Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe delivered spectacular performances as the 2026 World Cup kicked off, but statistical analysis reveals some surprising rankings. Sky Sports' True Performance metrics show Messi earned a perfect 100 rating after his hat-trick against Algeria, leading all players through the first 24 matches.

Harry Kane captained England to a thrilling 4-2 victory over Croatia in Dallas, scoring twice with seven shots on target for a 92.0 rating. However, Norway's Erling Haaland edged him out with 93.7 on his World Cup debut, while Alexander Isak scored 93.6 for Sweden.

Cape Verde's 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha emerged as the tournament's unexpected hero, making seven saves against Spain to earn a 93.4 rating - the first player aged 40+ to accomplish this since 1986. Meanwhile, New Zealand's Elijah Just kept his team's hopes alive with a brace against Iran.

Brighton's Yasin Ayari surprisingly claimed second place overall with his midfield double, outperforming established stars like Pedri and Declan Rice. These opening performances set a high benchmark for the remainder of the tournament.