Expert Doan Minh Xuong: 'Waiting for World Cup stars to shine'

Stars such as Messi, Mbappe, and Haaland performed spectacularly in the opening fixtures of Groups I and J at the 2026 World Cup, securing emphatic wins for their sides. Hence, the second matchday on June 23 is highly awaited, due to both the team rivalries and the continued displays from these top players.

Looking back at the stars' performances, expert Doan Minh Xuong shared: 'Except for Cristiano Ronaldo, the 2026 World Cup is witnessing a collective brilliance from almost all of the world's top football stars. And now, everyone is waiting for the return of another superstar on North American soil, Neymar.'

There is much admiration and many analogies about Messi's brilliant performance in his World Cup 2026 debut with a hat-trick against Algeria. But one analogy stands out above the rest: Messi seemed to be playing football in his familiar family garden, with his children Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro.

'Enjoying the joy with the ball' is evident in Messi at age 39, instead of the intense battles of the past. Perhaps it is not Messi, but his teammates and football fans worldwide who are the happiest, as he still displays the exceptional qualities he has shown for two decades, with his magical dribbles and finishing.

Messi's three goals gave Argentina a smooth start in Group J and high confidence ahead of the match against Austria in the second round. The clash at AT&T Stadium (USA) is seen as a 'group final', as Austria also took all three points after a 3-1 win over Jordan.

From that match, it can be seen that Jordan has a strong physical foundation and fast-paced play. Coach Ralf Rangnick has also built a cohesive team with diverse attacking options. However, causing an upset against the reigning champion in top form will be a difficult challenge.

Expert Doan Minh Xuong commented: 'No one else, Messi continues to be Argentina's biggest hope and inspiration against Austria. How will the talented feet of that great legend weave magic with his teammates? No one can predict, but one thing is certain: fans will continue to enjoy beautiful moments of football.'

Messi now has 16 goals, equaling Miroslav Klose's record. Whether Messi will continue to score to temporarily surpass the list of greatest scorers in World Cup history is highly anticipated.

Expert Doan Minh Xuong believes Messi is still brilliant, but Mbappe is no less, always knowing how to shine at the right moment:

'Mbappe - the player who scored 4 goals in two consecutive World Cup finals - continues to bring joy and excitement to fans.

In the opening match, the 'Gallic Rooster' crowed loudly with fast-paced play and good control of the game. Mbappe scored a brace, while Olise constantly caused havoc on the wings.

With these two goals, Mbappe officially surpassed Olivier Giroud to become the greatest scorer in French national team history, and also broke Just Fontaine's record for most goals for France in World Cups.

These record milestones will be motivation for Kylian Mbappe to continue shining in the summer on American soil, which is almost certain.

The win over Senegal has not yet helped France top the group as Norway beat Iraq by a larger margin. Therefore, in the second match against Iraq, France's goal is certainly to win and move to the top.

In terms of professionalism, squad strength, and form, Iraq is rated lower than France. Thus, fans may well continue to witness a feast of attacking football created by the French team. And Mbappe will certainly be eager to score to at least match the record held by Messi and Miroslav Klose.