The expectations for Day 6 of the 2026 World Cup were high, with France, Norway, and Argentina all taking the field for the first time in this tournament. It meant the 2018 winner and 2022 finalist (France), the defending champs (Argentina), and a top 2026 dark horse would all be opening their World Cup campaigns. It also meant three of the best and most famous players in the world—Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, and Lionel Messi—would be on display.
And boy, did they deliver.
Mbappe scored his 13th and 14th World Cup goals at just 27, momentarily passing Messi in that category and breaking the all-time France record, previously held by Olivier Giroud. Haaland followed by scoring two in his World Cup debut, and not to be outdone, Messi netted a hat trick with goals 14, 15, and 16, tying him for the all-time lead in the biggest international tournament.
How do those goals stack up against each other? Here are all seven goals scored by Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Erling Haaland on an epic match day, ranked.
7. Lionel Messi Goal 2
IT’S A LIONEL MESSI BRACE IN THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP!
pic.twitter.com/UySEduMBpo
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 17, 2026
While this is the “worst” goal of the seven scored by Messi, Haaland, and Mbappe, it’s still impressive. Yes, it’s just a tap-in off a rebound from Messi, but his tactical and positional brilliance shouldn’t be overlooked. To always be in the right spot at the right time isn’t luck by the GOAT. It’s a massive skill.
Also, fun fact: Messi scored his hat trick against Algerian goalkeeper Luca Zidane, the son of French legend Zinedine Zidane.
6. Kylian Mbappe Goal 1
MAGIC MBAPPÉ
He scores his first goal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup for France pic.twitter.com/HcLPFkkp4X
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 16, 2026
A great run from Mbappe and a brilliant pass from Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise led to the Real Madrid star’s first goal of the 2026 World Cup. This was a pure striker’s goal that would be massively celebrated if it came from most attackers in this tournament, but for a player of Mbappe’s quality, it is simply par for the course.
5. Lionel Messi Goal 3
FIFA WORLD CUP HAT TRICK FOR MESSI!
Lionel Messi ties Miroslav Klose for the most goals in Men’s FIFA World Cup history with 16
pic.twitter.com/vw6bl65w7s
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 17, 2026
Messi’s third goal not only gave him his first-ever World Cup hat trick, but it also gave him 16 total tallies in his sixth World Cup. That ties him with German icon Miroslav Klose, who did it in four tournaments (but only three fewer matches). This goal again shows off how good Messi is at finding space on the pitch, and threading the needle through the whole Algerian defense is pretty to watch.
4. Erling Haaland Goal 2
HAALAND FIRST HALF BRACE!
He capitalizes on the Iraq mistake to give Norway the lead! pic.twitter.com/pRGjcZ7uEG
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 16, 2026
Haaland isn’t as silky-smooth as Mbappe, or as shifty or technical as Messi. He is a one-man wrecking crew who moves with speed and quickness that shouldn’t be possible from a 6-foot-5, 200-pound man. Here, he demonstrates all this, operating as an entire team’s high press all by himself. The Iraqi defender and goalkeeper had no idea what hit them, and that’s special to watch.
3. Lionel Messi Goal 1
MESSI SCORES ARGENTINA’S FIRST GOAL OF THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP!
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 17, 2026
World Cup goals don’t get much prettier than this. The sequence starts with a double-touch from Messi around the midline, then gets going with an incredible searching, incisive pass from Rodrigo De Paul. It ends with an absolute laser from Messi at the top of the box that slots right into the top corner of the net. This is why they call it “The Beautiful Game.”
2. Erling Haaland Goal 1
ERLING HAALAND FIRST-EVER FIFA WORLD CUP GOAL!
Norway’s first goal of the tournament had to come from him. pic.twitter.com/MSH2rt1HHC
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 16, 2026
Again, this is simply what Haaland does. Watch him jog down the pitch as Norway makes a great team run. When the Manchester City striker anticipates the low cross coming in, he turns on the jets, carries two Iraqi defenders with him, and aggressively slide-tackles the ball into the goal. This shows the big Norwegian’s speed, quickness, power, and nose for goal all in one play.
1. Kylian Mbappe Goal 2
Absolute GOLAZO from Mbappé!
Kylian Mbappé is now France's ALL-TIME leading goalscorer pic.twitter.com/5phfectcIY
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 16, 2026
A “worldie” is the best way to describe Mbappe’s capper against Senegal in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time. From at least 30 yards away from goal, the French sensation unleashed a rocket that few players on the planet would even attempt. Even fewer would be able to place it perfectly under the bar, just outside the keeper’s reach. If watching that shot from waaaay downtown doesn’t make you smile, you may not be a soccer fan.
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