World Cup debutants make a bright start in the opening round

The first round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage will be remembered not only for the performances of established stars, but also for the impressive displays of players who stepped onto the World Cup stage for the first time.

Several World Cup debutants immediately became the main heroes for their national teams. Some saved their sides, others scored important goals, and a few already showed in their first match that they could become one of the discoveries of the tournament.

One of the brightest stories of the opening round came in Cabo Verde’s match against Spain. At the age of 40, goalkeeper Vozinha played his country’s first-ever World Cup match and helped the team earn a historic 0-0 draw. He made seven saves and became one of the symbols of the opening fixtures.

Erling Haaland also began his first World Cup in powerful fashion. The Norway striker scored twice against Iraq as his team won 4-1. One of the most prolific forwards in modern football quickly opened his account on the biggest international stage.

Côte d’Ivoire’s 19-year-old winger Yan Diomande also made a strong impression. Against Ecuador, he created five chances, completed four successful dribbles and was named Player of the Match. Côte d’Ivoire won 1-0, while Diomande confirmed his status as one of the most exciting young players at the tournament after just one round.

For Australia, Nestory Irankunda became an important hero. He scored his team’s opening goal against Türkiye and helped the Socceroos claim a 2-0 victory. His story is especially emotional: his family fled Burundi during the civil war, and Irankunda was born in a refugee camp in Tanzania. Years later, he is now scoring on football’s biggest stage for Australia.

Michael Olise was one of the key players for France. The main headlines after the win over Senegal went to Kylian Mbappe, but it was Olise who helped France change the course of the match. After half-time, he moved into a more central role and provided the assist for Mbappe, after which France went on to secure a 3-1 victory.

The United States also found a debutant hero. Folarin Balogun scored twice against Paraguay as the co-hosts won 4-1. Balogun became the first US player since 1930 to score two goals in a single World Cup match.

In one of the most anticipated games of the round, between Morocco and Brazil, 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi attracted major attention. The young midfielder produced an impressive performance in the centre of the pitch, covered almost 12 kilometres and completed 59 passes. Against the experienced stars of Brazil and Morocco, Bouaddi looked mature and confident.

Germany opened their campaign with a 7-1 win over Curaçao, and Nathaniel Brown was one of the discoveries of the match. The left-back was a surprise inclusion in the starting line-up, but fully justified Julian Nagelsmann’s trust: he scored a goal and later provided an assist from a corner.

Alexander Isak also made a bright start. The Sweden striker scored once and provided two assists against Tunisia, with the match ending in a 5-1 victory for the Swedes. Viktor Gyokeres and Yasin Ayari, who were also making their World Cup debuts, deserve special mention as well after contributing to the scoreline.

Another important story from the opening round was Elijah Just’s brace for New Zealand. His team is playing at the World Cup for the first time since 2010 and drew 2-2 with Iran. One of Just’s goals can already be considered a contender for one of the best goals of the tournament.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 has only just begun, but the debutants have already become some of the main heroes of the opening round. For many of them, this is their first major appearance on the global stage, and several already look like players worth following throughout the tournament.