Four nations made debuts at the 2026 World Cup, with Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan and Uzbekistan gracing the grandest stage in international football for the first time. It is the tournament with the most newcomers since 2006 and Cape Verde have achieved the feat of ending a 16-year wait for a debutant to reach the knockout stages, with the African nation to face Lionel Messi's Argentina on Friday.
The World Cup has had no shortage of iconic moments across nearly 100 years of history. Every four years, billions of fans congregate to watch a tournament that has provided more drama, heartbreak and joy than any other event in sporting history. Football's grandest stage, the World Cup has always offered a platform for legends to be born, but it has also seen reputations destroyed and the downfall of so many famous faces.
CD Algar
