India, June 24 -- The 2026 FIFA World Cup has exploded into life, with some of the biggest names in football already making their mark. Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland have produced eye-catching performances, and Cristiano Ronaldo has now joined the party with a clinical display against Uzbekistan. The tournament has exceeded expectations despite doubts about the expansion to a 48-team format. The performances of teams like Cape Verde, Japan, Egypt and several lower-ranked nations have added fresh excitement and shown that the new structure can deliver competitive football.

India football star Sandesh Jhingan, who is part of the Zee5 expert panel for the FIFA World Cup, spoke exclusively to Hindustan Times Digital about th...