The first round of group-stage matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup is complete, and the numbers behind the action tell a compelling story of record-breaking goals, missed chances, and individual brilliance.

Goals flowing at a historic rate

Across 24 matches, 75 goals have been scored — a rate of 3.125 goals per game. That figure represents the highest goals-per-game average after the opening round of group fixtures since 1958.

Competitiveness has been equally striking. Nine of the 24 matches ended in draws, producing a draw rate of 37.5 percent — the joint highest at this stage since 2010, and a figure that has only been surpassed once since 1954.

Sharp shooters — and one surprising miss

Six players attempted six or more shots in their opening games, yet only two converted: England's Harry Kane and Argentina's Lionel Messi.

Kane's brace drew him level with Gary Lineker as England's all-time leading scorer at the World Cup, both now on 10 goals. Messi's hat-trick, meanwhile, took him level with Germany's Miroslav Klose as the tournament's all-time top scorer on 16 goals.

Turkey's Arda Guler fired off the most attempts of any player at the tournament so far, but his eight shots produced a combined xG of just 0.26 against Australia — reflecting how speculative his shooting was. Historically, the quality of those chances would yield one goal every 31 attempts.

South Korea's Son Heung-min was arguably the most wasteful finisher of the opening round. The former Tottenham star squandered six chances worth a combined 1.0 xG without scoring — a surprise given his reputation as one of the Premier League's most clinical strikers.

Twenty-four players carry a perfect shot-conversion rate so far, though only two have scored more than once: Sweden's Yasin Ayari and New Zealand's Elijah Just, each with two goals.

Creativity and chance creation

Spain's Pedri was the standout creator of the first round, registering an expected assists total of 1.23 against Cape Verde — the highest of any player in that phase. He also won possession in the final third six times, twice as often as any other player at the tournament.

Seven players created five chances apiece in their opening game, but only Germany's Joshua Kimmich saw his efforts rewarded — claiming two assists in the 7-1 victory against Curaçao.

Best dribbler: Amad Diallo

Ivory Coast substitute Amad Diallo, who scored the winning goal, has emerged as the tournament's most devastating dribbler. Despite entering the game with only 34 minutes left on the clock, the Manchester United forward completed the most dribbles of any player and posted the best success rate among those who attempted five or more.

By contrast, Brazil's Vinícius Junior had a frustrating night against Morocco — failing to beat his man with any of his nine dribble attempts. No other player at this World Cup has attempted more than four dribbles without completing a single one.

Duels and aerial dominance

Panama's Jiovany Ramos and Senegal's Krépin Diatta ruled the 50-50 battles in round one. Among the 158 players who contested 10 or more duels, those two came out on top more often than not — even if neither side ultimately claimed victory in their respective matches.

Bosnia-Herzegovina's Jovo Lukic deserves special recognition for a flawless aerial display against Canada, winning all nine of his aerial duels. No other player at the tournament who has contested more than four aerial battles remains undefeated.