<p>After just one match each, Robin van Persie and Lionel Messi have already equaled their goal tallies from their previous two World Cups combined.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Two of football's biggest stars are finally shining where it matters most.<br /><br />While it has taken Van Persie and Messi three tournaments to find their feet, other strikers seem to thrive on the pressure-cooker atmosphere of the World Cup from day one.<br /><br />Thomas Mueller, joint tournament top scorer with five in South Africa four years ago, grabbed a hat trick Monday as Germany hammered Portugal 4-0.<br /><br />And with the weight of the football-loving host nation resting on his slender shoulders, 22-year-old Neymar slotted two goals on his World Cup debut as Brazil beat Croatia 3-1 in the tournament opener.<br /><br />Neymar failed to score against Mexico Tuesday thanks to amazing goalkeeping Guillermo Ochoa.<br /><br />But the pressure that some players thrive on seems to weigh others down. Cristiano Ronaldo -- constantly paired against Messi in the debate over the world's best player -- continued his miserable World Cup form. His only goal in South Africa was in Portugal's 7-0 rout of North Korea, and he and his team were shut out in their first game in Brazil.<br /><br />For Messi, getting his name on the score sheet was an improvement from four years ago, when he left South Africa without a goal. The Argentine wizard's only previous World Cup goal came in Germany in 2006.<br /><br />If Van Persie's relative failure in his first two World Cups -- he managed just one goal in the Dutch charge to the 2010 final and only one in Germany four years earlier — was weighing on his mind, it didn't show in Salvador on Friday, where he grabbed two goals in his team's 5-1 demolition of world champion Spain.<br /><br />"He's so mature that I don't really think he's thinking about that a lot," Dutch midfielder Nigel de Jong said of Van Persie's previous World Cup flops. "I don't think he looks at the statistics, especially from the last couple of tournaments."<br /><br />It wasn't just that Van Persie and Messi broke droughts, the quality of their strikes lit up the tournament.<br /><br />Messi picked up the ball in the 65th minute against Bosnia at the Maracana on Sunday, exchanged a 1-2 with Gonzalo Higuain, weaved his way past defenders and curled a left-footed shot in off the base of the post.<br /><br />Van Persie ran onto a 40-yard pass from Daley Blind, glanced up, saw Iker Casillas off his line and dived full length to send a looping header over the Spain goalie.<br /><br />"Considering the circumstances, it must be the goal of my career," the Manchester United striker said.<br /><br />The release of tension was palpable for both players.<br /><br />Van Persie sprinted along the touch line to exchange a high five with coach Louis van Gaal; Messi tugged on his shirt, ran to the edge of the pitch and pumped his fist.<br /><br />"I wanted to release all the energy from other times when things didn't go right (with the national team)," he said.<br /><br />"It's always a pleasure to score with the national team."<br /><br />And Neymar isn't the only player excelling in his first World Cup.<br /><br />Karim Benzema, who wasn't picked for France four years ago, nearly had a hat trick in his first World Cup match, scoring two and having a hand in an own goal as Les Bleus beat Honduras 3-0.<br /><br />Italy's mercurial forward Mario Balotelli marked his first World Cup game by scoring the winner for Italy against England.<br /><br />"He's a player with a huge amount of talent and it seems like he's setting himself up to have a great World Cup," Italian football federation president Giancarlo Abete said.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Portugal's Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney of England can't seem to find their form, just as they struggled four years ago.<br /><br />Rooney worked hard, starting out of position on the left wing, but could not make the difference for his team as England played attractive football but ultimately lost 2-1 to Italy.<br /><br />"Obviously we lost the game but I was involved in the game, could have scored, created the goal and felt I had an influence," Rooney said.<br /><br />And FIFA world player of the year Ronaldo was a shadow of the man who dominates for Real Madrid.<br /><br />Ronaldo had been struggling to shake off a left knee injury going into the match, but declared himself 100 percent fit. He left the stadium without speaking to reporters, leaving his coach at a loss to explain it.<br /><br />"Cristiano played the whole match," Paulo Bento said. "We are told that he is well physically."</p>
<p>After just one match each, Robin van Persie and Lionel Messi have already equaled their goal tallies from their previous two World Cups combined.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Two of football's biggest stars are finally shining where it matters most.<br /><br />While it has taken Van Persie and Messi three tournaments to find their feet, other strikers seem to thrive on the pressure-cooker atmosphere of the World Cup from day one.<br /><br />Thomas Mueller, joint tournament top scorer with five in South Africa four years ago, grabbed a hat trick Monday as Germany hammered Portugal 4-0.<br /><br />And with the weight of the football-loving host nation resting on his slender shoulders, 22-year-old Neymar slotted two goals on his World Cup debut as Brazil beat Croatia 3-1 in the tournament opener.<br /><br />Neymar failed to score against Mexico Tuesday thanks to amazing goalkeeping Guillermo Ochoa.<br /><br />But the pressure that some players thrive on seems to weigh others down. Cristiano Ronaldo -- constantly paired against Messi in the debate over the world's best player -- continued his miserable World Cup form. His only goal in South Africa was in Portugal's 7-0 rout of North Korea, and he and his team were shut out in their first game in Brazil.<br /><br />For Messi, getting his name on the score sheet was an improvement from four years ago, when he left South Africa without a goal. The Argentine wizard's only previous World Cup goal came in Germany in 2006.<br /><br />If Van Persie's relative failure in his first two World Cups -- he managed just one goal in the Dutch charge to the 2010 final and only one in Germany four years earlier — was weighing on his mind, it didn't show in Salvador on Friday, where he grabbed two goals in his team's 5-1 demolition of world champion Spain.<br /><br />"He's so mature that I don't really think he's thinking about that a lot," Dutch midfielder Nigel de Jong said of Van Persie's previous World Cup flops. "I don't think he looks at the statistics, especially from the last couple of tournaments."<br /><br />It wasn't just that Van Persie and Messi broke droughts, the quality of their strikes lit up the tournament.<br /><br />Messi picked up the ball in the 65th minute against Bosnia at the Maracana on Sunday, exchanged a 1-2 with Gonzalo Higuain, weaved his way past defenders and curled a left-footed shot in off the base of the post.<br /><br />Van Persie ran onto a 40-yard pass from Daley Blind, glanced up, saw Iker Casillas off his line and dived full length to send a looping header over the Spain goalie.<br /><br />"Considering the circumstances, it must be the goal of my career," the Manchester United striker said.<br /><br />The release of tension was palpable for both players.<br /><br />Van Persie sprinted along the touch line to exchange a high five with coach Louis van Gaal; Messi tugged on his shirt, ran to the edge of the pitch and pumped his fist.<br /><br />"I wanted to release all the energy from other times when things didn't go right (with the national team)," he said.<br /><br />"It's always a pleasure to score with the national team."<br /><br />And Neymar isn't the only player excelling in his first World Cup.<br /><br />Karim Benzema, who wasn't picked for France four years ago, nearly had a hat trick in his first World Cup match, scoring two and having a hand in an own goal as Les Bleus beat Honduras 3-0.<br /><br />Italy's mercurial forward Mario Balotelli marked his first World Cup game by scoring the winner for Italy against England.<br /><br />"He's a player with a huge amount of talent and it seems like he's setting himself up to have a great World Cup," Italian football federation president Giancarlo Abete said.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Portugal's Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney of England can't seem to find their form, just as they struggled four years ago.<br /><br />Rooney worked hard, starting out of position on the left wing, but could not make the difference for his team as England played attractive football but ultimately lost 2-1 to Italy.<br /><br />"Obviously we lost the game but I was involved in the game, could have scored, created the goal and felt I had an influence," Rooney said.<br /><br />And FIFA world player of the year Ronaldo was a shadow of the man who dominates for Real Madrid.<br /><br />Ronaldo had been struggling to shake off a left knee injury going into the match, but declared himself 100 percent fit. He left the stadium without speaking to reporters, leaving his coach at a loss to explain it.<br /><br />"Cristiano played the whole match," Paulo Bento said. "We are told that he is well physically."</p>