Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 04:05am on 18 Jun 2026,Thursday Sports
The opening matchday of the 2026 FIFA World Cup was dominated by football’s biggest stars as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland delivered standout performances. Messi scored the first World Cup hat-trick of his career in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria, drawing level with Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals. Mbappé netted twice in France’s 3-1 win over Senegal, becoming France’s all-time leading scorer with 58 goals, surpassing Olivier Giroud. Haaland struck twice as Norway defeated Iraq 4-1. Their performances silenced doubts over recent form and reinforced their status among football’s elite. (PC: Khelnow, teamtalk & talksport)
