The 2026 World Cup is still young, but the message is already loud: the underdogs aren’t just here to participate, they’re here to disrupt.
In today’s action, Congo held Portugal to a statement draw, frustrating Cristiano Ronaldo and a star-studded midfield that struggled to break down a disciplined, confident side. In Toronto, 73rd-ranked Ghana scored a stoppage-time winner against 34th-ranked Panama, sending the crowd into a frenzy. And while Uzbekistan fell to Colombia, the tournament debutants continued their dream journey by scoring their first-ever World Cup goal.
Meanwhile, England and Croatia delivered the tournament’s most chaotic match yet – a six-goal thriller defined by relentless attack and a second-half surge led by Jude Bellingham.
The good news? We’re only one week in, and the World Cup has already provided statement moments, upsets, and drama. The bad news? For the favourites, this might just be the start of a very uncomfortable month.
Here are the biggest takeaways from Day 7 at the World Cup.
THE RESULTS
GROUP K: Portugal 1, DR Congo 1 | Match Report | Match Stats
GROUP L: England 4, Croatia 2 | Match Report | Match Stats
GROUP L: Ghana 1, Panama | Match Report | Match Stats
GROUP K: Colombia 3, Uzbekistan 1 | Match Report | Match Stats
THE BIG TAKEAWAYS
Ronaldo silenced, but Congo hints at something bigger
On Monday, Cabo Verde frustrated Spain. On Wednesday, Congo held Portugal. Clearly, the tournament’s newcomers aren’t here to mess around.
The World Cup’s expansion to 48 teams — its first increase from the traditional 32 — has already started to justify itself. While critics warned it would create mismatches, it has done the opposite, producing moments where newcomers are shaping, not surviving, the global stage.
Despite enjoying 75 per cent possession, Portugal managed just seven shots and an expected goals (xG) of 0.69. João Neves’ early header, inside six minutes, felt like the start of a routine win. Instead, it was as good as it got.
Ronaldo will inevitably dominate the conversation. At 41, questions will only grow about how much longer he can lead the line at this level. He had little influence, few chances, and a missed opportunity that summed up both his and the Seleção das Quinas’s afternoon.
But Portugal’s problems ran far deeper than its most famous name. Even with a midfield packed with technical quality, players like Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes spent their time probing Congo’s backline rather than breaking it open. As the minutes passed, Portugal became increasingly predictable. All possession, no punch.
Yoane Wissa’s equalizer just before half-time, the Congo’s first-ever World Cup goal, was no fluke. It was the reward for organization, patience, athleticism, and a growing confidence that they belong on this stage.
England’s ruthlessness turns chaos into control in World Cup classic
England’s win over Croatia was pure chaos, the kind of match that reminds fans why they love soccer in the first place.
Early on, Harry Kane set the tone from the spot, converting a twice-taken penalty to break the deadlock. But Croatia refused to fade, striking back through Martin Baturina’s thunderbolt and Petar Musa’s stoppage-time equalizer before the break.
Then came the turning point: Jude Bellingham’s second-half strike, arriving immediately after halftime, was the moment the match shifted. Not because it ended Croatia’s resistance, but because it exposed England’s defining trait: ruthlessness. From there, Croatia were constantly rushed, forced into hurried decisions instead of sustained control.
In what might be the match of the tournament so far, fans were treated to everything: electric goals, superstar moments, VAR drama, and the kind of emotional volatility that makes the game irresistible. It was far from perfect soccer, but arguably something better. The collision of momentum, chaos, and conviction made it impossible to look away.
And even with a frustrated Luka Modrić & Co., there was no denying that Group L started with a bang.
One lingering question is how much the controlled climate inside Dallas Stadium shaped the intensity of the match. The tempo rarely dropped, without the late-game fatigue that has crept into other fixtures at this tournament.
So, can the Three Lions replicate their same second-half explosiveness when conditions are less forgiving in Boston on Tuesday? If this performance was shaped by an environment that suited high-tempo soccer, then managing that energy across different settings may end up being just as important as the tactics themselves.
PHOTO OF THE DAY
It’s not a clear photo, but it’s a significant one.
After Ghana's dramatic late winner, head coach Carlos Queiroz ran across the rain-soaked pitch at Toronto Stadium to celebrate with the travelling fans. The 73-year-old only took charge of the Black Stars in April, making the moment even more memorable.
This photo also captures something bigger: Toronto's emergence as a soccer city. Wednesday's match was the second World Cup fixture played in Toronto, drawing 42,942 fans and transforming downtown into a sea of colours, flags and celebrations before and after kickoff. If there were any doubts about what this tournament would mean to Toronto, scenes like this are quickly putting them to rest.
STAT OF THE DAY
Ronaldo is now the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup match. He’s also gone 10 major tournament games without scoring for Portugal.
QUESTION OF THE DAY
To help players manage the summer heat, FIFA has introduced hydration breaks halfway through each half. But are they also altering the rhythm of matches?
Pundits have noted the breaks disrupt flow, while also giving teams a chance to reset shape and adjust tactics. Across the tournament, a pattern has begun to emerge: momentum changes after the stoppage, as if the pause itself influences the game’s tempo.
In Portugal vs. DR Congo, Portugal opened the scoring, but DR Congo responded after the first-half hydration break. In England vs. Croatia, the Three Lions netted a penalty before the first break, with Croatia striking shortly after. It’s a sequence that has repeated itself all tournament long, raising questions about whether the breaks are becoming more influential than intended.
MOMENT OF THE DAY
Before kick-off in Houston, Portugal paused for an emotional tribute to Diogo Jota, with players wearing wristbands in his memory. Jota, along with his brother André Silva, died in a car accident in 2025.
THREE STARS OF THE DAY
1. Harry Kane (England): The 32-year-old’s brace powered the Three Lions to a crucial win with knockout implications. In doing so, the talisman made English history, becoming the joint-top scorer in FIFA World Cup history with 10 goals alongside Gary Lineker.
2. Yoane Wissa (DR Congo): The Newcastle forward was DR Congo’s game-changer, heading home a stoppage-time equalizer to cap a historic result. His pace and aggression kept Portugal on edge, drawing key fouls as DR Congo protected a vital point.
3. Luis Díaz (Colombia): Uzbekistan never found an answer for Díaz. The Bayern Munich winger dictated Colombia's attack from start to finish, orchestrating the first goal and netting the decisive one. Sharp, inventive, and relentlessly dangerous, look for the 29-year-old to be one of the players of the tournament.
