If the first week of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has taught us anything, it’s this: the biggest stars in the sport are embracing the moment.
Tuesday delivered another historic day for the tournament as three of football’s most recognizable names — Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Erling Haaland — combined for seven goals and reminded the world why this World Cup has already become must-watch television.
The headline belonged to Messi.
The 38-year-old Argentine legend scored the first World Cup hat trick of his career in Argentina’s dominant 3-0 victory over Algeria. In the process, Messi became the oldest player ever to record a World Cup hat trick, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo’s previous mark from Portugal’s famous match against Spain in 2018. His three-goal masterpiece also moved him level with Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup goals record and further cemented his incredible legacy on the sport’s biggest stage.
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni could barely find the words afterward, praising a player who continues to defy logic even in his sixth World Cup appearance.
As incredible as Messi was, he wasn’t alone.
Earlier in the day, Haaland finally made his long-awaited World Cup debut for Norway, and it looked like he had been playing in the tournament his entire life. The Norwegian superstar scored twice in a 4-1 victory over Iraq, finding the net within the opening half hour and instantly announcing himself as one of the tournament’s most dangerous players. After years of watching Norway miss major tournaments, fans finally got to see Haaland on the World Cup stage — and he delivered immediately.
Then came Mbappé.
France’s captain and reigning superstar scored twice in a 3-1 win over Senegal, breaking France’s all-time scoring record while continuing to climb the World Cup scoring charts to 4th All-time. At just 27 years old, Mbappé is already building a résumé that puts him among the greatest World Cup performers the sport has ever seen.
What makes this so special is that fans are getting every generation at once.
Messi is still producing magic at 38. Mbappé is in the middle of his prime. Haaland is making his World Cup arrival. Add names like Ronaldo, Yamal, Bellingham, Vinícius Jr., Musiala and countless others, and this tournament feels packed with star power every single night.
After six days, the 2026 World Cup has already delivered goals, drama, upsets, packed stadiums and unforgettable moments. Now the icons are taking center stage.
And if Tuesday was any indication, the show is only getting started.
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