The initial phase of the 2026 World Cup has concluded, and with it, the ge portal has made a selection of athletes who shined and those who performed below expectations. Among the names that received praise, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé stand out, already renowned stars, as well as goalkeeper Vozinha, from Cape Verde. On the side of disappointments, midfielder Casemiro, from the Brazilian team, appears on the list.
Athletes who did not perform as expected in the 2026 World Cup debut
Big names in world football disappointed in their first appearances in the championship. Cristiano Ronaldo, for example, was unable to convert the opportunities he had during Portugal’s draw with the Democratic Republic of Congo, negatively impacting the result. Luka Modric, another outstanding veteran for Croatia, also had an inauspicious performance against England.
Star players highlighted in the opening round of the World Cup
The opening round of the World Cup revealed talent and reaffirmed the mastery of others. The individual performance of some players was crucial for their teams, whether in defending results or creating victories, showing the potential that the tournament holds.
Moves and players who shone in the first clashes
Below is a detailed list of players who stood out in the first stage of the competition.
Goalkeeper Vozinha (Cape Verde) became one of the central characters of the round. With a heroic performance, the Cape Verdean archer, whose name reflects a connection with Brazil, closed the goal against the powerful Spain, guaranteeing a surprising draw and consolidating one of the greatest “zebras” so far in the 2026 World Cup. There were six crucial saves to keep the score at zero.
Right-back Rezaeian (Iran) proved to be one of the most offensive defenders. The Iranian was decisive in the draw against New Zealand, participating in the first goal, which he himself finished, and providing a precise assist for Mohebi’s second goal.
In defense, Souttar (Australia) delivered another robust performance. After an already outstanding 2022 World Cup, the Australian shone again in his team’s 2-0 victory over Turkey, dominating the aerial game and consolidating himself as a defensive pillar.
Another defender who impressed was Diney Borges (Cape Verde). His performance was crucial, winning almost all aerial duels in the Cape Verdean area against Spain, which significantly eased the pressure on Vozinha and his team’s goal.
On the left side, Brown (Germany) was one of the revelations in the 7-1 rout against Curaçao. The player contributed an assist to the second German goal, scored by Schlotterback, and also left his mark, scoring the fifth goal of the match.
In midfield, Bouaddi (Morocco), just 18 years old, demonstrated absolute control in the match against Brazil. The young Moroccan midfielder seemed omnipresent, orchestrating all the actions in the center of the pitch.
Also in the middle, Ayari (Sweden), of Tunisian descent, was the executioner of his country of origin. The Swede scored two goals from outside the box in the 5-1 victory over Tunisia, guaranteeing his place in the team of the round.
Lionel Messi (Argentina) probably had the best individual performance of the first phase. The Argentine number 10 completely dominated the match against Algeria, with three goals that equaled him with Klose as the top scorer in World Cup history, in a memorable game.
In attack, Olise (France) demonstrated his talent against Senegal. After a discreet first half, the French player moved to the center, unlocking the opponent’s defense with a brilliant assist for Mbappé and being voted man of the match, even though his teammate scored twice.
Kylian Mbappé (France) also deserves a mention. Although already mentioned, his performance in the second half of the 3-1 victory over Senegal was spectacular. After a tepid start, he opened the scoring and sealed the victory with a long-range goal in the final moments.
Harry Kane (England) had a multifunctional participation. The English striker scored two goals and also acted as an organizer, saving a goal for Croatia, demonstrating his ability to be a goalscorer and playmaker, crucial for the English team.
Performances below expectations at the start of the championship
Below, the list of players who failed to live up to expectations in the 2026 World Cup debut.
Goalkeeper Lucas Zidane (Algeria), son of the legendary Zidane, did not have a favorable debut. In his first World Cup game, he saw Lionel Messi shine and break records against his team, failing at times and making it easier for the Argentine star.
On the right side, Cáceres (Paraguay) had difficulties. Pulisic, from the United States, explored his sector with ease, contributing to the rout over Paraguay and ensuring the defender’s presence on the list of the worst.
Defender Skhiri (Tunisia) had a negative performance in the 5-1 defeat against Sweden. His failures in defensive duels contributed to his team’s defeat.
Also in defense, Tahseen (Iraq) had one of the worst performances of the round. The Iraqi practically gave Haaland a goal when he made a mistake for the goalkeeper, in a disastrous game against Norway.
Left-back Viña (Uruguay), known from Brazilian football, did not have a good match against Saudi Arabia. With multiple errors in just 45 minutes on the field, his performance led coach Marcelo Bielsa to replace him at half-time.
In the middle, midfielder Casemiro (Brazil) had an atypical performance of just 45 minutes. He was substituted at half-time for not being able to keep up with the pace of the match and leaving spaces in the marking against Morocco, a remarkable fact for a player of his recognized quality.
Another midfielder who disappointed was Bobadilla (Paraguay). He went down in history as the first Paraguayan to score a goal in this World Cup, but in an unfortunate way: an own goal that paved the way for a 4-1 rout of the United States.
Luka Modric (Croatia) needed just 11 minutes to concede a penalty that resulted in England’s first goal. He remained on the field for 58 minutes without being able to finish, demonstrating an unrecognizable performance for the star of recent editions of the tournament.
In attack, Sané (Germany) performed poorly even in an impressive 7-1 victory. He was the only German player who did not stand out, missing a clear chance to score and making wrong decisions throughout the match.
Striker Oyarzabal (Spain) remained on the field for half an hour without being able to touch the ball during the game against Cape Verde. Although the opponent had merits, the inefficiency of the Spanish attack, in large part, was attributed to its poor performance.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) also generated great expectations. He was on the field throughout the draw with the Democratic Republic of Congo, but failed to hit any of his three shots and contributed little to his team’s attack.
