Matchday 11 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup saw Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé dominate the headlines again as last year's finalists Argentina and France won their respective matches. Here we recount what happened across the four matches, the latest first:
Jordan 1 - 2 Algeria
(Al Rashdan 36'; Benbouali 69', Gouiri 82')
A late comeback from Algeria kept their hopes alive in Group J as they joined Austria on three points, while simultaneously eliminating Jordan.
Nizar Al Rashdan opened the scoring for a counterattacking Jordan when he seized on an awfully mishit shot from Mousa Tamari and slammed it home off the hands of Luca Zidane in the Algerian goal.
The North Africans kept pouring forward in the second half, though, and finally the pressure told. Second half substitute Nadir Benbouali rose magnificently to power home an equaliser in the 69th minute, before strriker Amine Gouiri pounced on a second ball in the six-yard box to converts scrappily from close range.
This result now means Argentina have sealed top spot in Group J with a game to spare.
Norway 3 - 2 Senegal
(Pedersen 43', Haaland 48' 58' - Sarr 53' 90+3')
Norway joined France in the World Cup knockouts with an impressive 3-2 win over Senegal, with the African giants staring at a World Cup exit.
Marcus Pedersen, a first-half substitute, opened the scoring for Norway just before the break, taking advantage of Kalidou Koulibaly's poor touch before powering a shot past Mendy into the roof of the net.
Erling Haaland then doubled Norway's lead three minutes into the second half after being put through by Martin Odegaard. Senegal asserted themselves in the contest just five minutes later, as Ismaila Saar scooped one over Orjan Nyland after being put through by Sadio Mane.
Haaland then restored Norway's advantage in the 58th minute, with a powerful volley from the penalty spot after good work from Patrick Berg to press high and win the ball. Norway appeared to be strolling to the win, only for Sarr to set the cat amongst the pigeons with a goal in the 93rd minute, turning in from close range after being set up by Nicolas Jackson.
Norway had to hold on for another six minutes, and after surviving a few scares, sealed their victory.
France 3 - 0 Iraq
(Mbappé 14', 54', Dembélé 66' )
France sealed their place in the World Cup knockouts with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Iraq.
France opened the scoring as early as the 14th minute, when Kylian Mbappé received the ball from Michael Olise on the edge of the box before curling one into the net from range. The rain above the skies in Philadelphia came pouring as the half came to an end and the second half was delayed due to lightning.
Play resumed after a delay of two hours and fifteen minutes, but Mbappé wasted no time in doubling his tally. A poor touch from Iraq goalkeeper Ahmed Basil allowed Ousmane Dembélé to pounce and he squared it for Mbappé to tap into an empty net. Olise then sent Dembele through into the right side of the box, and he lashed a powerful low drive into the bottom corner to make it 3-0 in the 66th minute.
France dominated the rest of the half, but were unable to add to their goals as the game came to an end.
Argentina 2 - 0 Austria
(Messi 38', 90+5')
Lionel Messi missed a penalty, a gilt-edged chance, scored twice and broke the all-time FIFA World Cup scoring record (both Marta's and Miroslav Klose's) as defending champions Argentina booked their place in the round-of-32 with a 2-0 win over Austria.
Argentina dominated the game from the off, and Lautaro Martínez was brought down early in the Austria box. After a lengthy VAR review, Messi stepped up to hit his penalty in the ninth minute but whipped it wide off the post. Moments later another chance fell Messi's way to open the scoring but after sitting down goalkeeper and defender, a chasing David Alaba got a foot in to poke it away just as Messi was looking to tap it in.
There was no stopping him in the 38th minute, however, when he jogged onto a cut back from Facundo Medina (expertly dummied by Thiago Almada in front of him) and swept home from just inside the penalty box:a goal he's scored so many times in his illustrious career. That took him one past Miroslav Klose in the men's World Cup goalscoring charts and he had to wait for nearly the last kick of the game before he could surpass Marta for the overall all-time record.
Messi started the move with a pass out to Julián Álvarez, who was unleashed one-on-one with the keeper. Alvarez uncharacteristically dillied-and-dallied before the ball was picked up by a furiously following-up Messi, who saw one shot blocked before hammering the second into the goal past three defenders on the line.