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The fact that Lionel Messi already has five goals at the 2026 World Cup is obviously a great thing for Argentina. The worry, though, is that none of his team-mates have even managed to score one. Admittedly, relying on Messi was always part of the plan. As striking legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic said on Fox Sports, "Messi isn't just Argentina's best player. He's Argentina's system."

As it turns out, Belgium might just be alright. Talk of a golden generation is long over and, to be fair, their first two World Cup results only furthered the idea that the Red Devils' time has passed. If Friday's group stage finale against New Zealand is any indication, though, Belgium's old guard might just have one last run at all of this.

The defining image of Spain's World Cup win over Uruguay was not a celebration. It was not Spain's trademark tiki-taka or a Lamine Yamal rainbow flick. Instead, it was backup goalkeeper Sergio Rochet replacing Fernando Muslera at halftime after the veteran's costly error helped open the door for Alex Baena to send Spain top of their group.

Mexico topped their World Cup group, but not everyone boosted their standing. GOAL looks at who is rising under Javier Aguirre and who is slipping before the Round of 32.

GOAL breaks down which players helped and hurt their cases of contributing in the knockout rounds

Ousmane Dembele netted a sublime 32-minute hat-trick to blow Norway away and ensure France secured top spot in World Cup Group I with a 4-1 victory on Friday. The damage was done in the first half as the Ballon d'Or holder ran riot, ably assisted by Kylian Mbappe.

All three host nations have impressed at the 2026 World Cup, and there is reason to believe that deep runs could be on the cards this summer

For some football fans, the summer is the part of the calendar that they look forward to the most - and that's not just because it's filled by a World Cup every four years! Rather, it's because the end of the season means only one thing: It's time for transfers! The 2026 window is likely to once again be bust, with some huge names set to make big-money moves before deadline day on September 1.

Thomas Tuchel definitely didn't want to be in this situation. After England's tournament-opener, in which the Three Lions rather comfortably saw off Croatia, it was presumed that the German coach would be thinking about rotation by now. His hardest opponent was out of the way, meaning another win, over Ghana, would secure top spot with a game to spare. Instead, he has to stick with the big guns after an incredibly frustrating draw with the Black Stars.

Christian Pulisic returned, Sebastian Berhalter impressed, and Auston Trusty delivered a big moment, but a late Turkiye winner exposed the USMNT’s defensive depth.

Christian Pulisic returned from injury, and Sebastian Berhalter starred, but a heavily rotated USMNT side conceded in stoppage time as Turkiye ended their perfect World Cup start.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Germany were full of attacking intent but badly lacking in defensive quality in a poor final World Cup group stage fixture, falling to a dogged Ecuador, 2-1. Julian Nagelsmann's side got an early goal from Leroy Sane, but conceded twice, and never had a coherent response. They still top the group, but go into the knockouts on a dreary note.

A spot in the knockout round is already secure, but, first, the U.S. must navigate a clash with a down-on-their-luck but motivated team.

Another summer, another Chelsea move for a high-potential, young star. This one, though, might just be different. The Blues have sprung into life to hijack Inter's move for Atalanta prospect Marco Palestra, who is now set to become the first signing of the Xabi Alonso era in a deal worth a cool €55 million (£47m/$62m).

June 25, 1982 was, according to The Times, "the day that sportsmanship died". What was expected to be a fiercely competitive fixture between West Germany and Austria became a 'non-aggression pact' between two teams who effectively stopped playing during the second half of their World Cup group game in Gijon to ensure that both progressed to the second round.

Excitement is growing as we move through the group stages at the 2026 World Cup and, throughout the showpiece tournament in North America, GOAL, in association with eToro, is tracking the value of some of the world's most sought-after talents. Will their price rise or plummet? Follow our unique player value tracker to find out...

England fans have seen Cole Palmer produce the goods for the national team before. Indeed, he almost saved an otherwise poor performance in the Euro 2024 final, scoring an equalising goal and providing a spark when the Three Lions looked dead in the water against Spain. They did, of course, still go on to lose that game, as they have done at countless tournaments over the years.