It was a perfect ending to a historic evening for Austria. Deep into stoppage time in their FIFA World Cup 2026™ curtain-raiser, Marko Arnautovi�� – the country’s most-capped player – coolly slotted home from the penalty spot to clinch Das National team’s first FIFA World Cup™ victory since 1990.

Argentina opened with a 3-0 win over Algeria, while Austria beat Jordan 3-1, making their Dallas meeting a genuine Group J control match. Lionel Messi’s title defence looked calm in the opener, but Ralf Rangnick’s Austria should ask a sharper tactical question.

If World Cups were measured in moments, then Cape Verde would be champions, as their incredible run to the knockouts captured the hearts of fans.