The 2026 World Cup may only be 10 days old but the tournament has already rewritten football history.
Not wanting to be outdone by the other, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane and Erling Haaland all came out of the blocks firing in their respective nations’ opening fixtures.
And as the World Cup’s biggest hitters prepare to make their second appearances at the first 48-team competition, records aplenty look ready to fall.
From Argentina’s Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo extending their World Cup legacies to Mbappe becoming France’s all-time leading scorer, BBC Sport takes a look at a list of the major records already broken or set to be.
Messi to set new World Cup goals record?
Since 2014, Germany striker Miroslav Klose stood on his own with 16 World Cup goals.
But Messi’s stunning hat-trick in Argentina’s opening 3-0 win over Algeria moved the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner level at the top of the all-time standings and poised to move out in front on his own.
Messi required 27 games – three more than Klose – to hit 16 but the 2022 World Cup winner will not mind.
Lurking close behind with 14 is France captain Mbappe, who is now the all-time leading scorer for France with 58, and could well have the goals record in his sights himself.
Kane is four further back – but surely it is too far for him this tournament?
Next up for Messi and Co. in Group J are Austria. Are we about to witness a new record?
