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The first round of games have concluded at the 2026 World Cup. There are still 80 more contests to go before a champion is crowned. Nevertheless, that hasn't stopped people from using social media as a sounding board for their most fiery takes.
There has been plenty made about this year's tournament, held across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The on-field competition has proved eye-catching, even as political turmoil has erupted behind the scenes.
The first week of action proved enchanting. Giants were tamed, underdogs were cemented and the game's greatest stars embraced the spotlight. Suffice to say, it was hard to separate fact from fiction during the opening round of fixtures, with hyperbole running amok.
With that, The Sporting News looks at the fool's gold that took hold on spectators during the first week of action at this year's World Cup.
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Biggest overreactions to 2026 World Cup
‘USMNT will advance further than ever before’
The Americans enjoyed a glistening showcase at SoFi Stadium on Friday, sweeping aside Paraguay 4-1 as Folarin Balogun shined. Predictably, that brought about some notable reactions from U.S. soccer fans, with some believing it was a sign that the side could compete for a spot in the quarterfinals — or beyond.
Don't get it twisted; the USMNT is in pole position to secure a spot in the knockout stage. It's understandable why the performance had some people swooning: after all, it was the most goals the USMNT ever scored in a World Cup fixture.
MORE: Predicting USA's path out of Group D and into World Cup knockouts
We'd advise to proceed with a little more caution, however. The U.S. put forth solid displays in its tune-up games against Senegal and Germany and have generally looked more capable of taking on the world's elite than it has in the past. Still, the Americans are without a win against a European foes for nearly five years.
Paraguay were unable to test the USMNT fully in their group stage opener. Turkey and Australia appear better equipped to do so. Let's wait and see before deciding to buy tickets to the USMNT's semifinals
‘Spain are sinking after 0-0 draw with Cape Verde’
The Spaniards endured a difficult day at the office in their World Cup opener, seeing effort after effort turned away en route to a momentous — and infamous — draw to Cape Verde.
There was reason for concern within the Spanish ranks. Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, two players who entered into this year's tournament mending injuries, were forced to be called upon as Luis de la Fuente looked for some edge from the substitute's bench.
Yamal and Williams keyed Spain's run to the European Championships title in 2024. They are dynamic, blessed with explosive strides and dancing feet. There might not be a side in world soccer that can boast of having as good of wing options as Spain.
MORE: Looking back at every World Cup goal Messi has ever scored
The lack of a No. 9 to hang your hat on does bring some concerns for Spain, as does the depth on the flanks beyond Yamal and Williams. Nevertheless, the talent is there to make another deep run in the tournament — even if it didn't look like it during Matchday 1.
‘Portugal will turn things around after stinker in group stage opener’
Portugal has ample talent within its ranks, with Bruno Fernandes, Rafa Leao, Vitinha and Nuno Mendes anchoring a roster laden with stars. And yet, there might not be a European giant more susceptible to shocks than the Selecao das Quinas, who looked second-best for much of its group-stage opening draw against DR Congo.
Let's not be mistaken here: if any team was going to win that game, it was going to be DR Congo. Roberto Martinez's side looked toothless at the top of the pitch, both in terms of chance creation and execution when the ball got into dangerous places.
Cristiano Ronaldo's selection was a large reason for the underwhelming display. The 41-year-old (yes, 41!) produced a forgettable showing in front of NRG Park faithful, failing to record a shot on target while tallying his second-fewest touches in a World Cup start.
MORE: How Cristiano Ronaldo held Portugal back in World Cup draw vs. DR Congo
Martinez, who has been Portugal's manager since before the 2024 European Championship, has shown no willingness to drop the aging No. 9 — even if his skills are waning in real time. It's hard to see a route to real success for the Portuguese if Ronaldo keeps on getting his number called. The Al-Nassr star hasn't scored in 10 consecutive major international matches. Martinez didn't feel compelled to take him off despite his woeful record, perhaps an indication of his clout within the Portuguese ranks.
Simply, Cristiano Ronaldo should not be the starting No. 9 for Portugal at this year's World Cup. If he continues to play in such a role, he'll limit Portugal's potential to advance deep in tournament play.
MORE: Why Ronaldo's best chance of winning a first World Cup is as a back-
‘The World Cup goes through Europe’
There's a notion in world soccer that Europe is an infallible force. It's reflected in the sport's media across the Western world, with those tasked with offering analysis often, implicitly or explicitly, talking down upon the countries and lands that are housed by the "wretched of the Earth."
Portugal's draw to DR Congo inspired think pieces about Ronaldo's place on the team, not DR Congo's tactical flexibility or how the Leopards used transitions to threaten the Portuguese backline. Cape Verde's draw against Spain became a forum to talk about Spain, not the archipelago nation that has overcame all odds to become one of Africa's best sides.
South Korea, Morocco, Ivory Coast and Japan all showed signs of life during their World Cup openers. And yet, it feels that they've disappeared into the background, replaced by whispers that, more or less, work to exaggerate Europe's dominance in international competition.
So, here's to a paradigm shift. The Global South isn't merely a site of Euro-American extraction. It is a living and breathing locale that is rapidly rising up soccer's food chain. Morocco's run at the 2022 World Cup was just the start. Expect more stories like that to become the norm as the infrastructure in Global South countries begins to match the talent level.
MORE: Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi both in pursuit of World Cup scoring record
‘Canada will be the worst-performing host nation at this year's World Cup’
The Canadians were the lone host nation to fail to record a win in their group stage opener, drawing with Bosnia & Herzegovina following a late Cyle Larin equalizer. Given the USMNT and Mexico's showings, some might have felt compelled to take a victory lap on Jesse Marsch's side.
Canada struggled to contain the Bosnians' threat in the first half. In the second, however, things looked a bit more steady. If not for some timely interventions from Bosnia & Herzegovina's defenders and goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj, the net could have already bulged by the time Larin entered the contest. Ismael Kone and Stephen Eustaquio anchored the midfield while Larin produced a moment of magic to bring things level.
Oh, and did we mention Alphonso Davies didn't play? The Canadians are in prime position to advance to the knockout stages in this year's World Cup, no matter what people think of their exploits in their opening match.
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