Mohamed Moallim
BBC Sport

This World Cup has not exactly been dirty.

Across the opening 72 games, there have been 22.3 fouls per match, down from 25 per game in 2022 and 27 per game in 2018.

And yet there have already been 10 red cards, more than the previous two World Cups combined, with four shown in 2022 and another four in 2018.

There are some caveats. The expanded 48-team format means there are more matches, and two games account for half the dismissals: Mexico’s opener against South Africa had three red cards, while Qatar had two players sent off against Canada on Matchday Two.

The record remains some distance away, with 28 red cards shown in 2006, including Zinedine Zidane’s dismissal for headbutting Marco Materazzi in the final.

Still, it is an interesting contrast. The group stage has been cleaner by foul count than the previous two editions, but the biggest offences have been punished severely.

The most unusual dismissal came when Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron became the first player to be sent off for covering his mouth during a “confrontational situation” against Turkey, following the introduction of the new rule this summer.

Image source, Getty Images

Mohamed Moallim
BBC Sport

Mexico and Spain were the only teams to progress through the group stage without conceding a goal. It is the first time Spain have completed a World Cup group campaign with a perfect defensive record.

Unai Simon has now gone 430 consecutive World Cup minutes without conceding, moving closer to Walter Zenga’s tournament record of 517 minutes for Italy in 1990. Thibaut Courtois and Alisson also continued their impressive World Cup records, taking their career clean-sheet totals to eight and seven respectively. The all-time record is 10, jointly held by England’s Peter Shilton and France’s Fabien Barthez.

Image source, Getty Images

Mohamed Moallim
BBC Sport

Six goals, the highest Opta rating and the biggest positive expected goals difference. Lionel Messi has once again set the standard.

The Argentina captain finished the group stage with an Opta rating of 93.3, the highest of any player at the tournament. His six goals also lead the Golden Boot race, while his +3.31 xG overperformance is the best in the competition, highlighting just how clinical he has been in front of goal.

Messi’s performances helped Argentina become one of only three teams to finish the group stage with a maximum nine points, alongside France and Mexico.

Image source, Getty Images

Opta have been keeping track of all of the statistics from the 2026 World Cup so far, from xG performance to number of fouls, and everything in between.

It's time to look at some of the key stats from the group stage, and there's no prize for guessing which player has the highest overall rating...

BBC Radio 5 Live

Former DR Congo defender Gabriel Zukuani speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live: "Our strength has been the players who play in top leagues. We are no longer minnows. Players with dual nationality are choosing to play for the DRC now. Top players are used to playing in front of big teams and it's helped close that gap."

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Radio 5 Live

Former DR Congo defender Gabriel Zukuani speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live: "It's unbelievable. It's been 52 years, such a long time coming and such a big achievement for the country. We came into the tournament happy to be involved and now we've shown how far we've come and are looking forward to a massive game against England.

"Our objective was to get to the World Cup and make a good impression of ourselves. The country is proud. We've got England next and we don't want our journey to end."

There are two episodes of the Football Daily podcast available today.

You can relive the atmosphere and instant reaction from 5 Live at full-time as England beat Panama at New York New Jersey Stadium.

Host Mark Chapman is joined by Alan Shearer, Matthew Upson, Paul Robinson and correspondent John Murray, with the pod also featuring interviews with England's Jude Bellingham, Thomas Tuchel, Marcus Rashford, Ezri Konsa and Harry Kane.

And there is also the pod's usual daily instalment with Rick Edwards and Lloyd Griffith in Los Angeles, where they discuss Scotland's World Cup exit and Steve Clarke's resignation as manager, while The Athletic's Adam Crafton looks ahead to the round of 32.

Central defender Chancel Mbemba, 31, is the team's captain and most-capped player. He remains integral to his country despite two seasons as a peripheral figure with clubs in France. The former Newcastle player is out of contract with Lille this summer.

Belgium-born Noah Sadiki has added dynamism to DR Congo's midfield since earning his first cap in September 2024, albeit he was a surprise omission from their first two World Cup games. The 21-year-old has been a £15m revelation for Sunderland with his energy, athleticism and ball-carrying ability.

Yoane Wissa's 2025-26 campaign never got going after joining Newcastle in a deal worth up to £55m. A serious knee injury delayed his debut and he only made eight starts in all competitions. However, the 29-year-old was the joint-top scoring African player in the World Cup group stage, with three goals. "We've got him back to his best," said coach Sebastien Desabre.

Cedric Bakambu, 35, is the oldest member of the squad but still one of the most effective. The striker scored four times in the World Cup qualifiers and is on the cusp of becoming the country's record goalscorer.

Image source, Getty Images

Their strengths?

Defensive solidity has underpinned their improvement, as shown by 29 clean sheets in 57 games under Sebastien Desabre. Since he took charge, DR Congo have never lost by more than a one-goal margin when able to call on Europe-based players.

Swift counter-attacks utilise the prowess of strikers Cedric Bakambu and Yoane Wissa at running in behind opposition defences.

Mental resilience, often lacking in the past, was forged during a protracted qualifying campaign which included three play-off matches.

And what about their weaknesses?

DR Congo have seldom faced top-20 ranked sides in recent years, bar Senegal and Morocco – and they have a poor record against both.

With the majority of the national team's regular starters struggling for playing time at their clubs in 2025-26, a lack of conditioning – and quality – is a concern.

Fifty-two years after a chastening World Cup debut, DR Congo have earned redemption by qualifying for the knockout stages for the first time.

Back in 1974, when known as Zaire, their three group defeats included a 9-0 hammering by Yugoslavia. They had not been to a World Cup since, until now, but head coach Sebastien Desabre has transformed a team who were in crisis when he took over nearly four years ago.

He led them to fourth place at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and has instilled discipline and tactical nous.

A back five was trialled just before the World Cup and maintained for the first two games of the tournament, which included a 1-1 draw with Portugal and narrow 1-0 defeat to group winners Colombia, before they switched to 4-4-2 to beat Uzbekistan 3-1 and secure their place in the last 32.

But enough about Kane and England for now. Let's take a look at their opponents in the last 32, the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Newcastle forward Yoane Wissa has been in great form for his nation at the 2026 World Cup, and has scored three times already.

They have some other recognisable names in the form of West Ham defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Sunderland midfielder Noah Sadiki, and qualified for the knockout stages for the first time after coming from behind to beat Uzbekistan in their final group game.

Image source, Getty Images

Harry Kane did also score 14 in the Champions League last season, Andy.

Can Harry Kane win another Golden Boot this year?

It looks like Lionel Messi may have other ideas, but there are plenty of games to go in this summer's tournament.

Gary Rose
BBC Sport journalist

When Harry Kane broke Gary Lineker's World Cup goalscoring record on Saturday, the Bayern Munich striker said he was "proud."

Lineker, who scored six times at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico and four times in Italy four years later, said recently that Kane was "the greatest English striker we've ever had".

Kane got two goals in England's opening 4-2 win against Croatia, which made him only the second England men's player to score at three different World Cups (Russia 2018, Qatar 2022 and North America 2026).

He joins former Manchester United midfielder David Beckham, who scored at the 1998, 2002 and 2006 World Cups.

Kane won the Golden Boot in Russia eight years ago with six goals, before adding two further strikes in Qatar.

He has three in total so far at this World Cup after helping England into the last 32.

Image source, Getty Images

England

England captain Harry Kane was asked about the World Cup Golden Boot after he scored his third of the tournament against Panama: "They have started fast, [Lionel] Messi is on five (he's now on six!), [Erling] Haaland and [Kylian] Mbappe on four. For me, I try not to think about those guys. I know you guys [the media] will compare me to all of them, that's the way it goes. But after not scoring in the last game, as a striker, I wanted to get back on the scoresheet as quickly as possible."

Image source, Getty Images

All of the stars have shown up so far at the World Cup, and the top scorer standings are very competitive.

Lionel Messi's sixth goal of the tournament, against Jordan, further extended his lead at the top, but numerous forwards are in the chasing pack.

1. Lionel Messi - 6
2. Kylian Mbappe, Ousame Dembele, Vinicius Jr, Erling Haaland - 4

England's Harry Kane has three goals so far, but so do nine other players - including Manchester United's Matheus Cunha, Newcastle's Yoane Wissa and Sunderland's Brian Brobbey.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

If England were to win the World Cup, one man who is likely to have had a huge impact is Three Lions captain, Harry Kane.

The Bayern Munich striker netted his third of the tournament against Panama, breaking the England record for goals at World Cups in the process, and still has his eyes on the Golden Boot - an accolade he won in 2018.

Daniel Austin
BBC Sport

Let us dream...

Sunday, 19 July - 20:00 BST

All 16 teams in the other half of the draw are potential World Cup final opponents for England.

The strongest sides who England could not possibly face before the final include 2018 winners and 2022 runners-up France, 2014 champions Germany and 2010 victors Spain.

France and Germany will face each other at the last-16 stage if both win their opening knockout fixtures, while the Netherlands face a difficult last-32 tie against Morocco.

Either of those two sides could face France or Germany in the last eight, with the winners then most likely to face Spain in the semi-finals.

Spain will face Portugal in the last 16 if both win their first knockout ties - Spain face Austria, while Portugal will play Croatia.

Also in the opposite half of the draw are Paraguay, Sweden, South Africa, Canada, USA, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Belgium and Senegal.

The final will be held in New Jersey in front of 82,500 fans.

Not to mention Mexico have looked impressive so far and won all of their group games.