New York: It was a day for stars at the FIFA World Cup 2026 as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Erling Haaland broke multiple records. France kicked things off with a 3-1 win over Senegal that saw Mbappe grab a brace, as they exacted revenge for the 0-1 defeat in the 2002 World Cup.
Norway then romped to a 4-1 win over Iraq, which was the first defeat for an Asian side in the competition so far, as Erling Haaland grabbed a brace. Lionel Messi then scored his first-ever World Cup hat trick as Argentina began their title defence with a 3-0 win over Algeria. Austria and Jordan ended the day as Ralf Rangnick's side came out on top with a 3-1 win.
However, Cristiano Ronaldo endured a disappointing start to the FIFA World Cup as Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo.
