标签： South America

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has already produced one of the most historic individual competitions in the tournament’s history, as three of the world’s greatest forwards have mounted an unprecedented Golden Boot challenge that has sent records tumbling within the first two matchdays.

After just two games each, Lionel Messi of Argentina sits atop the goal-scoring standings with five strikes, while Kylian Mbappe of France and Erling Haaland of Norway trail closely behind with four goals apiece. This historic start marks only the second time in World Cup history that three players have notched at least four goals within the first two matches, a feat not seen since 1954, and fans and pundits alike are hailing the opening stretch of the tournament as something truly extraordinary.

The historic run of goalscoring unfolded across a single matchday, with each superstar matching their rivals’ output step for step. First, Messi broke the men’s World Cup all-time goal-scoring record with a brace in Argentina’s victory over Austria, pushing his cumulative tournament total to 18 goals across 28 World Cup appearances. Before that, former Germany striker Miroslav Klose held the all-time record with 16 goals, meaning Messi has already surpassed the mark that stood before the tournament kicked off.

Not to be outdone, Mbappe hit his own double on his 100th international cap, powering France to a weather-delayed win over Iraq. The French star has now drawn level with Klose on 16 all-time World Cup goals, and has already claimed the title of France’s all-time leading World Cup goalscorer after just two matches this tournament. He is also in position to become the first men’s player to win multiple Golden Boot awards, should his current form hold.

Hours later, Haaland matched his two fellow superstars by scoring twice in Norway’s win over Senegal, securing the nation’s place in the round of 32 in the 24-year-old’s first World Cup appearance. Haaland, who has already become Norway’s top World Cup goalscorer after just two matches, is only the sixth player in history to score multiple goals in each of his first two World Cup appearances, extending his club-form red hot streak to international football with an incredible 59 goals in 52 caps for Norway.

England captain Harry Kane, who already scored a brace on opening day against Ghana, will get his chance to add to his tally and join the leading group on Tuesday, adding even more stakes to what is already shaping up to be a historic race. Beyond the all-time cumulative record, all the leading contenders are also targeting Just Fontaine’s 65-year-old record of 13 goals scored in a single World Cup, set in 1958. Only three players in history have ever hit double-digit goals in a single World Cup, but pundits widely predict that number will grow by the end of this 2026 tournament.

The expanded 48-team format of the 2026 World Cup has been cited as one factor contributing to the surge in goals from elite attackers. The new structure adds an extra knockout round for tournament winners, giving star players more opportunities to find the back of the net, while the inclusion of more lower-ranked opponents has allowed the world’s best forwards to capitalize on chances against less experienced defenses.

Industry experts and former players have weighed in on the once-in-a-generation competition for the Golden Boot. French football journalist Julien Laurens noted that the elite stars are not only competing for the current tournament’s top scorer prize, but are also chasing historic all-time records that have stood for decades. Former Scotland striker Ally McCoist argued that while it is impossible to directly compare the three superstars, Haaland stands alone as the most clinically lethal finisher in the world right now. “When it comes to putting the ball in the back of the net, Haaland is probably the best out there. When it comes to finishing, he takes some beating,” McCoist said.

Former England international Karen Carney summed up the opening matchday: “It was a superstar day. Messi stole the show, but what performances from Mbappe and Haaland as well. Let’s hope Harry Kane can get in on the act on Tuesday.”

While the race for goals has captured global attention, Mbappe sought to downplay his individual pursuit, noting that he is focused first on helping France succeed rather than tracking Messi’s progress. “If I start watching him, I’ll feel like I have to do even more, so no, I don’t watch what he’s doing. I’m only thinking about helping my team – by helping the team, I score goals and get closer to that kind of level,” Mbappe said.

Norway manager Stale Solbakken was quick to advocate for his star striker, arguing that Haaland’s four-goal start is even more impressive coming off a smaller nation than global powerhouses France and Argentina. “It’s easier to win the Golden Boot when you play for France and Argentina, but we’ll try to give Erling more games, and more help also in the next games. So he’s on fire and I’m very happy for him that he can score on the biggest stage,” Solbakken said.

Even other top young strikers in the tournament have expressed awe at the three superstars’ historic form. American striker Folarin Balogun, who notched two goals in his own first two matches, joked: “I think it’s annoying. Seeing players like Messi, Mbappe, Haaland – they’re so inevitable. I think they’re scoring a goal a game, sometimes more. For me, it’s just about trying to get to that level – to be inevitable as well.”

As the tournament progresses, all eyes will remain fixed on the Golden Boot race, as what is already the most competitive individual goal-scoring chase in decades continues to unfold on football’s biggest global stage.

GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Severe weather has thrown a last-minute curveball into Colombia’s preparation plans for its critical second Group K FIFA World Cup matchup against Congo, forcing the South American squad to halt an outdoor training session just minutes after it kicked off on Monday.

The incident unfolded at Guadalajara’s dedicated training facility, where Colombia’s squad had begun going through tactical drills and warm-up routines. Within 30 minutes of starting the session, a sudden rolling storm swept through the region, prompting coaching staff to immediately order players to evacuate the outdoor pitch and move to indoor shelter for safety.

Rather than scrapping the day’s workout entirely, the Colombian Football Federation confirmed that the team adjusted its schedule and completed the remaining portion of the training session inside a nearby gym, allowing players to maintain their fitness routines ahead of the upcoming high-stakes game.

For their part, Congo avoided the Guadalajara storm on the same day: the African side held its full morning training session on U.S. soil before boarding a charter flight to the Mexican host city later on Monday.

This upcoming fixture marks the second group-stage match for both teams, with each entering the game riding different early results from their opening outings. Colombia got its World Cup campaign off to a strong start, securing a solid 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan in its first match. Congo, meanwhile, earned a credible 1-1 draw against a Portugal side led by global superstar Cristiano Ronaldo to open its tournament run.

More updates and full coverage of the 202X FIFA World Cup can be found via the Associated Press at their official website.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Just hours after helping Argentina secure a 2-0 victory over Austria in a World Cup match held in this northern Texas city, star forward Julián Álvarez sent shockwaves through European soccer by publicly confirming his intention to leave La Liga side Atletico Madrid. The 26-year-old Argentine international did not shy away from addressing his future in an interview with ESPN, breaking his silence on months of unreported transfer speculation.

“The best outcome for all parties involved is for me to move on this transfer window,” Álvarez told reporters. “While I recognize this may not be the ideal moment to discuss this matter publicly, I also cannot hide the truth from anyone. I have been honest about my position, and I have already communicated my wishes directly to the club’s leadership, as I felt I owed them that transparency.”

News of Álvarez’s comments spread rapidly across global soccer media, and within hours of the comments being circulated in Spanish outlets, visual evidence of angry Atletico Madrid supporters burning the player’s jersey began circulating widely on major social media platforms. The images highlighted the deep frustration among the fanbase over one of their key attackers openly pushing for an exit from the club.

The public confirmation of Álvarez’s desire to leave comes just weeks after Real Madrid, Atletico’s city rivals, confirmed that they had tabled a 150 million euro (equivalent to $171 million) offer for the forward earlier this month, an offer that Atletico Madrid’s board rejected out of hand. Spanish soccer reporting has also connected this offer to the ongoing re-election campaign of Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez, who included a high-profile pursuit of the Argentine star as a key promise to voters ahead of the club’s leadership vote.

Real Madrid are not the only top Spanish side linked with a move for Álvarez: multiple reports out of Catalonia have also confirmed that FC Barcelona, another of European soccer’s biggest clubs, has also expressed concrete interest in signing the talented forward. Despite the overt interest from rival clubs and Álvarez’s public push for a transfer, Atletico Madrid has repeatedly maintained its position that it has no intention of entering negotiations to sell the player this summer. Per Spanish football media, Álvarez’s current contract with the club includes a massive release clause set at 500 million euros ($571 million), a figure designed to deter clubs from pursuing a mandatory exit for the player.

As the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup builds up to a critical Group C showdown between Brazil and Scotland, a unique new animal oracle has thrown its weight behind Brazil – and most soccer fans are eager to see if its prediction will hold true. On Monday, Poty, a majestic black jaguar based at Rio de Janeiro’s BioParque, stepped into the global spotlight for a lighthearted pre-match forecasting event that drew crowds of local residents and curious soccer supporters.

The event organizers set up two specially designed enrichment boxes for the big cat, each decorated to represent one of the two competing nations. As onlookers held their breath, Poty slowly approached the offerings, sniffing each box carefully to weigh her decision. After a few moments of consideration, she made her decisive move, selecting the box marked with Brazil’s national colors. But in a twist that has sparked discussion among the jaguar’s handlers, Poty doubled back after her initial pick to give the Scotland box a second, thorough inspection.

That small, final gesture is not something to brush off, according to Caio de Souza Silva, a biologist who works closely with Poty at BioParque. Speaking to reporters after the event, Silva noted that the jaguar’s second look could signal a far more challenging match for Brazil than many fans expect. “Maybe it indicates a tough game for us,” Silva explained. “Maybe it’s a win, but it could also be a more complicated match. Hopefully we don’t concede a goal, but it may suggest a more physical game for Brazil.”

Heading into Wednesday’s clash, which is set to take place in Miami, Group C standings remain tightly contested. Brazil currently sits as co-leader of the group alongside Morocco, with both nations holding four points. Brazil edges out Morocco on goal difference, putting them in a strong position to advance. Scotland, meanwhile, is not far behind with three points, and the side remains in contention to move on to the knockout stage regardless of the result of their match against Brazil. In the other Group C fixture matchday, Morocco will face Haiti, a side that has yet to earn a single point in the tournament so far.

Animal oracle predictions have become a beloved quirky tradition for major international soccer tournaments, stretching back to the iconic Paul the Octopus who rose to fame for his perfect prediction streak at the 2010 World Cup. For many fans, these lighthearted forecasts add an extra layer of fun and anticipation ahead of high-stakes matches.

At the 2026 FIFA World Cup, 38-year-old Lionel Messi delivered another legendary performance that cemented his status as one of the greatest players to ever step onto a football pitch. During Argentina’s second group stage match against Austria, the Argentine captain bagged a brace that secured a 2-0 win for the defending champions, booked their spot in the tournament’s last 32, and broke a record that has stood for more than a decade.

Messi’s opening goal of the match – a signature left-footed curler into the top corner – was his 17th World Cup goal, moving him one ahead of former German striker Miroslav Klose’s previous all-time record of 16. He would add an 18th from a tight angle, slipping past two defenders to finish clinically. This incredible run of form sees the Inter Miami forward enter uncharted territory: he has now scored in six consecutive World Cup matches, a feat matched only by Just Fontaine (1958, France) and Jairzinho (1970, Brazil) – no player in history has ever scored in seven straight World Cup fixtures.

The 38-year-old’s scintillating start to the tournament also puts him in pole position for the Golden Boot, the only major individual World Cup prize he has never claimed. He already notched a hat-trick in Argentina’s opening match, and with one final group game against Jordan still to play, he has ample opportunity to extend his lead. Beyond scoring, Messi also continues to rewrite World Cup playmaking records: according to Opta statistics, he is just one assist away from breaking the all-time assist record that dates back to 1966, currently shared with his compatriot and idol Diego Maradona.

The question on every football fan’s mind is: how does a player of Messi’s age, who has already won every possible trophy in the sport, and has played in Major League Soccer for three years heading into this tournament, continue to deliver dominant performances on the game’s biggest stage?

Messi’s late-career dominance is not without precedent. Back in 2018, a 31-year-old Messi and Argentina were knocked out of the World Cup by eventual champions France in a iconic seven-goal thriller, leading many to assume his World Cup story was drawing to a close. Four years later, he silenced the doubters by captaining Argentina to a third World Cup title in Qatar, scoring seven times along the way. Now, another four years on, he continues to break new ground.

French veteran Olivier Giroud, who won the 2018 World Cup alongside the team that knocked out Argentina and is still playing top-flight Ligue 1 football at 39, said Messi’s longevity comes from his internal drive rather than a need to outperform younger stars. “It’s clear just how passionate Messi still is for football and you can tell it’s in his DNA to always be a competitor, to try and outdo himself more than anyone else,” Giroud explained. “Playing at a high level at our age, you have to pay close attention to your life hygiene – how you sleep, your diet, and taking care of your body, because that’s the thing you rely on for work. The key thing is still having the desire, the motivation, the passion, to keep going.”

Messi is far from the only elite sports star to maintain elite form into his late 30s – men’s tennis great Novak Djokovic is one of the most prominent recent examples. But sports psychologist Michael Caulfield, who has worked in professional football for more than 20 years, says this level of longevity relies on a rare combination of cutting-edge physical preparation and unmatched mental discipline.

“Players know themselves inside out by that age, so there’s not a lot left to teach them about how to manage as they get older,” Caulfield explained. “From a physical point of view, they take advantage of every breakthrough in sports science. But mentally, it’s about whether they have the capacity in their minds to deal with the daily grind. They have to be willing to spend the whole year working hard on the same things, and if you’ve been doing that for 25 years, that takes huge self-discipline. They have to maintain the sheer will to go through the rehab process after injuries when they know they’ve already won everything. All the top athletes I’ve ever known, they’re all willing to try and go back one more time, because they love doing what they do. It’s the same reason you still see Bruce Springsteen or Madonna touring – it is completely intrinsic to who these stars are.”

Former England and Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, who faced Messi in two Champions League finals that the Argentine won, says Messi’s unrivaled technical ability has allowed him to offset any natural age-related decline in athleticism. “Coming into this World Cup, I pretty much wrote Argentina’s chances off because I didn’t think he could carry on [at that level] for another one,” Rooney admitted. “The one thing age can never take away from players is their ability with the ball. You put him around the penalty box and he has the ability to do things others can’t. It’ll be interesting to see whether it can last the rest of the tournament. [If it does] then it wouldn’t surprise me if we see him in the next World Cup for Argentina as well.”

While Messi is generally known as a reserved and humble figure off the pitch, his former Barcelona teammate Cesc Fabregas says that competitiveness comes to the fore the second he steps onto the pitch. “When he crosses the white line, he is a very different person,” Fabregas said in the BBC iPlayer documentary *Rivals: Messi vs Ronaldo*. “He wants to win at any cost.”

That relentless competitiveness, paired with a childlike love for the game, is what keeps him going even after he has achieved every possible honor in football. “Athletes always think there’s something left to achieve,” Caulfield says. “They’re wondering if there is something they haven’t quite mastered yet. But more than anything they want to keep feeling that childlike joy of doing what they love. You see Messi still doing keepy-ups or a rondo, and he still loves football like a little boy.”

Messi’s record-breaking performance also draws an interesting contrast with his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who is making his sixth World Cup appearance with Portugal at 41. The veteran made little impact in Portugal’s opening draw with DR Congo, and Rooney says Messi’s historic display will not have escaped Ronaldo’s attention. “Ronaldo will have been fuming,” Rooney said. “Even at 41 he will still be expecting to be top goalscorer. But that attitude is part of his own greatness. The two of them have spurred each other on. They have this self-belief and arrogance, in a good way, where they know what they have done, have nothing to prove, and it’s up to the likes of Mbappe and Haaland to prove they can take over.”

As the tournament progresses, all eyes will remain on Messi as he chases more history, both with Argentina and in the individual record books.

ARLINGTON, Texas — For decades, Lionel Messi has built his legacy on turning milestones into routine, and on Monday at the 2026 FIFA World Cup at AT&T Stadium, the Argentina captain added another unprecedented entry to his already historic career. Widely regarded as the greatest men’s soccer player to ever step onto the pitch, Messi notched two goals against Austria to lift defending champion Argentina to a 2-0 group stage victory, pushing his all-time World Cup goal total to a new record of 18. The performance also locked Argentina’s spot in the tournament’s knockout round, following two opening group wins that have put the South American side in a strong position heading into the knockout stage.

The historic evening came with its share of early drama: Messi had a golden chance to break the record in the ninth minute, but sent his penalty kick wide of the right post after a foul on Argentina striker Lautaro Martinez inside the box. Visibly frustrated by the miss in the moment, Messi said after the match he channeled that disappointment into pushing forward to find the back of the net. “There were moments when I was really angry about missing the penalty, but I was able to make up for it,” the 8-time Ballon d’Or winner told reporters, reflecting on the match.

Messi’s first record-breaking goal arrived in the 38th minute, just two days ahead of his 39th birthday and amid personal concern over his father Jorge’s ongoing undisclosed medical treatment back home in Argentina. Facundo Medina threaded a pass through the Austrian defense that Thiago Almada let run through to Messi, who hit a 20-yard left-footed shot that caught Austrian goalkeeper Alexander Schlager leaning the wrong direction. As the ball rippled into the net, the 35-year-old ran to the corner flag, thrust his right arm into the air, and celebrated in front of a sold-out crowd of 70,649 fans, most of whom were cheering loudly for Argentina.

He added his second of the match and 18th overall World Cup goal in stoppage time, pouncing on a rebound after Schlager saved his first attempt and firing through a crowd of Austrian defenders to seal the 2-0 win. The brace marked the sixth consecutive World Cup match in which Messi has found the back of the net, an achievement only matched by two other greats in tournament history: France’s Just Fontaine and Brazil’s Jairzinho.

Messi’s path to the record began last Tuesday in Kansas City, when he scored his first career World Cup hat trick in Argentina’s 3-0 opening group win over Algeria. That performance pulled him level with former Germany striker Miroslav Klose, who held the previous record of 16 goals scored across 24 World Cup matches between 2002 and 2014, when Klose’s Germany beat Messi’s Argentina in the World Cup final. In an interview published in June, Klose said he fully expected Messi to break his record, and even welcomed the achievement. “I expect my record to fall in this tournament,” Klose told German outlet *Sueddeutsche Zeitung*. “With the larger field of competing teams there are more games and so more chances to score goals. And I assume Argentina and France will go far. That’s perfectly OK, the record will be broken eventually anyhow and Messi is welcome to be the one who does it. I’m a big fan of Messi, always have been. Messi is a genius.”

Monday’s match marked Messi’s 28th World Cup appearance, extending his own record for the most matches played in men’s World Cup history. It also came 20 years to the day after his World Cup debut in Germany, where he scored his first ever World Cup goal, and marked his 200th senior appearance for the Argentina men’s national team. Beyond the record books, Messi emphasized after the match that the team’s result was the most important outcome of the night, particularly as it secures Argentina’s place in the knockout round and removes pressure from their final group match. “Beyond anything I’m so happy for the win,” Messi said. “It was huge, tough and difficult. It would allow us to be relaxed to what’s ahead. All matches in this World Cup are very even, very intense. I’m enjoying this moment and craving to enjoy with my teammates.”

The personal context around the historic night has added extra weight to Messi’s achievement: last week, Messi’s family confirmed that 68-year-old Jorge Messi, who has served as his son’s agent and been a foundational figure in Lionel’s career from childhood through his professional success, is undergoing medical treatment for an undisclosed health issue. After scoring his hat trick against Algeria, Messi was openly emotional after the match, revealing that his tears came after a run of difficult non-football-related days. Argentina has now scored five goals through its first two group matches, all of which have come from Messi, as the defending champion heads into the knockout stage of the tournament on a high note.

It was a completely unplanned afternoon that would go on to stick with me for the rest of my life. At 17 years old, I had never stepped foot inside a professional football stadium, and I had zero interest in the sport. But a last-minute phone call would land me a front-row spot to one of the most iconic matches in World Cup history: the 1986 quarter-final between Argentina and England.

That morning, my family had no plans for the day. Then a call came in: a friend of my father had two extra tickets he couldn’t use, and he offered them to my mother and I. My father hesitated. It had been less than five years since the Falklands War ended, and he feared lingering political tensions would spill over into the stands between Argentinian and English supporters. My mother, though, did not overthink it. This was the World Cup, she argued – a once-in-a-lifetime experience that no teenager should miss. We were going.

I treated my first ever football match like I was heading to a night out, not a sporting event. I pulled on my nicest clothes, caked on far more makeup than I needed, and spent more time daydreaming about meeting attractive foreign fans than focusing on the legendary players we were going to watch. My mother gave me a raised eyebrow but let me have my fun. The buzz started long before we reached the stadium, as we drove across Mexico City. Flags flapped out of every car window, and strangers yelled shared chants across stalled traffic. I joined right in, screaming “Viva México!” alongside everyone else, even though Mexico had already been knocked out of the tournament. Football didn’t matter to me then, but being part of that electric collective moment did.

Walking into the Azteca Stadium for the first time took my breath away. The sheer size of it, the deafening noise, the explosion of color from fans’ kits and face paint – it felt like the entire world had converged on that single spot. Fans from every corner of the globe packed the stands, singing, laughing, and decked out in costumes. I barely paid attention to the kickoff; I was far too caught up joining the Mexican wave, swept along in the crowd’s rhythm. The match itself felt distant, almost like a background detail.

Then everything changed in an instant. Suddenly, the entire stadium was on its feet. There was a burst of celebration, then confusion, then shouting as arguments broke out across the stands. It was a moment that would be debated for decades. The ball floated high above England’s penalty area, and Argentina’s Diego Maradona launched himself into the air to contest it with England goalkeeper Peter Shilton, who jumped to punch the ball clear. Instead, the ball bounced off Maradona and trickled over the goal line.

At first glance, it looked like a clear header. For me, that was the moment the football stopped being background noise and became the only thing that mattered. Fans around me immediately started questioning the call: had he really scored with his head, or had he used his hand to push it in? Loud boos and protests rang out from the section of English supporters. Confused, I turned to the man sitting next to me and asked what all the commotion was. He explained Maradona had punched the ball into the net with his hand, but the referee had missed the foul and allowed the goal to stand. I was puzzled, and I had no idea in that moment that I had just watched one of the most infamous incidents in sports history. It would later become known globally as the “Hand of God”, named for Maradona’s own famous quip after the match: the goal had been scored “a little bit with my head, and a little bit with the hand of God.”

The stands were still buzzing with heated debate over the controversial goal, so much so that almost everyone nearly missed what came four minutes later: Maradona’s second, far more extraordinary goal of the match. When I look back on that day, the Hand of God is not what I remember first. What sticks with me is that second run of play. Unlike the chaotic celebration that followed the first goal, the entire stadium went dead silent as Maradona dribbled the ball up the pitch from his own half.

He spun past two English defenders right at the start of the run, then wove side to side down the field, dodging tackle after tackle, until he broke into the penalty area and slotted the ball into the back of the net. In an instant, the silence exploded into roars. I remember sitting there thinking: this is why people love football. Now I get it. What amazed me most was that even some of the English fans sitting near us joined in the applause, awed by the sheer brilliance of the play.

When the final whistle blew, Argentina had sealed a famous 2-1 victory. As my mother and I walked back to our car, what stuck with me wasn’t just the match – it was the feeling of being inside the Azteca, a vast, iconic venue woven into the fabric of Mexico’s national history. It was more than just a stadium; it was part of our collective memory. Just one year earlier, Mexico City had been shattered by a devastating earthquake that left whole neighborhoods in rubble. I could still vividly remember the weeks after the disaster, when the air smelled of dust and grief, and the whole city held its breath. The Azteca had been one of the largest refuges for families who had lost their homes, a place where they found shelter and hope. Just standing there felt profound, almost sacred, yet outside those walls, the city had transformed into a joyful, alive hub of global celebration.

As we walked, we ate tacos and fresh fruit covered in chile and lime from street vendors, talking and laughing, and I felt an overwhelming sense of pride in being Mexican. We laughed about how we leaned into every warm, loud stereotype of our country – the bright colors, the sombreros, worn with humor and defiance – and how as hosts, we opened our doors to the world with generosity and joy. Even the tournament’s official mascot, a chile pepper wearing a sombrero, captured that spirit perfectly: bold, playful, and unmistakeably Mexican.

It took me many years to fully understand what I had witnessed that day. Football never became a huge passion of mine even after that match, but that moment has never faded. The first goal will always be controversial, it angered millions then and still sparks debate decades later, and when I later lived and worked in Argentina, my friends never missed a chance to tease my English colleagues about the Hand of God. But that controversy often overshadows what I saw next: a goal so spectacular, so breathtaking, that I would never have believed it possible if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. For me, that second goal is the one worth celebrating – the moment a 17-year-old girl who didn’t care about football finally understood why the sport captivates the world.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Two-time FIFA World Cup champion Uruguay has opened its latest global tournament with underwhelming results that have put its knockout stage hopes in jeopardy. Following back-to-back draws against Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde, Marcelo Bielsa’s side faces a do-or-die group stage clash with Spain, where a failure to secure three points could send them home early.

Watching the team’s opening matches from the stands of Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, just minutes from his current club home at Inter Miami, was Luis Suárez: the striker who carried Uruguay’s attacking threat for more than 15 years and retired from international football in 2024 as the nation’s all-time leading goalscorer, with 69 goals across 143 senior caps. The 39-year-old was forced to watch from the stands as the heavily favored side struggled to turn possession and chances into goals, a problem that has quickly become the talking point of their campaign.

Suárez’s absence from the 2025 World Cup squad was no accident. After months of swirling speculation following the striker’s April announcement that he was willing to come out of international retirement for one last run at the tournament, head coach Marcelo Bielsa opted to leave both Suárez and fellow veteran frontman Edinson Cavani off his roster, choosing instead to place his trust in Uruguay’s emerging generation of attacking talent.

The decision has already come under scrutiny. In their first World Cup opening match without Suárez in the squad since 2010, Uruguay scraped a late 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia, with their only goal coming from midfielder Maxi Araújo. Opening strikers Darwin Núñez and Federico Viñas failed to register a goal between them, cutting underwhelming figures in attack. For their second fixture against Cape Verde, Bielsa adjusted his starting lineup, naming only Viñas as the central striker and adding midfielder Agustín Canobbio to the first XI. Canobbio did score Uruguay’s second goal to pull the side level, but he missed a late second-half chance that would have secured all three points, leaving the team with another draw.

After the Sunday draw with Cape Verde, Bielsa acknowledged his side’s attacking woes in comments to reporters. “I think that the problem or greatest issue is that we started the second half with the ball and with the victory,” the head coach said through a translator. “And it was at that moment that we didn’t close it. We didn’t make any danger.” He added that the squad “lacked a finishing touch” in front of goal — the very quality that Suárez built his legendary international career on providing.

The rift between Bielsa and Suárez goes beyond the squad selection: the pair clashed publicly after the 2024 Copa América, when Suárez publicly criticized Bielsa for creating a negative team environment.

Uruguay fans have been split on the decision to leave the veteran striker at home, reflecting mixed feelings about a generational shift in the national side. “(I have) mixed feelings to be honest,” said Frederico Suárez, a Uruguay supporter attending the matches. “He’s old and now it’s time for the younger players. But he’s a good player, maybe the best player I’ve ever watched with Uruguay.”

Other fans echoed the belief that the move gives young talent room to develop. “I feel like he’s a little older, so for players like Darwin (Núñez), I think it just gives him a little bit more of a chance to shine,” said fan Ian Lancaster.

For many supporters, though, the inconsistent start to the tournament has left expectations uncertain. With one group match remaining against European giant Spain in Guadalajara Stadium on Friday, Bielsa and his young attacking group are under growing pressure to deliver a win and prove the decision to omit Suárez was the right one.

“Our expectations with Uruguay now is that we never know,” said fan Alfonso Aguel. “We need to play every match, go match by match, and see what actually happens.”