The 2026 FIFA World Cup, being hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, has so far delivered a series of high-scoring and entertaining matches.
Out of the 32 matches played so far, only one has ended in a goalless draw—Spain versus Cape Verde, which concluded 0-0.
However, the lack of goals in that fixture has been more than compensated by three other matches that collectively produced 19 goals.
Germany’s clash with Curacao, the United States against Paraguay, and Sweden’s encounter with Tunisia all turned out to be goal fests, thrilling fans who enjoy attacking football.
This tournament has also been largely free from goal-related controversies, thanks to the extensive use of technology that helps ensure fair play and accuracy in crucial moments.
“The use of technology has made the World Cup more honest and fair. At the very least, technology helps make football better,” said Arnan Binafsihi, Deputy Chairman of Oranje Indonesia, during the Super Taktik podcast recorded at Tribunnews Solo’s office in Karanganyar, Central Java.
Beyond technological advancements, the quality of players on the field has added greater depth and colour to the competition.
One major indicator of this has been the wide variety of goals scored throughout the tournament.
From the 32 matches played so far, two dominant trends have emerged in terms of goal patterns.
Many goals have been scored from long-range shots, while a surprising number have been own goals—balls mistakenly sent into a team’s own net.
According to data compiled by Squawka, there have already been seven goals scored from outside the penalty area.
Remarkably, three of those seven long-range goals came in a single match—Sweden versus Tunisia.
Two Swedish players, Yasin Ayari and Alexander Isak, were responsible for those spectacular strikes that lit up the scoreboard.
The remaining four long-range goals came from four different nations.
Australia’s Connor Metcalfe found the net from distance against Turkey, adding to the highlight reel of the tournament.
Japan’s Keito Nakamura joined the list with a stunning goal during his team’s 2-2 draw with the Netherlands.
Morocco’s Ismael Saibari also got in on the act, scoring a long-range effort that forced Brazil to settle for a 1-1 draw in their opening match.
The most recent addition to the list is Egypt’s Emam Ashour, who struck a powerful goal from outside the box against Belgium.
Another Goal Trend
In addition to the trend of long-distance goals, another notable pattern has emerged at this World Cup—own goals.
So far, three own goals have been recorded across the 32 matches played.
The first own goal occurred during the United States versus Paraguay match, when Damian Bobadilla mishandled a defensive situation in front of his own goal, sending the ball past his goalkeeper. That mistake opened the scoring floodgates for the United States, who went on to win 4-1.
The second own goal came in the Group B fixture between Qatar and Switzerland. This one proved particularly dramatic, as it directly influenced the final result. Switzerland initially led through Breel Embolo’s first-half goal, but disaster struck in stoppage time when Miro Muheim misjudged a clearance in the 94th minute, resulting in a 1-1 draw.
The third own goal was registered in the Group G match between Belgium and Egypt. Egyptian defender Mohamed Hany failed to properly block a challenge against Belgian forward Romelu Lukaku, inadvertently steering the ball into his own net and gifting Belgium an equaliser.
The tally of three own goals has already set a notable record at this stage of the World Cup. It surpasses the number of own goals recorded across 16 previous editions, even though the first round of matches in this year’s tournament is yet to be fully completed.
(Tribunnews.com/Guruh)
