England will begin their quest to end a 60-year wait for World Cup glory when they face Croatia in their opening match on Wednesday, while Cristiano Ronaldo is set to make history by appearing in a record-equalling sixth FIFA World Cup.
The tournament’s spotlight continues to shine on football’s two modern greats, Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, whose rivalry has defined an era. Just a day after Messi produced a stunning hat-trick for Argentina, Ronaldo is expected to lead Portugal into action against the Democratic Republic of Congo in Houston.
At 41, Ronaldo remains a key figure for Portugal as the European giants chase their first-ever World Cup title. His appearance will see him equal Messi’s record of participating in six World Cups, further cementing his place among football’s all-time legends.
Messi set the benchmark on Tuesday during Argentina’s opening match against Australia, marking his 200th international appearance with a memorable performance. The Argentine captain became the first player to feature in six World Cups and celebrated the achievement by scoring the first World Cup hat-trick of his career.
The three goals took Messi’s World Cup tally to 16, drawing him level with former Germany striker Miroslav Klose as the tournament’s joint all-time leading goalscorer.
Ronaldo’s Portugal side will be boosted by the presence of midfielder Bernardo Silva, who completed a two-year move to Real Madrid on Wednesday after leaving Manchester City at the expiration of his contract.
Meanwhile, England captain Harry Kane has urged his teammates to play without fear as they begin another attempt to bring football’s most coveted trophy back to England for the first time since 1966.
The Three Lions enter the tournament among the favourites following strong performances in recent major competitions, including reaching the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and the final of the 2020 European Championship.
Speaking ahead of the clash with Croatia at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Kane said the current squad has one of its best opportunities to achieve international success.
“For sure it’s one of the best opportunities we will have as a team to win it,” Kane said.
“I think everyone is eager to just start well tomorrow and prove that we have the capabilities of going far in this tournament.”
The Bayern Munich striker added that the key to success would be approaching the tournament with confidence and freedom.
“Ultimately, for me, the message is just to be free in the mind,” he said.
Elsewhere on Wednesday, Ghana will face Panama in Toronto in another Group L encounter, while World Cup debutants Uzbekistan take on Colombia at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City in Group K.
Tuesday’s action also saw France begin their campaign with a convincing 3-1 victory over Senegal. Kylian Mbappe scored twice for the reigning European champions, sending an early warning to rivals that he remains one of the tournament’s most dangerous attacking threats.
France and Argentina, who contested the unforgettable 2022 World Cup final in Qatar, could meet again in this year’s final if both teams progress according to the tournament seedings.
With several football superstars already making headlines, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is rapidly gathering momentum as nations battle for football’s biggest prize.
