What happened at the World Cup on June 21, 2026?
Spain blitzed Saudi Arabia 4-0 with teen star Lamine Yamal finally scoring, while Egypt and Mohamed Salah came from behind to beat New Zealand 3-1 for the country's first-ever men's World Cup win. Debutants Cape Verde shocked Uruguay 2-2 again, and 10-man Belgium were held 0-0 by Iran.
- 1Spain beat Saudi Arabia 4-0 in Atlanta to reach the Round of 32, scoring three goals inside the first 25 minutes.[1]
- 2Egypt came from behind to beat New Zealand 3-1 in Vancouver for their first-ever men's World Cup win, led by Mohamed Salah.[2]
- 3Lamine Yamal, 18, scored after 10 minutes, becoming the eighth-youngest scorer in men's World Cup history.[3]
- 4Debutants Cape Verde drew 2-2 with Uruguay; Kevin Pina's 32-metre free kick was their first-ever World Cup goal.[4]
- 5Belgium were held 0-0 by Iran and finished with 10 men after Nathan Ngoy's red card.[5]
1. Spain are scary good — and an 18-year-old just announced himself
Spain looked like a title favorite, hammering Saudi Arabia 4-0 in Atlanta and booking a spot in the Round of 32. The story was 18-year-old Lamine Yamal, who scored his first-ever World Cup goal after just 10 minutes. Mikel Oyarzabal added two more inside three minutes, and an own goal made it four. Spain became the first nation since Germany in 2014 to score three goals inside the opening 25 minutes. If you want beautiful, ruthless soccer, this is the team to watch.
2. Egypt make history behind their superstar
Mohamed Salah — a Liverpool icon and one of the most famous players on the planet — dragged Egypt to their first win ever at a men's World Cup, a 3-1 comeback over New Zealand in Vancouver. The All Whites led at halftime through a Finn Surman header, but Egypt roared back: Mostafa Ziko equalized, Salah scored and then set up Trezeguet's late header. Egypt now sit top of Group G.
3. Lamine Yamal's 10-minute cameo of brilliance
The teenager deserves his own spotlight. Yamal had been managing a hamstring injury and played only 19 minutes in Spain's opener. On Sunday he started, scored within 10 minutes, and was pulled at halftime with the game already won 3-0. At 18, he is now the eighth-youngest goalscorer in men's World Cup history. Remember the name.
4. Cape Verde, the smallest nation here, keep stunning the giants
Cape Verde — an island nation of about half a million people, in their first-ever World Cup — earned a second straight draw, 2-2 against two-time champions Uruguay in Miami. Kevin Pina curled in a free kick from 32 meters, the longest-range goal of the tournament so far, for Cape Verde's first World Cup goal ever. Uruguay led 2-1 at the break, but substitute Hélio Varela equalized.
5. A stat worth sharing
In Belgium's 0-0 draw with Iran, Leandro Trossard created five chances for Kevin De Bruyne — the most by one player for a single teammate in a World Cup match since Schweinsteiger to Ballack for Germany in 2006. Belgium still couldn't score, played the last half-hour a man down after Nathan Ngoy's red card, and now sit behind Iran.
What to Watch Today
Matchday 12 brings more group-stage action. Key kickoffs run roughly 12:00 PM / 3:00 PM / 6:00 PM ET — that's about 1:00 AM / 4:00 AM / 7:00 AM JST and KST the next morning. Check WorldCupExplained.com for the full schedule in your time zone.
Key Takeaways
- Spain are early favorites — and Lamine Yamal is the breakout star.
- Egypt and Salah finally have their first men's World Cup win.
- Tiny Cape Verde keep embarrassing the giants on debut.
- Spain 4-0 Saudi Arabia: Match report and highlights — FIFA(accessed 2026-06-22)
- Salah scores as Egypt beat New Zealand 3-1 for first World Cup win — Al Jazeera(accessed 2026-06-22)
- Yamal nets 'dream' 1st World Cup goal as Spain answer critics — ESPN(accessed 2026-06-22)
- Cabo Verde draw with Uruguay — Match report and highlights — FIFA(accessed 2026-06-22)
- World Cup 2026: Belgium 0-0 Iran — Nathan Ngoy sent off — Sky Sports(accessed 2026-06-22)