NEW YORK (FN) — The 2026 FIFA World Cup has already produced a string of historic milestones, with players and teams breaking records recognized by Guinness World Records and FIFA. The group stage and Round of 32 showcased legendary performances from stars including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Kane, and Kylian Mbappe, while debutant nations also made history.
FIFA reported that the tournament has become the biggest in World Cup history, drawing a record 4.64 million fans across 72 matches and averaging three goals per game.
Lionel Messi led the headlines, becoming the first player to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches and the all-time leading scorer with 19 goals. At nearly 39 years old, he also became the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo’s previous mark. Ronaldo, meanwhile, set his own records, becoming Portugal’s all-time leading scorer with 10 goals and the only player to score in six different World Cup editions.
Kylian Mbappe climbed to second on the all-time scoring list with 18 goals, making him Europe’s top scorer. England’s Harry Kane surpassed Gary Lineker to become his nation’s leading scorer with 11 goals. Morocco’s Ismael Saibari became the first African player to score in three consecutive World Cup matches, while Cabo Verde celebrated its first-ever World Cup goal through Kevin Pina.
Team achievements were equally historic. A record nine African teams reached the knockout stage, far surpassing the previous best of two. Cabo Verde remained unbeaten in its debut group stage, while Canada’s 6-0 win over Qatar set a new scoring benchmark for CONCACAF nations. Japan’s 4-0 victory over Tunisia marked the 1,000th match in World Cup history and the biggest win by an Asian team.
Mexico won four consecutive World Cup matches for the first time, Senegal became the first African team to score five goals in a single game, and the United States recorded its first-ever four-goal haul in a World Cup match against Paraguay.
Coaching records also fell. Dick Advocaat of Curaçao became the oldest coach in World Cup history at 78 years, while South Africa’s Hugo Broos became the oldest coach to win a match at 74. Spain’s goalkeeper Unai Simón set a Guinness World Record with a 519-minute clean-sheet streak, surpassing Walter Zenga’s 1990 mark.
The tournament’s early stages have already reshaped football history, highlighting both the enduring brilliance of global stars and the rising strength of new football nations.
