FIFA World Cup 2026: From Erling Haaland To Vozinha, A Look At Debutants Who Set First Week On Fire
The first week of FIFA World Cup action has concluded, witnessing superstars like Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland dazzle the crowd with the skillset that has made them household names.
The first week of FIFA World Cup action has concluded, witnessing superstars like Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland dazzle the crowd with the skillset that has made them household names, with Cape Verde, Curacao and many other nations also registering their names in World Cup history. Several debutants have delivered some promising performances so far, be it from top footballing nations or teams that are just looking to make a mark on the football landscape. Let us look at some of these debutants.
Vozinha (Cape Verde)
The 40-year-old goalkeeper pulled off seven stunning saves against world number two, European champions Spain, frustrating them with each stop in a goalless draw that stunned the football world, as per FIFA's official website. On their World Cup debut, Cape Verde put up a defensive masterclass, keeping Spain goalless despite 27 shots, and Vozinha was at the centre of attention.
Erling Haaland (Norway)
The goal-scoring machine for Manchester City struck twice on his FIFA World Cup debut during his side's 4-1 win over Iraq, registering his first strike in the 29th minute. Now, he has goals on his debut across the UEFA Champions League, Bundesliga, Premier League and now the FIFA World Cup, truly a man for big stages.
Yan Diomande (Cote d'Ivoire)
The 19-year-old winger made his World Cup debut against Ecuador, justifying the expectations placed on him with his pace and technique. He produced a total of five chances and four successful dribbles in his team's 1-0 win against Ecuador. He earned the 'Player of the Match' award, being a big part of his team's defence on World Cup debut, which has conceded just five goals in 18 CONMEBOL qualifying matches.
Nestory Irankunda (Australia)
Hailing from a family which fled Burundi during the country's civil war, he was born in a Tanzanian refugee camp and, at three months old, his family settled in Australia. Years later, he scored the opening goal for Australia in their 2-0 win over Turkiye.
Michael Olise (France)
During France's FIFA World Cup campaign opener against Senegal, Kylian Mbappe grabbed all the headlines for his brace and for becoming the country's all-time goal-scorer. Mbappe was assisted by Olise during one of his goals, and Olise was a consistent menace in the second half.
Folarin Balogun (USA)
During his side's campaign opener against Paraguay, Folarin set the stage on fire with a brace. He became the first US player to score twice in a FIFA World Cup game since 1930.
Ayyoub Bouaddi (Morocco)
In one of the most star-studded matches of the week so far, 18-year-old wonderkid Bouaddi stole the show. In the midfield area, he was excellent, holding his own against Premier League stars like Casemiro and Bruno Guimaraes. He seamlessly linked defence and attack, completing a total of 59 passes and covering 11,872 metres during the match.
Nathaniel Brown (Germany)
During Germany's one-sided dominance over Curacao, which ended with a 7-1 scoreline, Nathaniel justified his coach's faith, being central to Germany's attacking gameplay, first finding the net himself and later providing an assist to Nico Schlotterbeck in the form of a corner, which was converted with a header.
Alexander Isak (Sweden)
Sweden had to come through the playoffs to seal their World Cup ticket, and their UEFA Nations League record rescued them from not qualifying. Their attack was led by Isak, who scored one and delivered two assists during Sweden's 5-1 win over Tunisia. From the same team, Viktor Gyokeres (one goal and one assist) and Yasin Ayari (two goals) made their World Cup debuts too.
Elijah Just (New Zealand)
New Zealand's Elijah hit two goals in his side's 2-2 draw against Iran in Los Angeles, with his side making their first World Cup appearance since 2010. His second goal is a 'Goal of the Tournament' contender and secured them a valuable point.
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