World Cup 2026

World Cup 2026 Team of the Round: Spain and Portugal join the party

Here’s a look at the best Round Two performances, with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé leading the Golden Boot race.

Siphiwe Sibeko

Update: Jun 24th, 2026 15:58 EDT

The 2026 World Cup is little over two weeks old but already we have seen stunning performances from some of the biggest names on the planet.

Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé continued their incredible scoring starts to the tournament, while Cristiano Ronaldo joined the party with a ruthless brace against Uzbekistan. We’ve seen another historic result for underdogs Cabo Verde and the USMNT, Mexico and Canada have wrapped up their place in the knockout stages with a game to spare.

MBAPPÉ GOLAZO TOOK GIVE FRANCE THE EARLY LEAD! 🇫🇷

Left-footed beauty from the French captain for his 3rd goal of the tournament pic.twitter.com/uPmRtZGC7t
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 22, 2026

With the second round of fixtures now in the books; here’s a look at the top performers from the second week of the 2026 World Cup...

World Cup 2026: Team of the Round Two

GK - Eloy Room, Curaçao

After a tough opener against Germany, Curaçao bounced back to record a famous draw against the much-fancied Ecuador in their second game. Goalkeeper Eloy Room made history with a World Cup record-equaling 15 saves in a 0-0 draw.

Defenders

LB - Richie Laryea, Canada

The Toronto FC wideman is filling in at left-back for the national team and he showed his value with a near-flawless performance in a 6-0 win over Qatar. The 31-year-old’s energy is crucial as Canada look to make up for the absence of Alphonso Davies due to injury.

CB - Shojae Khalilzadeh, Iran

The 37-year-old defender was up against Romelu Lukaku and marshaled the Inter Milan forward well to keep a clean sheet. Iran now have a real chance of making it to the knockout rounds and that 0-0 draw against a formidable Belgium could prove vital.

CB - Pico Lopes, Cabo Verde

The latest hero from the incredible Cabo Verde story. Lopes excelled in his nation’s 2-2 draw with Uruguay, setting up Cabo Verde for a place in the knockout rounds.

RB - Denziel Dumfries, Netherlands

The dynamic full-back provided two assists in the comprehensive win over Sweden, proving again why he is considered one of the best in his position in the world. Will be key if the Netherlands go far this summer.

Midfielders

CM - Bruno Fernandes, Portugal

Portugal were the last of the genuine tournament contenders to record a win at the 2026 World Cup but they did so in style in Round Two. Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice but Bruno Fernandes was at the center of everything good for Portugal, showing that he can be the creative spark for this team.

CM - Stephen Eustáquio, Canada

A 6-0 win over Qatar confirmed Canada’s place in the knockout rounds and Eustáquio provided much-needed calmness in the midfield. The LAFC man showed his quality against Qatar, recording more passes into the opposition box (19) than any other player in Round Two.

CAM - Lionel Messi, Argentina

A missed first-half penalty means that Messi will have to settle for just two goals this week, but that record-breaking brace still earns him a spot in our Team of the Round. Out on his own as the World Cup’s record scorer with 18 goals, but he has some real competition...

Forwards

LW - Kylian Mbappé, France

Another brace for Mbappé, another comfortable win for France. The 2022 finalists are showing why they are the favorites and Mbappé continues his incredible form with two ruthless goals against Iraq.

RW - Mikel Oyarzabal, Spain

After an uneventful showing in Game One, the Euro 2024 hero bounced back with a brace against Saudi Arabia. Lethal finishing from the Real Sociedad forward and tireless work off the ball.

FW - Jonathan David, Canada

An explosive entrance to the tournament for Jonathan David, who scored Canada’s first-ever World Cup hat trick. The Juventus forward has had to shoulder more of the attacking burden with Davies out injured and he stepped up against Qatar.