Julio Enciso is not the tallest of players, he stands at 5’8. On Monday, he rose to the occasion, nailing an accurate header that gave Manuel Neuer no chance, to help Paraguay score their first regulation time goal in knockouts at the FIFA World Cup.
It was the first decisive cut as Paraguay went on to beat Germany on penalties and register one of the biggest upsets at the World Cup.
Prior to this edition, Paraguay had reached the knockouts four times. But never had they ever scored a goal outside of the group phase, despite reaching the quarter-final in 2010, when they beat Japan 5-3 on penalties after a 0-0 stalemate at the end of extra time.
Paraguay’s breakthrough is amongst the weighty list of firsts achieved at the 2026 World Cup, which is underway in North America.
During the group stage, Egypt ended their 92-year wait for a World Cup win when they defeated New Zealand 3-1. Egypt was the first African team to play in a World Cup, making their debut in 1934. They had conquered the continental championships, winning the African Cup of Nations seven times, but were always found wanting on the world stage.
On 22 June, with ‘Egyptian King’ Mohamed Salah, the Pharaohs marched to a historic first. After Mustafa Ziko draw them level from a first-half strike against New Zealand, Salah gave Egypt the lead in the 67th minute and Trezeguet headed home a corner taken by Salah to wrap up the victory.
Then the Pharaohs went one better. A draw against Iran helped them secure passage to the knockout stage for the first time.
In their third appearance at a global competition, having played in 1986 and 2022, Canada also won a World Cup match for the first time when they beat Qatar 6-0 on 18 June. That match saw Jonathan David scoring the country’s first hat-trick at a World Cup, taking them through to the knockout stage of the competition for the first time, where the co-hosts beat South Africa to enter the Round of 16.
The legend of Lionel Messi also continues to grow at the World Cup. Four years ago, in Qatar, he led Argentina to victory to complete a football fairytale. But Messi is not done yet. The 39-year-old scored a hattrick for the first time at the World Cup, when he netted each of his team’s goals in a 3-0 win over Algeria.
Earlier in the tournament, he overtook former Germany striker Miroslav Klose for the most World Cup goals scored, and has stretched his tally to 19 so far, with 6 coming in just the group phase.
With the World Cup expanding from 48 to 32 teams, doors of opportunity were thrown open for the less-heralded teams. And they have stormed through the gate, with 9 of out 10 African teams that making it to the knockouts. This includes debutants Cape Verde and, returning to the World Cup after 52 years, DR Congo.
Congo holding Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal to a 1-1 draw was one that raised eyebrows. Two days prior, former champions Spain struggled to get anything past Cape Verde, a tiny country off the coast of West Africa that held on for a goalless draw. Those performances weren’t one-offs, however, as Cape Verde finished second in Group H and DR Congo qualified as one of the eight best third-placed teams.
The tiniest country at the World Cup, in terms of population, Curacao, also earned its slice of history. At the end of a counter-attack in the 21st minute, Livano Comenencia pounced on a loose ball just inside the Germany box and hit a first time shot. Aided by a convenient deflection, the ball nestled into the back of the net. Curacao had their first World Cup goal, albeit as a consolation in a 1-7 defeat to Germany.
A feel-good first that resonated well beyond the borders of the Caribbean island nation.