World Cup 2026

World Cup 2026 Team of the Round: Messi stars after hat-trick heroics

Here’s a look at the best Round One performances, featuring Erling Haaland, Lionel Messi and a 40-year-old goalkeeper.

JAY BIGGERSTAFF

Journalist, AS USA

A journalist, soccer fanatic and Shrewsbury Town fan, Will’s love for the game has withstood countless playoff final losses. After graduating from the University of Liverpool he wrote for a number of British publications before joining AS USA in 2020. His work focuses on the Premier League, LaLiga, MLS, Liga MX and the global game.

Update: Jun 18th, 2026 08:58 EDT

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The 2026 World Cup is now firmly up and running, with all 48 teams in this expanded tournament having now taken to the field. We’ve seen the full spectrum of World Cup action - from heroic underdogs to superstar performances - and there’s plenty more to come.

Cabo Verde and DR Congo made headlines with shock draws against Spain and Portugal. England, France and Germany got their tournaments underway with impressive victories. And Argentina began their World Cup defense with a resounding 3-0 win over Algeria, featuring a superb hat-trick from a certain 38-year-old.

All three of Leo Messi's goals in his first career FIFA World Cup hat trick pic.twitter.com/jb05ZWMrVU
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 17, 2026

The first round of fixtures are now in the books; here’s a look at the top performers so far from the 2026 World Cup...

World Cup 2026: Team of the Round

GK - Vozinha, Cabo Verde

Who else? The 40-year-old goalkeeper was named man of the match as Cabo Verde earned a shock draw against European champions Spain. Gained more than 10 million followers with 24 hours of the game, one of the stories of the tournament so far.

Defenders

LB - Nathaniel Brown, Germany

The 23-year-old was making his sixth international appearance when he took to the field in Germany’s World Cup opener. Ended the game with a goal and an assist, a day to remember for the Eintracht Frankfurt left-back.

CB - Chris Richards, United States

Overcame an ankle injury to star in the USMNT’s tournament opener. Put in an assured performance, completing 100% of his 83 passes in a thrilling 4-1 win over Paraguay. His return is huge for Mauricio Pochettino’s side.

CB - Harry Souttar, Australia

The 6ft fin defender was a behemoth for the Socceroos in a hard-fought 2-0 win over Türkiye. Put in a solid defensive performance and even clocked a speed of 34.7 km/h, not bad for a big man.

RB - Alex Freeman, United States

The USMNT full-back has made a rapid rise to the top of the game and continued that journey with an impressive performance in the hosts’ tournament opener. Provided an assist and fulfilled Pochettino’s hybrid right-back/right-wingback role perfectly.

Midfielders

CM - Felix Nmecha, Germany

The combative midfielder was making his World Cup debut for Germany and opened the scoring in a 7-1 win over Curaçao. Brought energy and impetus in the midfield alongside the more calculated Aleksandar Pavlović, and is already being linked with a lucrative move away from Borussia Dortmund.

CM - Emam Ashour, Egypt

An all-action performance from Ashour, up against an imposing Belgium midfield. Scored a brilliant long-range goal and provided tireless running for Hossam Hassan’s side.

CM - Yasin Ayari, Sweden

The 22-year-old midfielder scored two long-range goals in a statement performance from Sweden, his father’s country of birth. Was a fringe player for Brighton last season but could be set for a breakout summer.

Forwards

FW - Harry Kane, England

The England captain fired his team to victory with a two-goal performance against Croatia, taking him to a frankly absurd 69 goals for the season. As ever, Kane was a key focal point for the Three Lions and helped bring Anthony Gordon and Noni Madueke into the game.

FW - Erling Haaland, Norway

Needed less than half an hour to score on his World Cup debut and had two goals before halftime. The Norwegian machine has had to wait for his first appearance on the biggest stage and found it just to his liking, taking his incredible international scoring record to 57 goals in 51 games.

FW - Lionel Messi, Argentina

The stand-out performance of the first round of World Cup games. Messi shot to the top of the all-time scoring charts with a ruthless hat-trick against Algeria, moving level with Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals. With Messi in this form, Argentina fans will be dreaming of a historic World Cup repeat.