World Cup Group Stage Review: England and Germany Impress, Messi Shines On
England Starts Strong with a Convincing Win
England's 4-2 victory over Croatia on Wednesday showcased why this team might be their best chance to claim a World Cup title since 1966. Despite Croatia not appearing as formidable as in their 2018 and 2022 runs, England's performance was solid. Harry Kane netted his ninth and tenth World Cup goals in the first half, Jude Bellingham scored early in the second half, and Marcus Rashford, returning after missing Euro 2024, sealed the match.
Bellingham could prove to be England's X-factor throughout the tournament. Though he struggled at times this past season with Real Madrid, if England's wingers continue to create space for him and Kane, their attack will remain potent. With games still to come against Panama and Ghana, England looks poised to top Group L.
African Teams Show Promise in the Tournament
The opening matches suggest African soccer might be making a strong comeback in the 2026 World Cup. While Morocco finished fourth last time, only five African teams have reached the Round of 16 across the previous four World Cups combined.
This time, five African teams have already earned points, and three more still have chances to advance. Around 20% of the knockout stage participants could be from Africa. Morocco, after drawing Brazil, is well placed for another deep run. Ivory Coast’s victory over Ecuador puts them close to qualifying. Egypt narrowly missed a win due to an own goal in their draw with Belgium. Meanwhile, DR Congo and Cape Verde are among the tournament's surprise stories, with Cape Verde holding Spain scoreless and Congo scoring its first-ever World Cup goal in a draw against Portugal.
Senegal and Algeria also remain in contention; Senegal requires at least a draw against Norway and a win over Iraq to progress. Algeria faces a tough path with a -3 goal difference but can still advance with victories over Austria or Jordan.
Messi Demonstrates Why He Remains Extraordinary
Argentina's dominant 3-0 win over Algeria featured Lionel Messi’s first World Cup hat trick, confirming his status as one of the game’s greatest even at 38. Each of Messi’s goals came differently, marking a strong start to Argentina’s bid for back-to-back titles.
“Did Messi get away with a potential red card in the first half? Possibly. It was at least a yellow that was somehow not reviewed.”
Despite that incident, Argentina controlled the match so firmly it’s hard to imagine a different outcome without Messi. He also got some rest late in the game, substituted with just over 10 minutes remaining, which could help preserve his energy for the knockout rounds. Messi looks set to surpass Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup scoring record during the next couple of games.
France Revives After Slow Start
France appeared disjointed in the first half of their 3-1 victory over Senegal, with the midfield struggling to connect with forwards like Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembelé. The shift came in the second half when Michael Olise moved centrally, showing why he has become one of the world’s top talents since transferring from Crystal Palace to Bayern Munich.
Olise, who has scored 27 goals and provided 34 assists over two Bundesliga seasons, proved crucial. He is likely to start directly behind Mbappé in upcoming matches, such as against Iraq. France’s second-half display suggested they might rack up many goals moving forward.
Germany Looks Like a Threat Again
After missing the knockout stages in the last two tournaments, Germany arrived with questions about their attacking options and whether players like Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz could regain form.
Their 7-1 thrashing of Curaçao offers some reassurance. Kai Havertz scored twice, Musiala found the net, and Wirtz contributed an assist. Although upcoming matches against Ivory Coast and Ecuador will present bigger challenges, Germany seems unlikely to miss advancing again. If they finish the group stage with nine points, this squad might quickly shift from uncertain to serious contenders.
