Casemiro, Orlando Gill, and Issa Diop steal the show in World Cup knockout openers
A veteran's volley, a goalkeeper's heroics, and a defender's ice-cold penalty defined the first day of knockout football at the 2026 World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup’s knockout stage arrived on June 29, and it immediately delivered the kind of chaos that makes this tournament the most-watched event on the planet. Three matches, three Man of the Match awards, three wildly different stories. Casemiro reminded the world he’s still Casemiro. Orlando Gill went from relative unknown to Paraguayan legend in 120 minutes. And Issa Diop buried a penalty that sent the Netherlands packing.
Casemiro turns back the clock against Japan
Brazil’s 2-1 victory over Japan was the most straightforward result of the day. Casemiro found the net in the 56th minute, scoring what proved to be the decisive goal to send Brazil through to the round of 16. Casemiro’s MOTM award was as much about leadership as it was about the goal itself.
Orlando Gill becomes Paraguay’s penalty shootout hero
Paraguay and Germany played to a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes, which meant penalties. Gill saved two German penalties in the shootout. Paraguay won 4-3 on penalties, eliminating the four-time World Cup champions in the round of 32.
The Paraguayan goalkeeper plays his club football for San Lorenzo in Argentina and only made his senior international debut in 2025.
Issa Diop sends Morocco through with stoppage-time drama
Morocco’s run at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where they became the first African nation to reach the semifinals, established them as a legitimate force. The match against the Netherlands ended 1-1 after extra time. Issa Diop, a center-back by trade, stepped up and scored the winning penalty to clinch a 3-2 shootout victory.
What this means for the tournament
The first day of knockout football produced two penalty shootouts and two significant upsets. Paraguay over Germany and Morocco over the Netherlands are the kind of results that reshape a tournament’s narrative entirely. The round of 16 now features Brazil, Paraguay, and Morocco. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first tournament to feature an expanded 48-team format and is co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.