England kick off against Croatia, as Messi, Mbappe + Haaland shine

Summary of England kick off against Croatia, as Messi, Mbappe + Haaland shine

by The Athletic

48m•June 17, 2026
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Overview of England kick off against Croatia, as Messi, Mbappe + Haaland shine

This episode of Totally at the World Cup recaps a huge day at the tournament: Lionel Messi’s historic hat-trick for Argentina, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland both starring in convincing wins, and a wide-ranging preview of England’s opening match against Croatia. The hosts also look ahead to Portugal, Ghana, Colombia, and Uzbekistan, while repeatedly returning to the big themes of the tournament so far: elite forwards, creative through balls, and teams beginning to reveal their identities.

Biggest takeaways

  • Messi stole the day with his first-ever World Cup hat-trick, helping Argentina beat Algeria 3-0.
  • Mbappé continued his record-breaking run with a brace in France’s 3-1 win over Senegal.
  • Haaland led Norway to a 4-1 win over Iraq, underlining their “dark horse” credentials.
  • England vs Croatia is framed as a major early test for Thomas Tuchel’s side, but the hosts sound broadly optimistic about England’s balance and structure.
  • Portugal are one of the tournament’s most fascinating teams, with an absurd amount of midfield talent and the ongoing question of how much Cristiano Ronaldo should dominate the plan.

Match Recap: Argentina 3, Algeria 0

Messi’s historic hat-trick

  • Messi scored a hat-trick and became:
    • the oldest player ever to score a World Cup hat-trick
    • the all-time equal World Cup goals record-holder with 16
  • It was also noted that his first World Cup goal came 20 years to the day earlier.
  • The hosts emphasized that Messi now looks like he has “conquered the World Cup” and is thriving in a team he clearly enjoys playing with.

What stood out tactically

  • Rodrigo De Paul’s through ball for the first goal was praised as exceptional.
  • Argentina’s structure allows Messi to find his preferred pocket at the top of the box, where he can bend shots into the corner almost at will.
  • The panel suggested Argentina look more relaxed and cohesive than in past World Cups, especially after winning the tournament in 2022.

Match Recap: France 3, Senegal 1

Mbappé’s new records

  • Mbappé scored twice and moved ahead of key French scoring landmarks:
    • overtook Olivier Giroud as France’s all-time leading scorer
    • passed Just Fontaine as France’s leading World Cup scorer
  • The hosts highlighted how rare it is for a player to accumulate so many records so quickly.

France’s first-half scare, second-half control

  • Senegal were the better team for stretches of the first half and had chances to make it very uncomfortable for France.
  • A pivotal tactical switch came when Michael Olise was moved centrally into the No. 10 role at halftime.
  • That change transformed France, with Olise’s creativity unlocking Mbappé and helping France take control.

Penalty controversy

  • There was a disputed penalty incident involving Mbappé, with the referee ultimately deciding against awarding it after VAR review.
  • The panel felt the decision and the referee’s handling of it were unusual but not entirely surprising.

Senegal’s consolation

  • Senegal did manage a goal, but Mbappé immediately responded to reassert France’s dominance.
  • The hosts suggested Senegal can feel frustrated because they competed well, especially in the first half, but were ultimately outclassed.

Match Recap: Norway 4, Iraq 1

Haaland underlined Norway’s threat

  • Haaland scored a brace and was credited with helping force an own goal as Norway looked every bit a dangerous attacking side.
  • The hosts noted that even when he doesn’t score in the most conventional way, Haaland creates constant chaos.

Iraq’s brief resistance

  • Iraq showed enough in parts of the game to suggest they can compete for stretches.
  • Their equalizer was praised, especially the header that made it 1-1, before a costly mistake at the back let Haaland capitalize.

Norway as dark horses

  • Norway were described as a serious dark horse team.
  • The panel emphasized the attacking quality around Haaland, especially Martin Ødegaard, who was quieter than expected but still contributed.

England vs Croatia Preview

England’s mood under Tuchel

  • The hosts were positive about England’s preparation and atmosphere.
  • Thomas Tuchel is presented as having brought a clearer identity to the team compared with recent major tournaments.
  • The squad is described as more purposeful, with players talking about roles, movements, and how they fit together.

Likely England setup

  • They expect a lineup close to the team that beat Costa Rica in a warm-up:
    • Gordon on the left
    • Madueke on the right
    • Bellingham behind Kane
    • Rice and Anderson in midfield
  • There was also discussion of full-backs stepping into midfield and the team feeling more like a cohesive “Premier League All-Stars” unit than a loose collection of individuals.

Squad notes

  • Tino Livramento is out with a calf injury.
  • Trevoh Chalobah has been called in as replacement cover.
  • Harry Maguire was mentioned as a notable omission from the squad.

Croatia danger

  • Croatia were highlighted as one of the most consistently successful World Cup nations of the modern era:
    • finalists in 2018
    • semi-finalists in 2022
  • The panel pointed to their stability, experience, and Luka Modrić’s likely final World Cup run.

Portugal, Ronaldo, and Diogo Jota

Ronaldo still dominates the conversation

  • Portugal were described as having perhaps their best squad ever, but with a major question mark over whether Cristiano Ronaldo still fits the team’s best version.
  • The expectation is that Ronaldo will still start most matches, but perhaps be managed more carefully than in the past.

Why Portugal are so intriguing

  • Their midfield depth was singled out as extraordinary:
    • Vitinha
    • Bruno Fernandes
    • João Neves
    • Bernardo Silva
  • The hosts suggested Portugal’s talent level is among the best at the tournament, and that Roberto Martínez has enough depth to rotate intelligently if he chooses.

Diogo Jota tribute

  • The emotional shadow of Diogo Jota’s death was discussed in the context of Portugal’s campaign.
  • Players are clearly still carrying that loss, and the squad reportedly wants to honor him with a World Cup win.

Other teams to watch

Ghana vs Panama

  • Ghana were described as dangerous, with Antoine Semenyo highlighted as a key attacking threat.
  • Thomas Partey is unavailable due to legal issues and travel restrictions.
  • Panama were noted as more experienced than many realize and coached by former Leeds boss Thomas Christiansen.

Uzbekistan vs Colombia

  • Uzbekistan were introduced as one of the debutants at the tournament.
  • Fabio Cannavaro coaching Uzbekistan was flagged as a notable storyline.
  • Colombia were described as a dangerous, energetic team with real dark horse potential.
  • The hosts also pointed to Luis Díaz as one of their standout names.

Notable stats and moments

  • Messi scored his first-ever World Cup hat-trick.
  • Mbappé now has 14 World Cup goals, surpassing Just Fontaine’s France World Cup record.
  • Haaland continued to look like Norway’s focal point in a strong attacking side.
  • The hosts repeatedly praised the quality of through balls and dinks across the day’s matches.
  • Will Jeans’ stat of the day: there have now been more matches at this World Cup than at the entire 1934 tournament.

Final note

The episode closes by underscoring how much football is still to come and how quickly the tournament is moving. The tone is upbeat and analytical, with the panel convinced that the biggest teams are beginning to reveal themselves — and that England’s opening match against Croatia will tell us a lot about whether Tuchel’s project is already working.