Messi and Mbappé shine as Argentina, France open World Cup strongly

Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé wasted no time turning the first serious measuring stick of the 2026 World Cup into a statement of intent. On the opening day of the 23rd edition, the tournament’s new 48-team, 104-match format produced two commanding debuts, with Argentina beating Algeria in Kansas City and France opening against Senegal as both sides reinforced their status as title favorites.

Messi’s hat-trick did more than settle Argentina’s group opener. It lifted him to 16 World Cup goals, tying Miroslav Klose’s all-time record, and made him the first player to appear in six World Cups. For Argentina, that is more than a headline number: it showed that even in a tournament spread across Canada, Mexico and the United States, Lionel Scaloni’s defending champions still have the one-man game-breaking edge that can decide tight knockout matches.

Mbappé’s two goals told a similar story for France. His brace against Senegal took him to 58 international goals for France and moved him past Olivier Giroud as the country’s all-time leading scorer. That kind of production matters in a World Cup built on margins, and it underlined why Didier Deschamps’ side remains one of the most dangerous teams in the field. FIFA grouped France with Iraq, Norway and Senegal in Group I, while Argentina were placed in Group J with Algeria, Austria and Jordan, a draw that gives both teams room to advance but not much room for complacency.

What remains untested after one match is the full breadth of each team’s title case. Argentina have shown they can still ride Messi when the game tightens, but they have not yet faced the layered pressures of a long group stage or the tactical variety that awaits later in the bracket. France have shown Mbappé can still decide matches in bursts, but the deeper questions will come against opponents who can compress space, absorb pace and force a different kind of solution.

FIFA also noted that Erling Haaland joined Messi and Mbappé in posting a standout opening day, a reminder that the tournament’s star power is real. The early evidence is clear enough: Argentina and France entered the World Cup with the individual quality to match their billing, and the next tests will show whether that brilliance can hold over 104 matches and the full weight of a three-country tournament.