The first week of the FIFA World Cup has come to a close, with all 48 teams having played one group stage contest. Despite the small sample size, some players have already stood out, including Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi, who are in an active race for the all-time World Cup goal scorer crown.

Superstars Deliver

Vinícius Júnior showed his individual quality when scoring the equalizer in Brazil’s 1-1 draw against Morocco, while England’s Harry Kane and Norway’s Erling Haaland both scored twice in their respective games. Mbappe opened with two goals in France’s 3-1 win over Senegal, taking the top spot in his country’s storied history with 58 overall goals as a French international.

Messi, meanwhile, elevated himself into the top spot by scoring all three of Argentina’s goals against Algeria. He will have a chance to break the tie against Austria on Sunday. The only true letdown among the superstars was Cristiano Ronaldo, who struggled to make an impact in a 1-1 Portugal tie against underdog DR Congo.

Hydration Breaks Spark Debate

The World Cup has introduced hydration breaks, which have sparked debate. While the concept is positive, allowing players to refresh and reset, it has been criticized for disrupting the game and being more of a commercial idea than a humanitarian one. The breaks have added a stop-start element to the game, which can negatively impact smaller teams.

The United States made a convincing debut, winning 4-1 against Paraguay. The game saw the home team take a 3-0 lead into the locker room at the half, with head coach Mauricio Pochettino’s team playing a modern, attacking variety of soccer.

Original reporting: All Sports Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.