Ranking best goals from World Cup, from Wilson Isidor’s goal vs. Morocco to Sidny Lopes Cabral’s rocket against Argentina
The 2026 World Cup featured more goals than any of its predecessors. A fair few were of the eye-catching variety.
Read more Dutch Court Upholds Casino Zoetermeer Cruks Fine
The tournament was always bound to break goal-scoring records. After all, more teams than ever took part in the spectacle, leading to more games, more highlights and more moments of magic.
All told, the ball found the net 308 times across the 104-game slate. Here’s a look at the most memorable strikes during this year’s competition, one certain to linger in onlookers’ minds for years to come.
MORE: Why Spain cropped Donald Trump out of World Cup celebration photos
Ranking best goals from World Cup
Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images
10. Group stage: Wilson Isidor’s goal vs. Morocco
OH MY ISIDOR!!!
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 24, 2026
HE SCORES AN ABSOLUTE SCREAMER TO PUT HAITI BACK IN FRONT OVER MOROCCO 🇭🇹 pic.twitter.com/i1IWQBQSsV
Isidor capped off Haiti’s second-ever World Cup run with a flourish, unleashing a venomous strike that soared beyond Moroccan star Yassine Bounou in the final match of the group stage. The Sunderland striker rarely made contact with the ball like he did that late June night, leathering the effort with his right foot after fielding a pass from Gent midfielder Jean-Kevin Duverne.
Isidor’s goal proved fairly inconsequential in terms of tournament prospects. The Haitians fell 4-2 to Morocco, sinking to the bottom of the group without winning a match. However, the significance of Isidor’s strike was felt in the margins. He became the nation’s second-ever World Cup goalscorer, joining Emmanuel Sanon in the island’s sporting lore.
9. Group stage: Kylian Mbappe’s goal vs. Senegal
🚨🚨🚨🚨عاجل — رسميا🔥🔥🔥🔥
— نحن ملوك اوروبا (@azmi1969mazen) July 20, 2026
تم ترشيح هدف كيليان مبابي ضد السنغال لجائزة أجمل هدف في كأس العالم! pic.twitter.com/WdeYidiIss
Mbappe authored one of the grandest goal-scoring showings in recent World Cup history this year, tying Gerd Muller’s record for most goals in a single tournament with 10 en route to his second-straight Golden Boot.
No strike was as lively as his second. France took possession of the ball after Ibrahim Mbaye cut Les Bleus’ advantage to one with a lovely stepover and finish.
Mbappe picked up the ball 30 yards from goal, took a touch and fired. The ball swirled and dipped before leaping into the top corner. The 27-year-old couldn’t help but stretch his arms outward as the ball nestled into the netting.
8. Round of 32: Amad Diallo’s goal vs. Norway
IVORY COAST DRAWS LEVEL
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 30, 2026
What a superb goal from the super sub Amad Diallo! pic.twitter.com/MUwJRJPPdI
For all the glistening goals at this year’s World Cup, onlookers were deprived of many stunning individual efforts. Corkers from distance are always appreciated. But it’s nice to see a player put his head down and jink beyond multiple defenders before slotting coolly.
Diallo did his best to provide an outlet for that desire, using deft touches of the ball to split Norway’s defense into two in the Round of 32. The Ivory Coast star danced through a mire of tacklers, collecting the ball back after dishing it one-two. The net rustled soon after, with the Manchester United talent lifting the ball over Orjan Nyland’s dive.
MORE: Spain, Africa the biggest winners from this year’s World Cup
7. Quarterfinals: Julian Alvarez’s goal vs. Switzerland
A SENSATIONAL GOAL FROM JULIÁN ALVAREZ TO PUT ARGENTINA IN FRONT IN EXTRA TIME 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/J3Ql16XwX3
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 12, 2026
For all of its faults — and there were plenty — no side proved as capable of setting off late-game fireworks at this year’s World Cup as Argentina. La Albiceleste tallied 12 goals after the 75th minute, nine of which came during the knockout stage.
There were a host of eye-catching strikes contained within that glint list. Julian Alvarez’s extra time curler against Switzerland was a cut above most of the rest, however. The Atletico Madrid star wasn’t nearly as impactful as he had been during the 2022 tournament. But he came through with a moment of brilliance in extra time, whipping a pearl of a strike beyond Gregor Kobel to send the Argentines into raptures in the quarters.
6. Round of 16: Ziko’s goal vs. Argentina
After review, Egypt is called for a foul and the goal is disallowed. pic.twitter.com/9KJiFgVjMI
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 7, 2026
This one is something of a misnomer. While Ziko’s legal goal against Argentina was a splendid move that featured wonderful play from Mohamed Salah and Haissem Hassan, it’s the Egyptians’ disallowed goal that draws the title of one of the tourney’s standouts.
Yes, the goal was struck down despite the alleged foul taking place some 80 yards from goal. But the sight of seeing Hassan — a Real Oviedo winger who had only just made his debut for the Pharaohs — dancing past Argentina’s internationally-acclaimed defense before finding Salah was memorable. Salah’s assist to Ziko might have been the best in this year’s tournament. The former Liverpool man employed the trivela to put the ball onto a plate for Ziko, who dispatched the ball calmly into the back of the net.
The soccer gods made sure to give Hassan, Salah and Ziko their just rewards for their brilliant intervention moments after the initial goal was chalked off, this strike will live on in World Cup lore one way or another.
MORE: Why soccer’s Messi vs. Ronaldo GOAT debate is unchanged by World Cup final defeat
Read more NFL Bans Cardinals Executive Ryan Gold Indefinitely Over Gambling Policy Breach
5. Round of 32: Antonio Nusa’s goal vs. Ivory Coast
A FABULOUS FINISH TO GIVE NORWAY THE LEAD 🇳🇴
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 30, 2026
Antonio Nusa with a beautiful curler! pic.twitter.com/xNPvn8xfcM
With star striker Erling Haaland under serious surveillance during Norway’s Round of 32 tilt with Ivory Coast, the Vikings needed to use a different route to test the Elephants’ cage.
They found their answer in the form of Nusa. The RB Leipzig phenom let loose with a ferocious effort from the cusp of the box, arrowing his right-footed effort into the top corner.
At just 21 years old, Nusa’s future beams. Still, it’s hard to imagine he’ll record many more eye-catching goals than he did on that late June day at AT&T Stadium.
4. Group stage: Kevin Pina’s goal vs. Uruguay
ABSOLUTE GOLAZO FOR CAPE VERDE’S FIRST-EVER FIFA WORLD CUP GOAL 🇨🇻
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 21, 2026
Kevin Pina with a historic moment for his country! pic.twitter.com/yHUEczi56z
Cape Verde was arguably the biggest story at this year’s World Cup. The Blue Sharks weren’t quite a surprise package to those privy to African soccer — they reached the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Nations in 2023.
Still, Bubista’s side looked unlikely to make a major splash on the world stage. At least until the action started.
The Blue Sharks held eventual World Cup champion Spain scoreless, proving the only side at this year’s tournament to accomplish such a feat. If onlookers thought Cape Verde’s draw against La Roja was a fluke, the Cabo Verdeans announced themselves for good with their 2-2 draw of Uruguay in Matchday 2.
Pina’s goal, a ferocious effort from distance that skipped off the turf before nestling into the cage, was one of a string of memorable moments that would take hold of Cape Verde’s run through the tourney.
3. Third-place match: Jude Bellingham vs. France
ABSOLUTE MADNESS IN MIAMI AS JUDE BELLINGHAM PUTS ENGLAND UP 6-4 TO SEAL THE BRONZE MEDAL 🏴 pic.twitter.com/2hMBGTzE8d
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 18, 2026
England and France’s third-place match was little more than a dead rubber. That didn’t stop the European giants from landing crunching haymakers upon one another.
The match was played at a high tempo, its thrusts resembling the form and tenor of a Theophilus London tune. The match reached its crescendo in its final moments, with Bellingham — subbed on in the latter stages of the second half — skipping beyond Les Bleus’ weary defense before firing past Mike Maignan.
It was a famous moment for a famous player, one who figures to anchor England’s search for an international trophy for the next decade.
2. Round of 16: Lionel Messi’s goal vs. Egypt
MESSI’S 8TH GOAL OF THE TOURNAMENT DRAWS ARGENTINA LEVEL WITH EGYPT 🇦🇷
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 7, 2026
LIONEL MESSI. THE SAVIOR FOR ARGENTINA! pic.twitter.com/8iOIuSy0Mc
If this was Messi’s final World Cup, he picked quite a special way to say goodbye. The 39-year-old put himself in the conversation for the title of world’s best player during the tournament, tallying eight goals and four assists to lead La Albiceleste to yet another World Cup final.
Contained within that flurry of goals and assists was the one he collected in Argentina’s come-from-behind win over Egypt. Lionel Scaloni’s side huffed and puffed after being set back from two Pharaoh strikes, only to turn things around with a Cristian Romero goal at the death.
Moments later, Messi — who set up Romero’s opener — equalized by lashing a strike beyond Mostafa Shobeir.
1. Round of 32: Sidny Lopes Cabral’s goal vs. Argentina
We still can’t get over Cape Verde’s goal against Argentina in extra time 🇨🇻
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 17, 2026
Off the boot of Sidny Lopes Cabral, one of the most incredible FIFA World Cup moments was born. pic.twitter.com/bbaGszGBPm
Lopes Cabral’s goal — a whirling dervish of a hit that danced in the heavens before settling into the corner of the net — appears to be a front-runner for the Puskas Award.
It’s more than deserving of that recognition. Lopes Cabral is bipedal, offering contributions from both flanks. The audacity to try such an attempt on his «weaker» foot given the game state already makes this the World Cup’s greatest goal. His celebration — leaping into the stands to find his lover before planting a kiss on her lips — simply adds to its qualifications. Lopes Cabral’s goal is the best to fall upon this year’s World Cup. It’s not that close, either.
Comments