Argentina, France, and England impress in World Cup 2026 openers
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 18, 2026, 10:02 AM
Last updated Jun 18, 2026
The 2026 World Cup has begun in North America as all teams completed their opening matches. Argentina, led by Lionel Messi's hat-trick, topped Algeria, while France saw Kylian Mbappe surpass Pele's goal tally in a win over Senegal. England also had a strong start, triumphing 4-2 against Croatia with two goals from Harry Kane. Spain struggled, held to a 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, while Germany defeated Curacao 7-1. The group stage continues with teams looking to secure their positions for advancement.
- •Argentina defeats Algeria 3-0 with Messi scoring a hat-trick.
- •France edges Senegal with Mbappe surpassing Pele's goal total.
- •England beats Croatia 4-2, Kane nets two goals.
- •Spain held to a goalless draw by Cape Verde.
- •Germany opens with a 7-1 victory against Curacao.
- 10:02 AMYahoo Sports — World Cup 2026 power rankings: England, Argentina and France make statements after round one
"Every team has now played their opening match of the 2026 World Cup - how do they rank?
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