Against South Africa
©IMAGO
Host Mexico celebrated an easy opening victory at the 2026 World Cup. At a sold-out Aztec Stadium, El Tri beat South Africa 2-0 in a repeat of the 2010 opening game. The goals for Mexico were scored by Julián Quiñones (9th) and Raúl Jiménez (67th). After an emergency stop by Yaya Sithole (49′) and a strike by Themba Zwane (84′), South Africa ended the game with nine men. Mexico’s central defender César Montes was also sent off in stoppage time (90+2).
At 1:05 p.m. local time, after the entire squad of both teams had lined up around the center circle for the anthem, five minutes later than planned, the game started. Mexico coach Javier Aguirre, who, like his Belgian counterpart Hugo Broos, was a player for the South Africans at the 1986 World Cup, initially did without his 17-year-old super teenager Gilberto Mora. Instead of iconic keeper Guillermo Ochoa (40), 26-year-old Raúl Rangel stood in goal at his sixth World Cup.
But everything Aguirre came up with worked out. And how. The first huge chance after five minutes. From the right side, the advanced defender Isreal Reyes crossed into the back of the South African defense, and Raúl Jiménez shot straight away. Just like that, keeper and captain Ronwen Williams was able to direct the ball to the corner. A little later it happened to Bafana Bafana, who had been delayed in traveling to Mexico due to a lack of a visa. Erik Lira won the ball 20 meters from the South African goal, set up Quinones, who humiliatingly tunneled to Williams from around 16 meters.
The Aztec Stadium, which has so often been the scene of historic football moments, seemed to explode, the Mexicans roared their joy at the top of their lungs and hurled their cardboard sombreros. “El Tri”, as the team is called because of the three national colors, has played an opening game five times. The first in 1930. Almost a hundred years later, after three defeats and two draws, the first opening victory was finally achieved. The last time they played was 1-1 – in 2010 against the then hosts, South Africa.
South Africa were initially too harmless to score their own goal in their first finals since the home tournament. Even the interruption caused by the drinking breaks that are fixed at this World Cup did not change the rhythm of the game. Instead, they almost escalated a second time in the Aztec Stadium just before halftime. But Quiñones (42nd) only hit the post. And things didn’t get any better from the South Africans’ perspective. Immediately after the restart, goalkeeper Ronwen Williams had a blackout and played the ball directly into the foot of Mexican Alvaro Fidalgo, who was standing on the edge of the penalty area. But the midfielder wasn’t determined enough and ultimately squandered the opportunity.
Just a few minutes later the next fiasco. Brian Gutiérrez was sent steeply, evaded the South African defense just behind the halfway line – and was stopped by Sithole with an emergency brake just before the penalty area. Jiménez only put the free kick into the wall. After 66 minutes, the atmosphere in the Aztec Stadium became atmospheric again. Coach Aguirre substituted Gilberto Mora, who was only 17 years and 240 days old, making him Mexico’s youngest World Cup player. The chants of “Mora, Mora” could still be heard when Jiménez made the decision with his head. Shortly before the end, substitute Zwane hit Roberto Alvarado in the head – second expulsion for South Africa according to video evidence. In stoppage time, Mexican Cesar Montes was also hit after an emergency stop.