The fifth day of the FIFA World Cup 2026 delivered yet another dramatic chapter in a tournament already packed with surprises, memorable performances and unforgettable stories.

From Cape Verde earning a historic point against European champions Spain to Iran's veteran defender producing a masterclass in Los Angeles, Day 5 once again showcased the beauty and unpredictability that make the World Cup football's greatest stage.

The biggest shock arrived early in the day when Spain were held to a stunning 0-0 draw by World Cup debutants Cape Verde. Few gave the island nation much chance against the reigning European champions, but inspired goalkeeper Vozinha produced a heroic performance between the posts to secure a famous clean sheet and one of the most significant results in his country's football history.

That result immediately threw Group H wide open and handed an opportunity to Saudi Arabia and Uruguay to seize control of the standings. Instead, the two sides battled to an entertaining 1-1 draw in Miami.

Saudi Arabia, who famously stunned eventual champions Argentina at the 2022 World Cup, looked on course for another memorable result when Abdulelah Al Amri capitalised on a mistake from Fernando Muslera to give the Green Falcons the lead. Uruguay responded after the break and eventually found an equaliser through Maxi Araujo, whose late strike rescued a valuable point for La Celeste.

Group G also provided plenty of excitement as Belgium and Egypt faced off in Seattle.

It was Egypt who struck first, with Emam Ashour continuing his impressive rise by firing the Pharaohs ahead. Belgium struggled to find their rhythm for large portions of the match and ultimately needed inspiration from the bench. Romelu Lukaku's introduction changed the flow of the contest, and his dangerous run into the box forced Mohamed Hany into an unfortunate own goal, allowing Belgium to salvage a 1-1 draw.

That result left the door open for either Iran or New Zealand to finish the day on top of Group G when they met later in Los Angeles.

The All Whites twice moved in front thanks to a brilliant brace from Elijah Just, but Iran showed tremendous resilience in front of a passionate crowd, fighting back on both occasions to secure a thrilling 2-2 draw.

As a result, every team in Group G heads into the second round of fixtures level on one point, setting up what promises to be one of the most competitive groups of the tournament.

Goal of the day

You'd be forgiven for believing that when Egypt scored against Belgium, it would be Omar Marmoush or Mohamed Salah with a pearler, but another name took the spotlight in Seattle.

Emam Ashour has been a star in Egypt's domestic league over the last few years, and has now shown the world what he is capable of on the world stage.

Fed by Salah, the Al Ahly midfielder received the ball on his right foot, before cannoning an effort past Thibaut Courtois to open the scoring against Belgium.

His celebration gave a sense of nonchalance, interrupted by an unceremonious shove to the floor from Ziko - not that he was too bothered by it.

Player of the day

We had to wait until late in the day, but Iran's 36-year-old Ramin Rezaeian produced one of the games of his life to see his Iran remain unbeaten at this World Cup.

The right-back turned into a poacher for Iran's first goal before setting up the second, allowing Mohammad Mohebi to level for the second time for Iran.

The goal and the assist helped him earn a 9.0 rating using Flashscore's new-and-improved ratings system, but his defensive work was also valuable.

He won eight of his nine duels against New Zealand's attackers, whilst showing his creative force with eight of 10 accurate passes into the final third.

Best of social media

Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha started the day with 46,000 Instagram followers, but by the end of it, that number had skyrocketed well into the millions.

It's been a long journey of sweat and toil to reach the World Cup for the keeper. He has played in Cyprus, Slovakia and Portugal, amongst others, in a career that has featured it all, but his performance against Spain may just be his best.

The enormity of this tournament and his performance was seen afterwards, when his following had reached north of five million.

On air, during the post-match press conferences, he was shown the new count - then just a 'meagre' two million - and his reaction was priceless.

Brand deals should be incoming for the World Cup's newest cult hero.

The biggest shame for him was that his mother could not be there to witness it. In a post-match interview, he said that she was not able to join him in the USA due to visa costs - a heartbreaking admission and a telling reminder that this edition of the World Cup was not made for everyone.

Want to know more about his story?