Erling Haaland has eloquently described Lionel Messi as a “madman” after scoring a hat-trick at the World Cup. And he’s not wrong at all.
The Argentine superstar got the South American trophy defense off to a great start with an impressive three goals against Algeria. But the 38-year-old wasn’t the only one making headlines for what was one of the most thrilling nights of the World Cup to date.
Real Madrid’s French forward Kylian Mbappé started the match with a double in the 3-1 win against Senegal. Manchester City sensation Haaland followed suit, scoring twice in his World Cup debut against Iraq.
As such, England star Harry Kane will have a heavy burden on his shoulders if he wants to add to the Golden Boot he won at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The Three Lions will be looking to prove his promise to be one of the heavyweights this summer when they take on Croatia in Dallas on Wednesday night.
So what actually happened on the night the stars finally started shining in the 2026 edition?
Mbappé sets French record
Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe is under pressure heading into the World Cup. The spotlight is increasingly on the 27-year-old after a trophyless season with the Spanish giants.
Now, with his chance to become France’s all-time leading scorer, scrutiny has become even more intense. But Mbappe faced challenges. And more. He made a great finish after catching a pass from Michael Olise.
And in stoppage time, he scored a stunning goal from on target to move him one place ahead of Olivier Giroud and lead Les Bleus in the scoring list. Mbappe is also just two goals behind Miroslav Klose and Lionel Messi, who set the record for the most goals at the World Cup (more on him later).
Kylian Mbappé stands alone in France’s top scorer list (Image: Getty Images)
Mbappé said of his record-breaking goal: “This is something I’ve always wanted to do and I’ve prioritized it above everything else. Now I understand why we’re here. I think when I stop playing I’ll have time to think about things like that.”
“Now I understand why I am here. I am here to help the team, to continue to work together with my teammates. We will continue to strive to write a really big chapter in the history of the French team. And we know that the road is very long, but like I said, we are ready.”
France national team coach Didier Deschamps also supported Mbappé, following his starring role. “There will still be people who criticize him, but he is an extraordinary player. Not everything goes well, but he can win games in a flash,” he said.
“As captain, he does a lot for the team on and off the field. Even though some people might think he’s selfish, I’m really happy for him. He didn’t score a goal in the warm-up friendly, but breaking the record at the World Cup will have a bigger impact.”
Haaland enjoys dream debut
Mbappé has already played in the World Cup and achieved that, but for Haaland it’s a different story. He has used his goal-scoring talent in both the Bundesliga, Premier League and Champions League, but has yet to do it on the biggest stage, but he is no longer able to do so.
It took him less than 30 minutes to make his mark. He produced a typically predatory finish at the back post. Haaland was then given a gift by Iraq goalkeeper Jalal Hassan, who doubled down on his night’s work.
Haaland said of his goal: “The first goal was great and the second one was even better. It’s great and we’re all proud of the good start. But the next game will be even harder and we know we have to play even better.”
Erling Haaland makes his dream World Cup debut (Image: Getty Images)
“We were expected to win, but fortunately we did. Now everyone in Norway will be happy and I hope people will party.”
However, the Norwegian stopped short of celebrating his goal and even named his rivals Kane and Mbappe for the Golden Boot. He added:
“I don’t think I’ve scored the most goals this season. So statistically that’s not the case, because I think Harry Kane and Mbappe have scored more goals than me. That’s the reality.”
Messi wins his first treble
Not to be outdone, Argentina star Lionel Messi also ensured he was not left behind overnight by scoring a hat-trick in the opening group game against Algeria. This is the first time in World Cup history that a team has achieved triple crowns.
His goal was initially ruled out for a narrow offside decision, but the veteran forward got his revenge with a stunning drive from the edge of the area. He then took a shot off the rebound of the goalkeeper and scored his second goal.
But the former Barcelona man wasn’t satisfied there. Another clinical finish in the second half moved him level with Klose at the top of the World Cup scoring list.
Regarding the record, he said: “To be honest, no (considering the importance of the record), it’s an honor to be there, given what it means to be next to Klose. Ronaldo is also there, but I don’t think it means anything.”
“We have Mbappé and he scored twice today. It’s a statistic and nothing more. It’s an honor to be able to compete with all of them, but for me it means nothing.”
Lionel Messi becomes World Cup’s all-time leading scorer (Image: Getty Images)
“From what I’ve seen, Ronaldo was one of the greatest, but he’s not number one, so it’s all about statistics.”
Messi was overcome with emotion and shed tears during the match. Explaining his reaction, he said: “To be honest, I have had some difficult and complicated days, completely unrelated to sports.
“Thank you to the entire delegation and my teammates. They have always been there for me, as always. They have given me a lot of strength to get through this situation, and that’s it.”
Messi’s performance was so typical of his own that one of his goal-scoring peers, Haaland, took to Snapchat shortly after his treble and labeled Messi a “madman”. England forward Kane will no doubt share that sentiment, and has the big task of ensuring he stays in the race even before the Golden Boot race begins.
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