DÉCRYPTAGE - Après les 24 premiers matchs du Mondial 2026, découvrez tout ce qui a plu... et déplu à la rédaction du Figaro à l’issue de la première semaine de compétition.
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Des buts, du spectacle et du suspense
75. C’est le nombre de buts marqués depuis le début de la compétition, soit une moyenne supérieure à 3 réalisations par rencontres, sur les 24 disputées lors de la première journée de la phase de poule. Un total très élevé, qui s’explique par une envie très claire, de la part de nombreuses équipes, de proposer un jeu ambitieux et offensif. Plusieurs cartons ont permis de faire monter ce total, comme ceux de la Suède (5-1 contre la Tunisie) et de l’Allemagne (7-1 contre Curaçao) et de nombreuses rencontres ont été spectaculaires (Pays Bas-Japon, Iran-Nouvelle Zélande). Lors de cette première semaine, 41 des 48 équipes engagées ont trouvé le chemin des filets et un seul match s’est fini sans but (Espagne-Cap Vert). Concernant le spectacle, nous avons été servis.
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Les stars au rendez-vous...
La Coupe du monde, c’est aussi (surtout ?) pour les stars. Et un grand nombre d’entre elles sont au rendez-vous. Pour son sixième et probablement dernier Mondial, Lionel Messi a inscrit un triplé d’entrée avec les champions du monde en titre argentins, contre l’Algérie. De son côté, Kylian Mbappé a également montré que l’équipe de France pourrait compter sur lui, avec un doublé record contre le Sénégal. L’Anglais Harry Kane , l’Allemand Kai Havertz et le Norvégien Erling Haaland ont également inscrit un doublé avec leur sélection nationale, tandis que d’autres joueurs se sont illustrés malgré les difficultés de leur équipe, comme le Brésilien Vinicius Jr ou le Portugais João Neves.
Les supporters aussi
Au-delà des joueurs, cet événement planétaire est également celui des supporters. Et eux aussi n’ont pas déçu. À commencer par les supporters écossais , qui ont illuminé les rues de Boston avant l’entrée en lice de leur équipe contre Haïti. Chants, hymne (le magnifique «Flower of Scotland»), cornemuses : tout y est passé pour mettre une ambiance de folie.
Quitte à faire la fête, pourquoi ne pas la faire à plusieurs ? Et quel meilleur endroit que Times Square, l’une des places les plus emblématiques de New York ? Chaque jour, des centaines de supporters de différentes nations s’y retrouvent pour partager un moment de communion. Si certains incidents ont pu se produire , les réunions ont majoritairement été conviviales, énergiques et enthousiasmantes.
À lire aussi
Coupe du monde 2026 : Marseillaise enflammée, France-Argentine, fumigène algérien... Reportage dans la magie de Times Square
Vozinha, une histoire comme seule la Coupe du monde sait en offrir
Organisée dans trois pays, cette Coupe du monde à 48 équipes, la plus massive jamais organisée, offre son lot de belles histoires. En premier lieu, le destin de Vozinha , le gardien de but du Cap-Vert. Héroïque face à l’Espagne, le portier africain est devenu la coqueluche de ce Mondial lors de cette première semaine, comme en témoigne son compte Instagram, qui a gagné 13 millions d’abonnés en à peine quatre jours. Opposés à l’Uruguay lors de la prochaine rencontre, les Cap-Verdiens sont prêts pour un nouvel exploit. Et leur gardien sera assurément attendu.
À lire aussi
«J’ai attendu ce moment toute ma vie» : qui est Vozinha, le gardien de but du Cap-Vert héroïque contre l’Espagne ?
Pour l’équipe de France, (presque) tout baigne !
Ils étaient attendus, ils ont répondu présent. En dépit d’une première mi-temps très difficile, les Bleus ont finalement trouvé la solution face au Sénégal , avec une victoire 3 buts à 1, qui leur permet d’envisager la suite de la compétition avec sérénité. Un succès, additionné à celui de la Norvège contre l’Irak, qui pourrait qualifier les hommes de Didier Deschamps pour la phase à élimination directe en cas de bon résultat face aux Lions de Mésopotamie.
Passer la publicité
Sur le volet individuel, grâce à son doublé contre les Sénégalais, Kylian Mbappé a battu deux records : d’une part, il est devenu, avec un total de 58 buts sous le maillot français, le meilleur buteur de l’histoire du football français (devant Olivier Giroud) ; d’autre part, il est désormais le meilleur réalisateur français en Coupe du monde avec 14 buts, dépassant Just Fontaine (13 buts), à deux buts du record codétenu par l’Allemand Miroslav Klose et l’Argentin Lionel Messi (16 buts) . Au-delà de l’attaquant du Real Madrid, d’autres joueurs ont brillé, comme Michael Olise, Adrien Rabiot ou encore Dayot Upamecano.
Seules petites ombre au tableau après cette première semaine américaine : la blessure de Malo Gusto lors de l’entraînement de mercredi, heureusement sans gravité et qui ne devrait pas remettre en cause sa présence pour la suite de la compétition . Et également les prestations très timides du Ballon d’Or Ousmane Dembélé et du gardien de but Mike Maignan, qui a encaissé un but lors de ses quatre dernières sélec…
Read the full article at Le Figaro →📄Source document: AFP→42 reports
El UniversalIndependentCenter2 days agoThe first day of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers saw only eight out of 48 participating teams failing to score, indicating strong offensive performances overall. Four prominent players—Lionel Messi (Argentina), Kylian Mbappé (France), Harry Kane (England), and Erling Haaland (Norway)—have emerged as early contenders for the Golden Boot. Messi scored a hat-trick, while the others each scored twice.
Bias read (Center): The article provides factual information about the performance of players in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers without taking a stance or using biased language. It objectively reports on scoring statistics and mentions players who have performed well, without favoring any particular team or ideology.
Le FigaroIndependent🔒Center3 days agoThe article reviews the first week of the 2026 World Cup, highlighting key moments such as high-scoring matches, standout performances by players like Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé, and the overall excitement generated by the tournament so far.
Bias read (Center): The article provides an objective summary of events during the first week of the World Cup, focusing on sports performance and entertainment value without taking a political stance or showing bias toward any team, player, or ideology.
The NationalState / PublicCenter3 days agoLionel Messi led the Golden Boot race after scoring a hat-trick in Argentina's 3-0 victory over Algeria during the first matchday of the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup. Other notable performances included Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, and Kai Havertz each scoring two goals. Germany's 7-1 win over Curaçao was the highest-scoring match of the day, with a total of 66 goals scored across all 48 teams' opening matches.
Bias read (Center): The article reports on sports performance without political commentary, framing, or bias. It focuses solely on goal statistics and player achievements in the World Cup, using neutral language and presenting facts objectively.
Vanguard NigeriaIndependentCenter3 days agoThe opening round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup featured several surprising results and notable performances. Underdog teams such as Cape Verde, Morocco, and DR Congo secured draws against stronger opponents, including Spain, Brazil, and Portugal respectively. Hosts the United States and defending champions Argentina both started strongly with decisive victories. The article lists the top scorers after the first round, highlighting Lionel Messi with three goals, followed by Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane, and others.
Bias read (Center): The article provides a straightforward summary of sports events without taking a stance or showing bias toward any particular team, player, or nation. It focuses purely on factual outcomes and performance metrics.
France 24 (Français)State / PublicCenter4 days agoThe French national team successfully started their World Cup campaign with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Senegal. Kylian Mbappé scored twice, becoming the all-time top scorer for France with 58 goals. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi made history by becoming the first player to compete in a sixth World Cup and also became the joint-top scorer in tournament history with 16 goals, thanks to a hat-trick against Algeria.
Bias read (Center): The article provides a neutral summary of sports events without any political commentary or biased language. It focuses solely on the performance of football teams and players during the World Cup, which is an apolitical subject.
Daily MaverickIndependentCenter4 days agoIn Tuesday's World Cup matches, Lionel Messi of Argentina, Erling Haaland of Norway, and Kylian Mbappé of France delivered standout performances by scoring multiple goals. Messi scored a hat-trick against Algeria, Haaland scored twice against Iraq, and Mbappé scored two goals against Senegal. These performances helped their respective teams secure strong victories. Despite previous struggles, all three players performed exceptionally well, with Mbappé becoming France's all-time leading scorer.
Bias read (Center): The article focuses on sports performance and does not take a stance on any political issue. It objectively reports on the achievements of individual athletes without editorializing or biased language.
NPR NewsIndependentCenter4 days agoThe World Cup has seen impressive goal scoring early in the tournament, with Lionel Messi scoring three goals and Kylian Mbappé scoring two in the same day.
Bias read (Center): The article focuses on sports performance without political commentary or bias. It simply reports on goal-scoring achievements in the World Cup.
NBC NewsIndependentCenter4 days agoThe article covers Argentina's World Cup debut, highlighting Lionel Messi's performance, including his historic goal tally, and other related events such as Austria's victory over Jordan and France's win led by Kylian Mbappé. It includes quotes from players and coaches like Mac Allister and Scaloni.
Bias read (Center): The article focuses on sports events and player performances without political commentary or bias. The content is centered around reporting on matches and athlete achievements.
Koha.netIndependentCenter4 days agoKylian Mbappé scored two goals against Senegal in France's first win of the World Cup, surpassing Lionel Messi's record of 13 goals in World Cups. Mbappé now leads all French players in World Cup goals with 58, overtaking Olivier Giroud. The match ended 3-1 in favor of France.
Bias read (Center): The article focuses on sports performance and does not engage with politically charged topics. It provides factual information about the match outcome, player achievements, and game details without any apparent bias or ideological framing.
NBC NewsIndependentCenter4 days ago ¡Imperdible! Así se ha vivido el duelo entre Noruega e Irak en la Copa MundialThe article covers several matches from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including Norway vs. Iraq and France vs. Senegal. It highlights key moments such as Norway's first goal in a World Cup in 28 years, Iraq's equalizer through Aymen Hussein, Erling Haaland's goal for Norway, and Kylian Mbappé's performance for France. The piece includes video snippets and reactions from players and coaches.
Bias read (Center): The article focuses on sports events with no political commentary or framing. It reports on match outcomes, player performances, and fan reactions without taking a stance or showing bias toward any team, country, or ideology.
Channel NewsAsia (CNA)Party-alignedCenter4 days agoSenegal's coach Pape Thiaw addressed the team's performance following their 3-1 loss to France in their World Cup Group I opener. He emphasized the need for greater defensive aggression and improved attacking efficiency. Senegal will next face Norway at the New York/New Jersey Stadium.
Bias read (Center): The article focuses on sports commentary and does not take a stance on any political issue. It reports on post-match analysis from the coach without editorializing or biased language.
Official sources cited
- press release Coach Pape Thiaw's comments
NBC NewsIndependentCenter4 days ago Cabezazo y golazo: Aymen Hussein pone el empate para Irak ante NoruegaThe article appears to be a collection of video titles and snippets related to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, focusing on matches involving teams such as Norway, Iraq, France, and Senegal. It includes highlights of goals scored by players like Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé, and Bradley Barcola, along with reactions from coaches and players.
Bias read (Center): The content is purely sports-related and does not involve any political commentary, framing, or bias. The article focuses solely on match highlights and player performances without taking a stance or showing favoritism toward any team or individual.
NBC NewsIndependentCenter4 days ago ¡Doblete de Haaland! Aprovechó un error de Irak y pone el 2-1The article provides highlights and video segments from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, focusing on key moments such as goals scored by Erling Haaland for Norway, Kylian Mbappé's performance for France against Senegal, and other notable events from matches involving Norway, Iraq, and Senegal.
Bias read (Center): The content is purely sports-related with no political commentary, framing, or bias. It focuses on match highlights and player performances without any ideological slant.
SBS NewsState / PublicCenter4 days agoFrench captain Kylian Mbappé became his country's all-time leading goalscorer during France's 3-1 victory over Senegal in a World Cup group stage match. Mbappé scored twice, including the goal that broke Olivier Giroud's record, bringing his total to 14 World Cup goals. Senegal showed strong performance in the first half but France dominated in the second half with substitute Bradley Barcola scoring and Mbappé adding two goals.
Bias read (Center): The article reports on a sports event without political commentary or framing. It focuses on the performance of athletes and does not take a stance on any political issue.
NBC NewsIndependentCenter4 days ago Haaland se hace presente en el Mundial con el primer gol de NoruegaThe article lists various video segments related to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including highlights from matches between France and Senegal, Norway's first goal in a World Cup in 28 years by Haaland, and reactions from players and coaches.
Bias read (Center): The content is purely sports-related with no political commentary or framing. It focuses on match highlights and player reactions without any ideological slant.
Net.hrIndependentCenter4 days agoFrance defeated Senegal 3-1 in their opening group stage match at the World Cup. Kylian Mbappé scored twice, while Barcola added another goal. Senegal's consolation goal was scored by Ibrahim Mbaye, an 18-year-old winger who has entered history as the youngest African scorer at a World Cup. Prior to Mbaye, the record had been held by Moussa Wagué, who scored at age 19 years and 263 days during the 2018 World Cup. Mbaye also became the fourth youngest scorer in World Cup history.
Bias read (Center): The article focuses on sports performance and records, with no political commentary or framing. It provides factual information about the match results and player achievements without taking a stance or using biased language.
NBC NewsIndependentCenter4 days ago Deschamps: “Que mágico es el fútbol”. Emocionantes palabras tras el triunfo de FranciaThe article provides highlights and video snippets from the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches featuring France and other teams, including reactions from players and coaches such as Deschamps and Kylian Mbappé.
Bias read (Center): The content focuses purely on sports events and player reactions without any political commentary or bias. The article does not address policy, politics, or controversial issues.
Japan TodayIndependentCenter4 days agoKylian Mbappé scored twice in France's 3-1 victory over Senegal, moving him past Pelé and Lionel Messi with 14 World Cup goals. Bradley Barcola added another goal for France. Senegal scored once late in the match.
Bias read (Center): The article focuses on a sports event with no political commentary or framing. It provides factual details about the match, player performances, and statistical achievements without taking a stance or emphasizing any political angle.
ANSAIndependentCenter4 days agoFrance defeated Senegal 3-1 in their Group I match at the World Cup. Kylian Mbappé scored twice, including a dramatic goal from 30 meters in stoppage time, making him the all-time top scorer for the French national team with 58 goals. Ibrahim Mbaye scored a late goal for Senegal, but France secured the win.
Bias read (Center): The article provides a straightforward account of a sports match without any overt political commentary, framing, or biased language. It focuses solely on the events of the game and player performances.
ERR (Eesti)State / PublicCenter4 days agoFrance defeated Senegal 3-1 in their opening match of the FIFA World Cup. The final two goals were scored in stoppage time, with 18-year-old Ibrahim Mbaye scoring for Senegal and Kylian Mbappé responding with a stunning long-range goal for France.
Bias read (Center): The article reports on a sports match without any political commentary, framing, or biased language. It focuses solely on the game outcome and key moments, using neutral language.
