Panini Instant Recap: FIFA World Cup 2026™ Down to 8

Written by: Julio Vega

When the FIFA World Cup 2026™ kicked off, 48 teams entered with the dream of lifting the coveted trophy. Now, only eight remain.

With the Round of 32 and Round of 16 now forever etched into the history books, it’s a great chance to look back at how each of the remaining teams got here and rewind to some of the most memorable moments.

The final eight

France entered as one of the favorites to win it all, and the team has looked as advertised. Les Bleus won all five of its matches to move on, topping Sweden in the first knockout tie and posting a hard-fought victory over Paraguay in the Round of 16. Captain and talismanic scorer Kylian Mbappé has been key to that run, scoring seven goals.

Morocco proved that its previous run to the semifinals was no fluke. The Atlas Lions stunned the Netherlands with a late Issa Diop equalizer and a victory via a penalty shootout. Azzedine Ounahi then helped the side roll past Canada.

Spain are the only team left with a perfect defensive record – no goals conceded through five outings. Unai Simon has been unbreakable behind a formidable back line and broke the tournament record for most minutes without conceding.

Belgium entered the quarterfinals on the back of two standout performances. The side, spearheaded by Romelu Lukaku, produced an all-time great comeback against Senegal and then handily took care of business against the USMNT.

With Erling Haaland leading the charge, the Vikings rowed into the last eight, sailing past Ivory Coast before securing a win over mighty Brazil. England needed to dig deep to reach this point. Harry Kane pulled the Three Lions from the brink of elimination against Congo DR and then Jude Bellingham produced an immaculate showing vs. Mexico in a match that will go down as an all-time classic.

Argentina played through some heart-pounding matches. Lionel Messi and La Albiceleste had to withstand a courageous battle against Cape Verde and then produce a comeback for the ages against Egypt. It’s going to take something truly inspiring to stop the reigning champs.

Switzerland is back in the quarterfinals — matching its previous best showings— and will be hoping to make history this time around. Gregor Kobel remained unbeaten in the knockouts, blanking Algeria and providing the penalty heroics against Colombia.

Hope and heartbreak 

The beauty and agony of international soccer is that belief can fill your heart, all for it to be ripped away in an instant. 

Cape Verde, in its very first FIFA World Cup™, took the world by storm with a fearless approach and never-say-die attitude. Seasoned goalkeeper Vozinha was the face of the island country’s resilience.

Japan, Congo DR, Senegal, Croatia and Egypt all took the lead in knockout matches but had to say goodbye in heartbreaking fashion. Paraguay gave fans something to believe in after it stunned Germany in the Round of 32 with its second-ever penalty shootout triumph at the tournament.

Each of the three co-hosts can be proud of what they achieved. Mexico, in particular, had the whole world on edge with its exciting play and raucous fans pushing them on. Against England, La Selección Azteca showed that no matter the score, they wouldn’t go down without a fight.

Golden Boot race for the ages

In past editions, six goals was usually enough for a player to win the Golden Boot. Entering the last eight in 2026, four players have passed that tally and show no signs of slowing down. Messi leads the pack with eight, while Mbappe and Haaland each boast seven. Don’t count out Harry Kane, who trails with six efforts.

This race to be the tournament’s top scorer might just be the best one we’ve ever seen. Although Just Fontaine’s record of 13 strikes in a single tournament looks safe for now, don’t be surprised if someone threatens it by hitting the double-digit mark.

Many of the players and performances listed above were celebrated on a Panini Instant card, and more are to come as the grand tournament rolls on.