.
The sequence of the first week has left a simple contrast: Messi’s hat trick and the U.S.’s 4-1 statement pushed their cases forward. while Ronaldo’s quiet. no-on-target start and Tunisia’s 5-1 collapse pulled questions into focus. In the same stretch. teams like Cape Verde proved that avoiding a first loss can be a pathway to momentum. even when opponents are expected to carry the day.
With Thursday beginning the second round of group-stage matches, the tournament’s message is already landing. Names can still dazzle. results can still spread like a shockwave. and a single group opener can change more than standings—it can change jobs. plans. and the way a whole team is viewed before it’s played a full tournament worth of games.
2026 World Cup Lionel Messi hat trick USMNT Paraguay Cristiano Ronaldo Portugal Tunisia Sabri Lamouchi Hervé Renard Hakan Çalhanoğlu Turkey Australia Cape Verde Spain Sweden Congo DR World Cup winners losers
Messi hat trick already?? Damn I missed the whole thing lol.
So Ronaldo just… stalled? I feel like that’s what happens when coaches start changing stuff mid tournament. Also why is the World Cup so long now? 48 teams sounds like too many games to even care.
Wait Thursday is the second round of group matches but you said the first round is one week of matches? I’m confused. Either way, if Messi is 39 and still scoring like that then everybody else needs to retire or what.
U.S. beating Paraguay 4-1 is cool but I don’t get how it says “help grow the sport in the U.S.” like one game does that. Also Algeria being in the World Cup?? I thought they were bad at soccer, maybe I’m thinking of something else. The “shocks” are just draws half the time anyway.