Just Tuned In for the…

Have you just joined the excitement of the 2026 World Cup? Where have you been hiding?

The newly expanded 48-team tournament has delivered five exhilarating weeks filled with the thrilling moments and heartbreaking stories that make soccer the beautiful game.

But what’s most important is that you’re here now! The final showdown is happening this Sunday in New Jersey, where Spain will face off against defending champions Argentina.

If you’ve missed the action until now, we’ve got a recap of all that has transpired, showcasing Lionel Messi’s remarkable feats, unexpected upsets, and stunning performances by the United States men’s national team.

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1. Lionel Messi Remains the GOAT

Lionel Messi. We start here because it just wouldn’t be right otherwise. The Argentine legend, who turned 39 during the tournament, continues to defy time, leading his team to a second consecutive World Cup final while racking up impressive stats.

Remarkably, Messi has already surpassed his own performance numbers from the 2022 World Cup, which Argentina won in Qatar. He currently tops the scoring and assist charts for the 2026 edition, guiding La Albiceleste through the knockout stages.

While many emerging stars have made headlines this summer, including France‘s Kylian Mbappé and Michael Olise, Brazil‘s Vinícius Júnior, and England‘s Jude Bellingham, all of them bowed out of the tournament.

Messi, however, has no intention of backing down.

In an exciting twist, Messi is set to battle against a familiar face—Spain’s talented 17-year-old winger, Lamine Yamal. The duo met 19 years ago during a UNICEF charity photo shoot in Barcelona, when Messi literally introduced Yamal to the world.

Soccer truly has a way of interweaving generations.

How the iconic Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi picture happened 🤩 pic.twitter.com/L1VrKc78yi

— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) July 16, 2026

2. Cristiano Ronaldo and the ‘Last Dance’ Crew Shed Tears

For many veteran stars nearing 40, the 2026 World Cup was expected to be their final hurrah, as it’s unlikely they would be fit enough to compete in the 2030 tournament.

Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Mexico‘s goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa were the stars to watch as they participated in their sixth World Cups. However, others like Neymar, Son Heung-Min, Kevin De Bruyne, Manuel Neuer, and Luka Modric were also on the verge of concluding their international careers.

Ultimately, most of the “Last Dance” group ended their World Cup journeys with tears, with Neymar particularly emotional as Brazil was ousted by Norway in the round of 16 (though he later bounced back to attend a poker tournament in Las Vegas).

Ronaldo too shed tears after Portugal’s elimination against Spain in the same round. He scored a few inconsequential goals against Uzbekistan in the group stage, but his overall impact was minimal, with three goalkeepers registering more successful dribbles than him.

Post Spain match, a visibly emotional Ronaldo seemed to indicate that this would be his last World Cup, though with Portugal co-hosting in 2030 and their new coach Jorge Jesus including him in future plans, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the iconic striker gracing the pitch at 45.

3. Own Goals Lead the Golden Boot Race

This World Cup has seen a record number of goals, which isn’t surprising given the expanded format—from 32 to 48 teams—resulting in an increase from 64 matches in 2022 to a staggering 104 this time.

The 172 goals scored in the 2022 World Cup have already been surpassed, with Auston Trusty scoring for the USMNT against Turkey to mark the 173rd goal of the tournament during the group phase.

As it stands, heading into the final and third-place playoff, this World Cup has set a remarkable new record with 297 goals scored across 102 matches, thanks to the array of exceptional attacking talent on display.

Messi and Mbappé have each netted eight goals, Erling Haaland brought in seven in his first World Cup, while England’s Kane and Bellingham each contributed six goals, and Spain’s makeshift striker Mikel Oyarzabal scored five on the road to the final.

However, the most notable contributor of the tournament has been the infamous “own goal,” which has struck 14 times this edition, setting a new record.

This surpasses the previous record of 12 own goals set during the 2018 World Cup, which was considered unusually high at that time.

4. North America Meets Erling ‘The Striking Viking’ Haaland

While Erling Haaland was already a well-known figure heading into the tournament as a two-time Premier League champion and three-time Golden Boot winner, he emerged as one of the breakout stars of the World Cup, captivating a new global audience.

Norway’s “Viking Row” celebration captivated North America, as did the goals scored by the man who inspired it. Along with his standout on-field performance during his first World Cup, Haaland became a viral sensation, sharing his tournament journey with fans who embraced both his down-to-earth nature and humor.

The 25-year-old “Striking Viking” truly made the most of his time in the U.S., from shopping for cowboy boots in Dallas to documenting his beard’s growth, inspiring countless memes, and even bringing back a stuffed raccoon as a souvenir.

5. Cape Verde Stuns the World

Cape Verde may not be the smallest nation at the 2026 World Cup, but they certainly became one of the tournament’s most compelling underdog stories. They thrived in the group stage, moved into the knockout rounds, and nearly knocked out reigning champions Argentina in the round of 32.

With a population of around 530,000—smaller than all but two of the 16 host cities—they shocked fans by securing remarkable draws against Spain and Uruguay before coming perilously close to eliminating Messi’s squad.

Cape Verde faced the eventual finalists in their World Cup journey, giving both teams a scare by drawing against Spain and narrowly losing 3-2 after extra time to Argentina.

Several players from the Blue Sharks became national heroes. Defender Pico Lopes gained fame after being discovered on LinkedIn, and Sidny Cabral scored a breathtaking goal in extra time against Argentina.

However, the standout star of the 2026 World Cup was undoubtedly Cape Verde’s veteran goalkeeper Vozinha, who saw his Instagram follower count skyrocket from 46,000 to over 29 million, making him one of the most followed active players globally.

Vozinha made seven stunning saves in his World Cup debut to thwart Spain and continued his heroics throughout the tournament.

While currently without a club, he does have a species of sea slug named in his honor, which is among the highest accolades a footballer can aspire to achieve.

6. Giants Eliminated Early

The expanded World Cup structure made it relatively tough to be eliminated in the group stage (only eight teams failed to progress), but some notable teams like South Korea, Czechia, Scotland, and Türkiye couldn’t advance.

However, the biggest disappointments came from two-time winners Uruguay, who failed to win any group matches and were eliminated alongside other teams like Curaçao, Uzbekistan, Panama, Haiti, Jordan, and Qatar.

Several prominent teams also met an early exit during the round of 32, including Germany, Netherlands, Croatia, Senegal, and Japan.

The loss faced by Germany was particularly painful. Julian Nagelsmann’s team was shocked by Paraguay, ranked 31 places lower than Germany, marking the fourth-largest upset in World Cup history based on FIFA rankings since their introduction in 1992.

Brazil, the most successful team in World Cup history, was also eliminated in the round of 16, just like Ronaldo’s Portugal, who fell to Spain.

7. The USMNT: Unstoppable Until They Weren’t

The United States had a dominant start, convincingly defeating Paraguay and Australia in their first two group stage matches, leading to a round-of-32 match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, which they won. Expectations for a deep run were high, but the team faced a crushing 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the round of 16.

Depending on your perspective, the United States’ progress saw them go further than any of the three co-host nations, technically outlasted Canada and Mexico in the knockout stage.

All three co-hosts were ultimately eliminated in the round of 16; however, due to the scheduling, the U.S. managed to stay in the competition one day longer than Mexico (who lost on July 5) and two days longer than Canada (who fell to Morocco on July 4).

Both Canada and Mexico can also claim to have advanced as far as five-time champions Brazil, who were eliminated by Haaland and Norway in the same round.

While it may not seem like a major achievement, it’s certainly something to hold on to.

8. Mexico’s Missed Opportunities, a Tartan Army Takeover, and Memorable Moments

Beyond the action on the pitch, the off-field moments have also left a lasting impression.

Who could overlook Merlin, the charming Mexico duck mascot? Or the iconic Rocky statue in Philadelphia dressed as an Ecuador fan—only for Ecuador to suffer a loss in their next game, keeping with the curse of the statue?

However, it was the fans who truly stole the show, traveling from around the world to support their nations and winning over the hearts of North American cities. From the Netherlands supporters’ synchronized group dance, to the bond formed between Scotland fans and Boston forging connections for a lifetime, and Algeria capturing the hearts of Lawrence, Kansas (home of the Jayhawks), the tournament has given us countless fan moments to cherish.