World Cup 2026 Tuesday takeaways: Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland shine bright on star-studded day

Entering the tournament, several questions surrounded Messi's health. Many wondered if a left hamstring injury he battled throughout his club season with MLS outfit Inter Miami would hamper him. 

It doesn't appear to be doing so. That's good news for Argentina, which is aiming to repeat as World Cup champions. Messi being the driving force in these efforts would be the potential swansong for his career. Tuesday's performance could be the beginning of that.  

French forward Kylian Mbappe received a needed PR boost in World Cup opener 

Mbappe needs a stellar World Cup to salvage his reputation, which has continued to take hits since he joined Spanish club Real Madrid in July 2024. A petition to oust him at Real Madrid reached 30 million signatures in May. 

In a recent story with French newspaper Le Parisien, Mbappe joked he would never run for president of his country because "I am hated enough as it is." Who's saying he would win an election if he did run for political office? 

Kidding aside, Mbappe's approval rating will improve significantly if he keeps excelling as he did Tuesday. He scored two goals in a 3-1 Group I win over Senegal at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, becoming France's all-time leading goalscorer in the World Cup (14).

Mbappe, 27, remains a polarizing figure, but Tuesday's performance reminded fans he's one of the best players in the tournament, perhaps even the best. 

Outside of Kylian Mbappe's heroics, France's World Cup opener was underwhelming

Mbappe's virtuoso performance overshadowed France's sloppy first half. Per ESPN, Les Bleus' expected goal rate after the first half was abysmal at 0.02. Fox analyst/former American star Landon Donovan chided the side for its lack of effort in the first half. 

"France, arrogant, a little casual, just sort of going through motions," Donovan said before halftime during the broadcast (h/t Awful Announcing Brendon Kleen). 

Perhaps France thought it was just a much better team. FIFA ranks the squad No. 2 in the world. However, it can't keep underestimating its competition for the rest of the tournament. 

If it does, it could have another lackadaisical start. And if Mbappe doesn't save the team, that could spell trouble. 

Let's treat Norway more seriously 

Norway hasn't played in the World Cup since 1998. The side made it worth the long wait for Scandinavian fans on Tuesday. 

Led by striker Erling Haaland, who scored two goals, Norway dismantled Iraq 4-1 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Sure, beating a team ranked No. 60 by FIFA will impress few. That said, Tuesday shows when Norway plays at its best, it's one of the toughest outs in the tournament, making it a dark horse. 

Plus, Haaland stars for the country. While he may not be as high-profile as Messi or Mbappe, he's clearly of a similar skill level. Players on or close to that tier can take a team a long way in the World Cup.