One World Cup matchday produced an extraordinary barrage of goals from three of football's biggest names. Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick, while Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland each recorded a brace — a combined seven goals that made for one of the most prolific single days in the tournament's history.
Seven goals from three superstars
The scoring spree unfolded across separate matches on the same day. Messi's three goals marked his first World Cup hat-trick. Mbappe's two strikes continued his hot streak, and Haaland's brace added his name to the tally. It's rare to see that kind of output from such high-profile players on a single day, let alone all of them finding the net multiple times.
No details were immediately available on the specific opponents or match scores. But the raw numbers alone — a hat-trick and two braces — stand out in any World Cup edition.
Portugal's odds in Group K
Meanwhile, prediction market Polymarket showed Portugal with a 49% probability in Group K. The figure suggests bettors see the Portuguese side as the group favorite, though not a lock. The exact meaning of the probability — whether it refers to winning the group or advancing — wasn't specified by Polymarket.
The day's events and the betting data together paint a picture of a tournament that's already delivering surprises and star performances. With more group matches ahead, fans will be watching to see if Messi, Mbappe, and Haaland can keep up the pace — and whether Portugal can justify its status as a likely group winner.
