NEW YROK, (AP):- Lionel Messi. Kylian Mbappé. Erling Haaland.
It’s a very starry Monday for the World Cup.
Messi and Argentina face David Alaba and Austria in their second Group J game. Mbappé leads France into its Group I matchup with Iraq, and Haaland is back in action as Norway takes on Senegal. Ali Olwan and Jordan play Algeria in the last Group J game of the day.
Messi scored three times in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria in their tournament opener. The Argentines are looking to defend their World Cup championship.
France, which lost to Argentina in the 2022 final, opened with a 3-1 victory against Senegal. Mbappé scored twice in the win.
Messi, who turns 39 on Wednesday, is tied with Germany’s Miroslav Klose for the most goals in the men’s World Cup at 16. Ronaldo is second with 15, followed by Mbappé and Gerd Müller in a tie for fourth with 14 apiece.
(France’s Kylian Mbappe runs during a training session ahead of the team’s World Cup Group I soccer match against Iraq in Philadelphia, Sunday, June 21, 2026. AP Photo: Petr David Josek)
Haaland, another high-scoring striker, had two goals in Norway’s 4-1 victory over Iraq in their first game. Haaland scored 27 goals in 35 Premier League games for Manchester City this past season.
Jordan is looking for its first World Cup point after losing its debut match against Austria. The Jordanians are back at Levi’s Stadium to take on Algeria, which advanced out of group stage once in four previous World Cup trips, losing in the round of 16 to Germany in 2014.
(Norway’s Erling Haaland (9) smiles as he leaves the pitch at the end of the World Cup Group I soccer match between Iraq and Norway in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. AP Photo: Charles Krupa)
What to watch on June 22
—Argentina vs. Austria, 1 p.m. EDT in Arlington, Texas (Fox/Telemundo/Peacock)
—France vs. Iraq, 5 p.m. EDT in Philadelphia (Fox/Telemundo/Peacock)
—Norway vs. Senegal, 8 p.m. EDT in East Rutherford, New Jersey (Fox/Telemundo/Peacock)
—Jordan vs. Algeria, 11 p.m. EDT in Santa Clara, California (FS1/Telemundo/Peacock)
Posch ready to go for Austria
Austria defender Stefan Posch will be available against Argentina after breaking his jaw in the country’s World Cup opener.
Coach Ralf Rangnick said Sunday that Posch, who went through full training the day before the match, had to go to Los Angeles twice to get fitted for a protective brace that will allow him to play despite the injury.
“He is ready to play tomorrow just like every and any other player,” Rangnick said through an interpreter. “Then we will see if he will start tomorrow, or maybe he will be brought in during the match.”
Posch injured his jaw after colliding with a Jordanian player in Austria’s 3-1 win in its Group J opener on Tuesday in Santa Clara, California. It was initially feared that the 29-year-old Mainz defender would miss the rest of the World Cup.
Senegal coach pondering some changes for matchup with Norway
Senegal coach Pape Thiaw is keeping quiet when it comes to potential changes for his team’s game against Norway.
“Am I going to shake things up a bit? Well, you’ll find this out,” Thiaw said through an interpreter at a news conference Sunday.
Senegal played a tough first half against France on Tuesday before going on to a 3-1 loss. Édouard Mendy allowed three goals on eight shots in that game, which included Kylian Mbappé scoring from long range moments after Senegal finally got on the board in stoppage time.
Reserve goalkeeper Mory Diaw accompanied Thiaw to the news conference, but denied his appearance may indicate he would start in place of Mendy.
Senegal has only Iraq left to play after facing Norway in Group I, so the Lions of Teranga are treating their second game as if it is a must-win final.
“We’re in a very tough group; we knew this coming in,” Thiaw said. “We obviously lost the first one, but there’s everything left to play for. We cannot get this wrong.”
Stats of the day
Lamine Yamal scored Spain’s first goal in Sunday’s 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia. At 18 years, 343 days, Yamal became the eighth-youngest player to score during a men’s World Cup match.
Spain is beaten in 32 games (23 wins) since a loss to Colombia in a friendly in March 2024.