World Cup Openers: Mbappe and Haaland Shine, but Cape Verde, Jordan and DR Congo Write Their Own History

The opening round of the first 48-team World Cup blended superstar milestones with the defiance of underdogs. Kylian Mbappe rewrote France's scoring record and Erling Haaland marked his debut with a brace, while tournament debutants Cape Verde and Jordan wrote stories of their own with a first-ever point and a first-ever goal. The only hat-trick across the window belonged to Argentina's Lionel Messi (covered separately).

Group I belonged to the headliners. France beat Senegal 3-1 at MetLife Stadium, taking control after a dire first half with Michael Olise the creative hub. Mbappe struck at 66' and again in stoppage time to reach 58 goals for France, passing Olivier Giroud as Les Bleus' all-time leading scorer; he also drew level with Messi on 14 World Cup goals, two shy of Miroslav Klose's record 16. Bradley Barcola added the third at 82', and Ibrahim Mbaye pulled one back in stoppage time for Senegal. In the same group, Norway routed Iraq 4-1 in the Boston area, where Haaland announced himself with a brace on his World Cup debut — Norway's first-ever World Cup brace, in their first appearance since 1998, a 28-year wait. Leo Ostigard headed in a Martin Odegaard corner, and Iraq's Aymen Hussein scored their goal before later turning into his own net under pressure from Haaland.

Underdogs facing European and African heavyweights stole the spotlight too. In Group K, Portugal were held 1-1 by DR Congo at NRG Stadium in Houston. Joao Neves headed home a Pedro Neto cross inside six minutes, but DR Congo — back at a World Cup for the first time since 1974, when they played as Zaire — levelled through a Yoane Wissa header in first-half stoppage time and held on. Cristiano Ronaldo did not score, yet at 41 years 132 days he became the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup match and joined Messi as the only men to feature at six World Cups. Elsewhere in the group, Colombia beat first-time qualifiers Uzbekistan 3-1 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Daniel Munoz opened the scoring before Abbosbek Fayzullaev equalized, but Luis Diaz's go-ahead goal and a late Jaminton Campaz header settled it as Colombia returned after an eight-year absence.

Group H was defined by tight, low-scoring drama. In Atlanta, debutants Cape Verde held European champions Spain to a 0-0 draw to earn a first-ever World Cup point — the tournament's first goalless draw. Spain piled up roughly 27 shots to Cape Verde's 6, but 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha denied Ferran Torres, Pedri and Aymeric Laporte to be named Player of the Match, and was in tears at full time. In the other match, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay drew 1-1. Abdulelah Al-Amri put Saudi Arabia ahead at 41', only for substitute Maximiliano 'Maxi' Araujo to equalize at 80'. Uruguay dominated possession but were frustrated for long stretches.

The remaining stages brimmed with records and theatre. In Group L, England edged Croatia 4-2 in a chaotic Dallas thriller. Harry Kane's brace — a 12' penalty (retaken after encroachment) and a 42' header from a Declan Rice corner — took him to 10 World Cup goals, equaling Gary Lineker's England record. Baturina and Petar Musa twice pegged England back in the first half before Jude Bellingham restored the lead just after the break and Marcus Rashford added the fourth. In the same group, Ghana beat Panama 1-0 in Toronto, where Caleb Yirenkyi struck deep in stoppage time for Ghana's latest-ever World Cup goal. In Group J, Ralf Rangnick's Austria beat debutants Jordan 3-1 in San Francisco for their first World Cup win in 36 years (the last in 1990), powered by Romano Schmid's long-range strike and Marko Arnautovic, while Ali Olwan scored Jordan's first-ever World Cup goal. In Group G, Iran drew 2-2 with New Zealand to leave all four teams — including Belgium and Egypt (1-1) — on one point.

The group stage has only just begun, and the qualification picture is shifting with every match. Check the live group standings, the new round-of-32 qualification-scenarios page (/scenarios), and the full schedule in your own time zone to see exactly what each team needs in its final group games.