Matchweek 2: Heroes, Heartbreak and History

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Round two of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has seen teams secure their places in the knockout stages, while others are taking a premature flight home. The week produced heroic moments, particularly from goalkeepers, and saw records broken, most notably Lionel Messi becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in World Cup history and Cristiano Ronaldo becoming the first player to score in six different World Cups.

Winners

Curaçao

How does a team that is the third-lowest ranked in the competition, with a population of about 158,000 and playing in its first World Cup, bounce back after conceding seven goals in its opening game? By holding favored dark horse Ecuador to a 0-0 draw.

It was an unbelievable display of willpower from the island nation, which earned its first-ever point at a World Cup finals. Ecuador’s talent and recent form had many discussing them as a team capable of causing serious upsets at this tournament. However, after a defeat to Ivory Coast in their opening match, Curaçao had all but booked its ticket home before this draw.

Thirty-seven-year-old Eloy Room built a steel wall in goal, making 15 saves, one short of Tim Howard’s World Cup record from 2014, earning praise and recognition from across the footballing world.

With that point, Curaçao still has a chance of somehow advancing from the group. If they can shock Ivory Coast, and if the already-qualified Germans do their job against Ecuador, Curaçao’s journey may not be over yet.

Netherlands

German economist Joachim Klement has successfully predicted the World Cup winner in every edition since 2014. This year, Klement named the Dutch as his favorites, a prediction that was met with some chuckles given the apparent imbalance of the Netherlands squad on paper. After a 5-1 victory over Sweden, who themselves were coming off a 5-1 win over Tunisia, the Oranje Army may be serious contenders.

The Netherlands went up by two goals before halftime and extended that lead to four before the game was even two-thirds complete. The Dutch already possess world-class defenders and midfielders such as Virgil van Dijk and Frenkie de Jong, but concerns remained about the quality of their attack.

Brian Brobbey and Cody Gakpo put those doubts to rest, making the Netherlands a complete force of nature. They have long held the reputation of being the World Cup’s unluckiest powerhouse, reaching three finals without winning any of them. So, will 2026 finally be their year?

Canada

Despite being co-hosts, expectations for Canada were low given the country’s limited football culture and its history on the world’s biggest stage. However, after a 6-0 thrashing of Qatar, football fever has swept across Canada.

Vancouver went berserk as the Canucks dismantled the Asian champions. The usual suspects, Tajon Buchanan and Stephen Eustáquio, along with hat-trick hero Jonathan David, all starred in Canada’s record-setting victory.

With four points on the board, Canada has a golden opportunity to advance from the group stage for the first time in its history. Doing so at a home World Cup would make the achievement even sweeter.

With growing support behind them, Canada has shown that it can go far in this tournament, and maybe “soccer” will finally get the respect it deserves in the Great White North.

Losers

Turkey

Turkey arrived at this World Cup in truly cinematic fashion, escorted by a massive motorcade to the airport in Istanbul. Unfortunately, the reception on their return will be far colder, accompanied by a chorus of jeers and boos.

Expectations for Turkey were high heading into the tournament. In the midst of a golden generation featuring stars such as Arda Güler and Kenan Yıldız, and blessed with a favorable group draw, many viewed Turkey as one of the biggest dark horses in the competition, hoping for a repeat of their 2002 semifinal run.

However, a 2-0 defeat to Australia in the opening game, followed by a 1-0 loss to Paraguay, has sent Turkey home early.

It’s not as if Turkey didn’t try. They simply didn’t do enough with their opportunities, managing a staggering 62 shots across the two matches without finding the back of the net even once.

“We apologize to the entire Turkish people. I will do everything in my power throughout my career with the national team to make everyone forget this tournament. In two games, we scored zero goals and it’s not acceptable,” said Arda Guler after their elimination was confirmed.

There is clearly talent within this Turkish side, but we will have to wait another four years to see it on the global stage again.

Belgium

From one team given the dark horse label to another that has carried the tag for more than a decade, Belgium is staring at yet another unceremonious World Cup exit.

To be fair, in both 2014 and 2018, Belgium was in its prime and had the quality to win the entire tournament, ultimately finishing third in Russia in 2018. Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois, Romelu Lukaku, and many others defined a generation of not only Belgian football but world football as a whole.

With Hazard gone and most of the remaining stars nearing the end of their careers, Belgium now looks like a team from a bygone era.

Draws against Egypt and Iran have left the Red Devils facing the prospect of consecutive group-stage eliminations. The young talents coming through are exciting, but they are nowhere near the level of the golden generation.

With New Zealand awaiting in their final match, Belgium remains favored to reach the knockout stages. Still, they have to wonder whether their best chance to win a World Cup has already passed.

England

England opened its campaign with a strong 4-2 victory over Croatia, exacting revenge for its semifinal defeat in 2018. There were doubts surrounding Thomas Tuchel’s final squad selection, but after that win, English optimism was soaring. Sixty years of heartbreak might finally be coming to an end.

When England followed it up with a drab 0-0 draw against Ghana, however, the doubts quickly resurfaced.

Unlike many of the scoreless draws seen at this World Cup, Ghana did not produce a once-in-a-lifetime defensive masterclass. Instead, England simply looked blunt in front of goal.

Captain Harry Kane is firmly in the Ballon d’Or conversation following his season with Bayern Munich and his two-goal performance in the opener. Yet he appeared almost invisible throughout the 90 minutes against the Black Stars.

Coach Tuchel was frequently caught on camera shouting in frustration at his side. England will most likely still advance, but the question remains:

Is it coming home?

Upcoming games

Thursday, June 25

• Ecuador vs Germany @ New York/New Jersey, Thu 25 June 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
• Curacao vs Ivory Coast @ Philadelphia, Thu 25 June 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
• Tunisia vs Netherlands @ Kansas City, Thu 25 June 2026, 7:00 PM EDT
• Japan vs Sweden @ Dallas, Thu 25 June 2026, 7:00 PM EDT
• Turkey vs United States @ Los Angeles, Thu 25 June 2026, 10:00 PM EDT
• Paraguay vs Australia @ San Francisco Bay Area, Thu 25 June 2026, 10:00 PM EDT

Friday, June 26

• Norway vs France @ Boston, Fri 26 June 2026, 3:00 PM EDT
• Senegal vs Iraq @ Toronto, Fri 26 June 2026, 3:00 PM EDT
• Uruguay vs Spain @ Guadalajara, Fri 26 June 2026, 8:00 PM EDT
• Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia @ Houston, Fri 26 June 2026, 8:00 PM EDT
• New Zealand vs Belgium @ Vancouver, Fri 26 June 2026, 11:00 PM EDT
• Egypt vs Iran @ Seattle, Fri 26 June 2026, 11:00 PM EDT

Saturday, June 27

• Panama vs England @ New York/New Jersey, Sat 27 June 2026, 5:00 PM EDT
• Croatia vs Ghana @ Philadelphia, Sat 27 June 2026, 5:00 PM EDT
• Colombia vs Portugal @ Miami, Sat 27 June 2026, 7:30 PM EDT
• DR Congo vs Uzbekistan @ Atlanta, Sat 27 June 2026, 7:30 PM EDT
• Jordan vs Argentina @ Dallas, Sat 27 June 2026, 10:00 PM EDT
• Algeria vs Austria @ Kansas City, Sat 27 June 2026, 10:00 PM EDT