Tiafoe defeats Fritz and wins his first title on grass

Mbappé, in the footsteps of history

Kylian Mbappé is not wasting time. In his first game of the 2026 World Cup, the French star scored two goals that placed him one step away from the tournament’s highest records. With 14 goals in World Cups, he equaled the German Gerd Müller and surpassed Pelé. Now he is one behind the Brazilian Ronaldo and two behind the absolute record shared by Miroslav Klose and Lionel Messi (16).

In addition, Mbappé reached 58 goals with the French team, surpassing Olivier Giroud as the country’s all-time leading scorer. The match against Senegal (3-1) also marked their first match in this competition. At 27 years old and in his third World Cup, he is preparing for his 100th game with Les Bleus.

“It is always a pleasure to be able to play with the national team. There is nothing bigger than the national team. One hundred, that is historic. And even more so when it is the World Cup,” declared Mbappé.

He can surpass coach Didier Deschamps (103 games) if France advances in the tournament. In time, he could even reach Hugo Lloris’s record (145).

Iraq, a rival with respect and humor

Stopping Mbappé is a difficult task. Iraq coach Graham Arnold joked: “I asked if we could play with three goalkeepers. But they said no.” His team lost 4-1 to Norway in the debut and Arnold has not yet defined the goalkeeper for Monday.

Iraq left an image of respect: after the defeat, they cleaned the locker room and left a note: “Thank you, Boston.” “They made a mess, so they cleaned it up. Out of respect for who we are,” Arnold explained.

Mbappé also spoke about his future. He joked about not playing until he was 40 and recognized Messi as the best current player. Regarding a possible jump to the MLS, he commented: “American culture is different. There are no limits to ambitions, I like it.” David Beckham would have already presented him with a proposal to join Inter Miami, although the Frenchman left it in a “we’ll see.”

For now, his goal is in the World Cup: helping France bring the cup home. “That debate is for the people: journalists and fans. For me, it’s about how I can help my team tomorrow,” he said.

Tie at SoFi Stadium

Iran and Belgium tied 0-0 on the second day of the World Cup, in a match played at SoFi Stadium. Goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand was the great figure in keeping a clean sheet, but the Iranians did not achieve their first victory despite playing more than 20 minutes with a man advantage.

Nathan Ngoy, Belgian defender, received a direct red card in the 66th minute. In a failed start, he fouled Mehdi Taremi to prevent the forward from being one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Even so, Iran failed to take advantage of its numerical superiority.

Belgium generated the clearest chances in the final stretch. Beiranvand stopped two Maxim De Cuyper shots, including a dangerous shot in the 86th minute. Thibaut Courtois, from the Belgian side, also responded solidly.

Bad offensive streak for Belgium — The Red Devils remain scoreless in their two games of the tournament. His only goal in the World Cup was an own goal in the draw against Egypt. They have gone 53 consecutive shots without a goal, a streak they have carried since Qatar 2022.

Off-court context — Iran’s trip was marked by visa restrictions and forced transfers. The team set up base in Mexico after problems in Arizona. Coach Amir Ghalenoei criticized the measures that force the delegation to leave Los Angeles hours after the game. Additionally, Iranian fans in the stands booed the national anthem and displayed Lion and Sun flags.

Both teams have two draws and remain winless in the group. Belgium has not lost in 15 games, but its lack of goals is worrying. Iran, for its part, regrets having wasted the opportunity to beat an opponent ranked tenth in FIFA.

Norway returns to the World Cup. The men’s team, led by Ståle Solbakken and with Martin Ødegaard as captain, secured its ticket to the 2026 World Cup, ending a 28-year streak without participating in a major tournament since Euro 2000.

The team is in Group I of the UEFA qualifying round and plays at home at the Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo. Individually, John Arne Riise holds the record for appearances with 110 games, while Erling Haaland is the all-time top scorer with 55 goals.

Expected return

Qualifying for the 2026 World Cup represents a milestone. Norway had been absent from twelve consecutive major tournaments since Euro 2000. Their previous World Cup appearances were in 1938, 1994 and 1998, where their best result was the group stage.

The preparation includes friendlies against the Netherlands and Switzerland, scheduled for March 27 and 31, 2026. The player numbers were updated after the duel against Switzerland on March 31.

Signs of the moment

A symbolic detail: Norway wore a golden version of its shield in a match against Italy on November 16, 2025, to commemorate qualification. The team’s visual identity has evolved: since the 1920s it used the national flag on a white circle; In May 2008 he presented a Viking dragon that he later retired; and on December 12, 2014, a new emblem was released with the flag and elements of the national coat of arms.

A curious fact

Norway has a favorable record against Brazil. In four games, they have two wins and two draws, without losses. One of those games was in the group stage of the 1998 World Cup.