Messi hat-trick, Haaland brace, Mbappé brace World Cup 2026's biggest stars deliver in game 1 The first round of games is done.
48 teams played. Upsets happened. Records fell. And the three players everyone was watching before the tournament even started — Messi, Haaland, Mbappé — all showed up exactly when it mattered.
World Cup 2026: Lionel Messi hat-trick, Kylian Mbappe record & Erling Haaland scores, golden boot race
If you’re thinking about Golden Boot bets or outright winner markets, the first gameweek told you a lot. Here’s the breakdown.
Lionel Messi — Hat-Trick. At 38. In Game 1.
Everyone knew this was Messi’s last World Cup. What nobody expected was for him to open with a hat-trick.
Argentina vs Algeria. Three goals. Clinical, composed, inevitable — exactly the kind of performance that reminds you why this man has spent the last 20 years being called the greatest of all time.
The questions coming into this tournament were all about age. Can he still do it at 38? Is he the same player who won it all in Qatar 2022?
Game 1 answered both. He’s not the same player — he’s smarter now, more economical with his movement, more ruthless in front of goal. In some ways that makes him more dangerous, not less.
For the Golden Boot, Messi is the sentimental pick and the logical one. Argentina have an easy enough path through the group stage, which means plenty of scoring opportunities. The only question is whether he can maintain this form deep into the knockout rounds.
Verdict: Top Golden Boot contender. Back him before the odds drop further.
Erling Haaland — Two Goals on World Cup Debut
Norway vs Iraq. 4-1. Haaland scored twice.
For context — this is the man who obliterated the Premier League scoring record at Manchester City. The one player everyone agreed would eventually break every goalscoring record worth breaking. And yet somehow, despite all of that, this was his first ever World Cup game.
Norway never qualified for 2022. So Tuesday was Haaland’s introduction to football’s biggest stage — and he treated it like any other Tuesday.
Two goals, completely dominant in the air and on the ground, and Norway look genuinely threatening in a group with France and Senegal. That’s the interesting part. If Norway advance deep, Haaland’s goal tally could get very large very quickly.
He’s younger than Messi and Mbappé. His ceiling at this tournament is arguably the highest of any player here.
Verdict: The value pick for Golden Boot. If Norway click, he runs away with it.
Kylian Mbappé — Brace and a Record
France vs Senegal. 3-1. Two goals for Mbappé — and with them, he became France’s all-time record goalscorer.
He’s 27 years old. He just broke the record previously held by Thierry Henry, one of the greatest strikers France has ever produced. And he did it in the group stage of a World Cup.
France are one of the tournament favorites and with good reason. Mbappé in this form, supported by the likes of Michael Olise — who was outstanding against Senegal — makes them as dangerous as any side here.
The only thing working against Mbappé in the Golden Boot race is that France spread their goals around. Olise scored too. Others will contribute. Mbappé doesn’t need to carry France alone the way Messi carries Argentina, which could mean slightly fewer goals even if France go deep.
Superstars take center stage at World Cup 2026: Messi, Mbappe and Haaland enter the fray
Verdict: Safe pick. High floor, high ceiling. But might not outscore Messi or Haaland if those two stay hot.
The Others Worth Watching
A few names outside the big three who are already making noise:
Lamine Yamal (Spain) — Scored his first World Cup goal at 18 in his first start. If Spain go deep, he’ll have chances to pile up assists and goals.
Mohamed Salah (Egypt) — Goal and assist in Egypt’s 3-1 win over New Zealand. Egypt aren’t favorites but Salah is always dangerous.
Jonathan David (Canada) — Hat-trick in Canada’s 6-0 destruction of Qatar. Canada look like a dark horse and David is their main man.
Harry Kane (England) — Brace in the opener. England have a manageable group and Kane is always clinical in front of goal.
The Golden Boot Picture After Game 1
| Player | Country | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Messi | Argentina | 3 |
| Haaland | Norway | 2 |
| Mbappé | France | 2 |
| Kane | England | 2 |
| David | Canada | 3 |
| Yamal | Spain | 1 |
Jonathan David is the surprise name at the top. Three goals against Qatar — but Qatar are the weakest side in the tournament. The real test comes against stronger opposition.
Messi and David lead after round one. But with five more potential games each, this race is far from over.
How to Bet on the Golden Boot with P66
New to outright betting? Here’s how it works:
- Register on P66 — Asia’s trusted crypto sports betting platform
- Make your first deposit
- Head to Sports → FIFA World Cup 2026 → Outright Markets → Golden Boot
- Pick the player you think will finish as top scorer
P66 covers Golden Boot odds for every major contender, updated live as the tournament progresses.
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