The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup has already delivered several historic moments, major records and unforgettable storylines.
From debutant nations scoring their first-ever World Cup goals to Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé leading the Golden Boot race, the tournament has given football fans plenty to talk about.
One of the biggest stories so far has been the rise of new World Cup nations. FIFA confirmed that Cabo Verde, DR Congo, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan all scored their first-ever goals at the tournament, making the expanded 2026 World Cup a memorable one for several countries.
Cabo Verde has also become one of the fairytale stories of the tournament. The World Cup debutants impressed with their organisation, defensive strength and resilience, earning respect against bigger football nations.
There has also been a history for Ivan Perišić, who became only the second player, after Lionel Messi, to provide assists in four different World Cup editions since detailed records began in 1966.
Another major milestone came through Guillermo Ochoa, who joined Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the few players to feature at a sixth FIFA World Cup.
Messi has also continued to add to his World Cup legacy. He remains the only player to win the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball twice, having won the award in 2014 and 2022.
There has also been African history, as Ghana equalled Nigeria’s record for the most FIFA World Cup wins by an African nation after beating Panama.
2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot Race So Far
The race for the Golden Boot is also becoming one of the biggest talking points of the tournament.
Current leading scorers include:
- Lionel Messi — 6 goals
- Kylian Mbappé — 6 goals
- Harry Kane — 5 goals
- Erling Haaland — 5 goals
- Ousmane Dembélé — 4 goals
- Vinícius Júnior — 4 goals
With the tournament now in the knockout rounds, more records could still be broken. Messi, Mbappé, Kane and Haaland are all chasing history, while smaller nations such as Cabo Verde have already shown that the 2026 FIFA World Cup is not only about the biggest names.
This tournament has already produced goals, records, shocks and emotional moments. As the competition continues, football fans can expect even more history before the final whistle.