Messi, Mbappé and Haaland all score as World Cup superstars deliver perfect starts
ABC Australia—Three of world football's biggest stars — Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Erling Haaland — all netted goals as their respective nations opened the 2026 World Cup with wins. The hat-trick of elite performances on the opening weekend set a high-octane tone for a tournament that has already drawn massive global viewership. All three players are considered frontrunners for the Golden Boot.