The 2026 FIFA World Cup, the first in history to be hosted by three countries and the largest edition ever with 48 teams and 104 matches, officially began on Thursday.
Mexico, co-hosting the tournament alongside the United States and Canada, opened the competition against South Africa at the Estadio Azteca, recently renovated and temporarily renamed Mexico City Stadium for the tournament.
Julián Quiñones Named Player of the Match
Julián Quiñones, born 29 years ago in Magüi Payán, Colombia, was the player who opened the scoring for Mexico.
The forward arrived in Mexican football with Lobos BUAP and later played for Santos Laguna, Atlas, Tigres, and América. After becoming a naturalized Mexican citizen and establishing his family in the country, he earned a place in the national team.
In 2024, he transferred to Al-Qadisiyah in Saudi Arabia and spent some time outside coach Javier Aguirre’s plans. However, he returned to become one of the key figures in Mexico’s World Cup debut.
Mexico 2-0 South Africa
The Mexican national team secured a convincing victory in its opening World Cup match.
First Half
Mexico took the lead in the 7th minute thanks to Julián Quiñones, who capitalized on a loose ball inside the penalty area and finished with a powerful right-footed strike.
For the remainder of the first half, Mexico controlled possession and created several clear scoring opportunities. However, goalkeeper Ronwen Williams and a shot that struck the post prevented the lead from increasing before halftime.
The first half ended with Mexico leading 1-0.
Second Half
South Africa suffered a major setback in the 50th minute when Sphephelo Sithole was shown a red card, reducing his team to ten players.
Mexico took advantage of the numerical superiority, and in the 67th minute Raúl Jiménez doubled the lead with a header from a cross delivered to the far post.
Later in the match, South African midfielder Themba Zwane was also sent off following a VAR review, leaving his team with only nine players on the field.
In the closing minutes, Mexico was reduced to ten men after César Montes received a red card for a foul near the penalty area.
Despite the late dismissal, the score remained unchanged, and Mexico secured a 2-0 victory.
Raúl Rangel Makes His World Cup Debut
One of the most discussed decisions before kickoff was Javier Aguirre’s choice to start Raúl Rangel in goal.
The 26-year-old goalkeeper was selected ahead of Guillermo Ochoa, who is seeking to become the first Mexican player to appear in six World Cups. Aguirre ultimately chose youth and form for the tournament opener.
Opening Ceremony
The pre-match ceremony featured a lineup of international and Mexican artists.
Shakira headlined the event alongside Burna Boy, performing the tournament’s official song. Other performers included Maná, Lila Downs, Danny Ocean, and J Balvin.
With a capacity of more than 80,000 spectators, Estadio Azteca served as the stage for a historic opening ceremony celebrating the start of the World Cup.
Mexico’s Next Match
Following this victory, Mexico will face South Korea on June 18 in its second group-stage match.
Source: mcall
