The stars leading Canada, Mexico, and the USA into the World Cup

The 2026 World Cup in North America has been electric so far, with each host nation playing with intention, heart, and physicality. Canada might have only found a point against Bosnia, but both Mexico and the U.S. enjoyed one of their best matches in World Cup history. Here are the standout performers from the opening round of fixtures for each host nation.

Marco Silva – Fulham – Tactical Analysis

Preceding one of the most dominant Championship seasons ever, Marco Silva's Fulham have shown plenty of promise on their yo-yo return to the Premier League. 106 goals in 46 matches was superior of any second-tier side since Manchester City in the 2001/02 season, but their offensive strengths had been heightened by their ex-Portuguese star, Fabio Carvalho. As he begins a new chapter at Anfield, the rest of Silva's side have reset, and look well-prepared for a high-tempo season in the top flight. Peculiarly, they've shown more defensive promise so far even with the explosive start to the season from their Serbian record-breaker, Aleksandar Mitrović.