The first leg of the 2026 World Cup is over and gone, and we’ve seen some strong performances.
Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe showed why they are the best players. The opening match saw the birth of new heroes, such as Cape Verde’s 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha. Going from 50,000 to 10 million followers in a matter of days is one way to measure how historic a display is.
There are some who caught the eye, but who really shined the most in the first 24 games? That’s where Sky Sports’ true performance lies. I’m here to help.
Kane leads England – but is off the pace of his rivals
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Sky Sports’ Jay Bothroyd and Jamie Weir analyze Harry Kane’s man-of-the-match selection for England’s opener against Croatia.
England’s 4-2 win over Croatia in Dallas was one of the most exciting performances by a Three Lions side in a major tournament in recent memory. Especially the second half.
There were several who put on notable displays on paper. Noni Madueke impressed on his World Cup debut, as did Elliot Anderson. But statistically they are off the pace.
Only two England players returned with scores above 90. With a show that highlights his penchant for big events, Jude Bellingham has silenced doubters and proven his supporters right. His second-half strike got him the points. 90.0 Precisely, aided by consistent and efficient displays at both ends of the pitch.
Unsurprisingly, it was Harry Kane who took the crown with one point for Thomas Tuchel’s side. 92.0. The captain scored twice and was the most consistent presence with seven shots from inside the opposition penalty area, almost doubling his xG. Also important to note is that the penalty kick he missed was not factored into the equation when a retry was ordered. It’s as if it never happened.
Harry Kane’s heatmap and shotmap vs Croatia
Despite leading his country to glory once again, Kane’s performance did not place him in the top ten in the opening round. He pales in comparison to Erling Haaland on his World Cup debut. Norway’s talisman disappeared with 1 point. 93.7. Meanwhile, Alexander Isak’s performance in Sweden was worth noting. 93.6. Kane has some work to do to reach those heights.
How good was Vozinha’s display really?
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Hayley McQueen puts everything you need to know about the 2026 World Cup in bite-sized pieces. It comes the morning after Cape Verde shocked Spain with a draw and confirmed Bukayo Saka is perfect for the match against Croatia.
He may have been mentioned earlier, but Cape Verde striker Vozinha captured hearts all over the world outside of Spain with his stunning performance against the European champions.
He became the first 40-year-old player to record seven or more saves in an Over-40 World Cup game since Pat Jennings in 1986. He also has the most touches of any Cape Verdean player at 78.
It was a heroic display that will be remembered for a long time and earned him a point. 93.4. But how does it compare to other ‘keepers in the tournament?
Vozinha kept a clean sheet against Spain despite having the fourth-highest xG against Spain.
The only goalkeeper to score in the 90s was Scotland’s Angus Gunn. Other notable names included Jordan Pickford scoring. 42.8. Thibaut Courtois is a worthless bastard. 20.4. Manuel Neuer returns to international football 18.4.
It shows how heroic Vozinha is.
‘Just what the doctor ordered’
New Zealand’s Elijah Just celebrates after scoring a goal against Iran.
Ahead of the World Cup, New Zealand ranked last in the tournament. As they are ranked 82nd in the FIFA world rankings, many would have predicted that they would be one of the teams to leave the tournament without a point.
But thanks to one man, they’re holding on tight to find a spot in the finals. Elijah Just’s double top Darren BazeleyThe team gained a point against Iran and also drew with Egypt and Belgium, standing tall in Group G.
Not only did Just find the net twice, but the winger also finished in the top three on the night for chances created, final third passes and a 100% conversion rate. This was the Motherwell star’s finest efficiency.
Messi and Mbappe topped the charts but were separated by one person.
Finally, who was No. 1 on pop after the first 24 games? After his hat-trick against Algeria, it was always going to be difficult to take the crown away from Messi. 3 goals, most chances created, most touches in the opponent’s box, 2nd most forward passes. The list goes on.
As a result, Argentina recorded a perfect score. 100 evaluation. Does that actually mean it was a perfect performance? Not necessarily. This sets the bar for the rest of the tournament to achieve. If someone else has a better game, that rating may be lowered by 100. But for now, this is what everyone else has to try and fit into.
Lionel Messi’s touch map and shot map against Algeria
Perhaps more interestingly, Mbappe’s show-stealing effort against Senegal wasn’t enough to earn him second place. He took the bronze medal spot with a surprising name taking second place.
That man is Brighton’s Yasin Ayari. great. On the biggest stage with the biggest players, the man has been in the mix with the best in less than half of his 29 Premier League appearances.
Despite contributing fewer goals than his compatriot Isak, his midfield double is head and shoulders above all midfielders. Vitinya, Pedri and Declan Rice. No one could hold a candle to the 22-year-old. Expect more surprises like this as the World Cup progresses.
