The 2026 World Cup continues to bring out the best competition and the wildest wins across the month-long tournament, but what have some of this World Cup’s best goals looked like, and from whom?
Here are the top 10 goals, so far, of the tournament, according to our “World Cup Live” broadcast team as of Thursday:
10.
Is it really a top-10 goal of the World Cup if Lionel Messi didn’t find his way into the rankings?
The World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer and now assists leader, Messi’s goal against Cape Verde takes the No. 10 spot. In one of the most thrilling games of the tournament that went into extra time, Messi’s first touch into his flawless shot helped Argentina defeat Cape Verde 3-2 in the round of 32.
9.
The U.S. men’s national team’s opening game against Paraguay was one to remember, and so was Gio Reyna’s goal.
Subbing in at the 82nd minute for Malik Tillman, Reyna helped the U.S. put an exclamation point on the win with his outside-of-the-foot shot from just inside the 18-yard box.
8.
It was a back-and-forth battle between the two heavyweight teams in the round of 16, but Haaland’s brace sealed Norway’s spot in the quarterfinals.
Haaland’s second goal came from a long-range, driven on-the-ground shot in the 90th minute that nutmegged a Brazil defender. Following his first header goal, Haaland’s second goal helped Norway clinch their first-ever quarterfinals appearance.
7.
France’s captain and star striker Kylian Mbappé also found his way into the top-10 goals of the tournament. Of his eight total World Cup goals, his second goal against Senegal comes in at No. 7.
Mbappé’s goal came in stoppage time, when he dribbled and soared in a shot way outside the 18-yard box that went over the goalkeeper’s head. His goal pushed France into a 3-1 win and marked their first three points in the group stage.
6.
Another top-10 goal from Norway, but this time, it’s Antonio Nusa’s goal against Ivory Coast.
Nusa took the space just past his defender that led to Nusa’s shot from the far right and snuck into the top right corner. Nusa’s strike came in the 39th minute that gave Norway an early 1-0 lead in their 2-1 win.
5.
Harry Kane claimed the title of England’s all-time leading World Cup goalscorer with his goal against Panama. Against DR Congo in the round of 32, his brace kept their World Cup run alive.
When England needed their captain the most, Kane delivered a powerful shot over the keeper’s head that led them to a 2-1 win. Kane currently has six total goals this tournament.
4.
Belgium vs. Senegal remains one of the most thrilling games of the tournament as Ismaïla Sarr’s second goal comes in at No. 4.
After a 1-0 lead, Sarr’s first touch with his chest off a long cross turned to shot off the volley made it 2-0, and set the tone for a competitive second half with Belgium. However, Senegal’s tournament run came to a close when Belgium completed the comeback with a 3-2 win in the round of 32.
3.
Although Haiti’s World Cup debut saw three-straight losses and eliminated in the group stage, that doesn’t mean they still didn’t deliver memorable moments. At No. 3 is Wilson Isidor’s second goal against Morocco.
Isidor split two Moroccan defenders and took a shot from the far left that was merely impossible for the goalkeeper to save.
2.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina’s only group stage win, Kerim Alajbegović delivered Bosnia’s first goal that takes the No. 2 spot.
In their 3-1 win over Qatar, Alajbegović dribbled through multiple defenders and took a shot from far right that was just out of the goalkeeper’s touch to give them their early 1-0 lead.
1.
Cape Verde’s battle with the World Champions introduced the country — the smallest in the tournament by population — to the rest of the world. Fullback Sidney Lopes Cabral’s heroic second goal takes the cake for best goal in the tournament so far.
When the Blue Sharks needed to make something happen, Cabral took a shot that soared past Argentina’s back line and perfectly found the top right corner to level with Argentina late. However, their historic run came to a close when Argentina found one more to advance with a 3-2 win.
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