Jiménez scores first World Cup goal as Mexico tops South Africa

Quiñones and Jiménez guide Mexico to victory in Mexico City

MEXICO CITY – The FIFA World Cup 2026 kicked off with Mexico earning a 2-nil win against South Africa in Group A in the tournament’s opening match on Thursday at Mexico City Stadium in Mexico City, Mexico.

The hosts found the opener in the 9’ as Julián Quiñones scored the first goal of the tournament. Érik Lira applied pressure to recover possession just outside the opponent’s box before Quiñones picked up the ball and found the back of the net with a right-footed finish.

Quiñones came close to doubling Mexico’s lead in the 42’ with a low drive from inside the box that rattled the right post.

The second half began with South Africa’s Sphephelo Sithole being shown a red card for a foul in the 49’.

Raúl Jiménez ultimately extended the lead for El Tricolor in the 67’, with a header at the far post to capitalize on a precise cross from Roberto Alvarado from the right. The goal opened Jiménez’s first goal in a FIFA World Cup.

Two more red cards were shown in the remaining minutes, marking the first time there’s been three red cards in a World Cup opener. First, South Africa’s Themba Zwane was sent off in the 84’, before Mexico was left with ten men in stoppage time when César Montes was shown a red in the 90+4’.

Mexico will play its second group stage fixture on June 18, when it hosts Korea Republic at Guadalajara Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico, 9 PM ET (7 PM local time).

Mexico vs South Africa – Post-Match Facts

• Mexico is now unbeaten in its last eight FIFA World Cup opening matches (W6 D2 L0), a streak that dates back to a 1-0 loss against Norway in its first match of the 1994 tournament.
• Mexico recorded its first FIFA World Cup clean-sheet victory since defeating Germany 1-0 in its opening match of the 2018 edition.
• Julián Quiñones scored the earliest goal in a FIFA World Cup opening match since Philipp Lahm found the net for Germany against Costa Rica in the sixth minute of the 2006 tournament opener.
• Quiñones became the first CONCACAF player to score the opening goal of a FIFA World Cup tournament.
• Raúl Jiménez (35 years, 37 days) became Mexico’s fourth-oldest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history. He is also the oldest player to score in his first World Cup start since Iran’s Yahya Golmohammadi (35 years, 84 days) against Mexico in 2006.
• Julián Quiñones scored his first goal for Mexico in nearly two years, having last found the net on June 9, 2024, in a friendly against Brazil.
• At 17 years and 240 days old, Gilberto Mora became the second-youngest player to appear in a FIFA World Cup match this century, behind only Nigeria’s Femi Opabunmi against England in 2002.
• This was only the third time Mexico has scored within the opening 10 minutes of a FIFA World Cup match.
• Mexico hit the woodwork in a World Cup match for the first time since its group-stage encounter against Croatia on June 23, 2014.
• Julián Quiñones became only the second Mexican player since 1966 to both score and hit the woodwork in the same World Cup match, following Jared Borgetti against Ecuador in 2002.
• Quiñones is the first Mexican player to complete at least five dribbles and attempt at least five shots in a FIFA World Cup match since Luis Flores against Iraq in 1986.
• Gilberto Mora (17 years, 240 days) became the youngest player ever to appear for a FIFA World Cup host nation.
• Raúl Jiménez’s 46th international goal moved him level with Jared Borgetti as Mexico’s second all-time leading scorer. Only Javier “Chicharito” Hernández (52) has scored more for El Tri.
• Julián Quiñones led all players in through balls into the final third (5), total through balls completed (2), and high-intensity presses among Mexican players (29).
• At 17 years and 240 days old, Gilberto Mora became the youngest player to represent Mexico in a FIFA World Cup since records began tracking such data in 1966.