The World Cup stars are taking over. On Day 13, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Erling Haaland all delivered major performances as Argentina, France, and Norway strengthened their cases as serious knockout-stage threats.

Galen Clavio breaks down Argentina’s win over Austria, France’s weather-delayed victory over Iraq, Norway’s wild battle with Senegal, Algeria’s comeback against Jordan, and how the projected knockout bracket is starting to take shape. He also looks at why this tournament has felt so strong, why the biggest names are meeting the moment, what the United States’ potential path could look like, and what to watch in the final day before the group stage turns chaotic.

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