Mexico national football team finally broke their opening-match curse in style, beating South Africa national football team to claim their first-ever World Cup opener victory in front of a roaring home crowd at the legendary Estadio Azteca.
It was Mexico’s eighth appearance in a World Cup opening game, but for the first time, El Tri walked away winners after previously suffering five defeats and two draws — including that memorable stalemate against South Africa at the 2010 tournament.
The victory felt even more special because it came at the newly renovated Azteca, now the first stadium in football history to host matches across three different World Cups. With over 80,000 fans filling the stands, most dressed in green, the atmosphere was electric.
Defender Israel Reyes could barely contain his emotions after the match.
“It was an experience unlike any other. I’ve never had goosebumps like that before. It’s something I’ve dreamed about for years.”
Mexico wasted no time making their mark. Just nine minutes into the match, Julián Quiñones fired low through the legs of goalkeeper Ronwen Williams to score the tournament’s first goal.
The strike was historic in itself — the fastest opening goal in a World Cup since Philipp Lahm scored for Germany national football team against Costa Rica national football team back in 2006.
Quiñones, fresh off finishing as top scorer in Saudi Arabia, said the moment meant everything.
“Scoring here, in front of these fans, was incredible. We played as a team and earned this together.”
South Africa’s hopes of a comeback took a huge blow early in the second half when midfielder Sphephelo Sithole was sent off for bringing down Brian Gutiérrez just outside the box while through on goal.
Mexico kept pushing, and veteran striker Raúl Jiménez made sure of the result midway through the second half, heading home from close range to double the lead.
It was a landmark goal for Jiménez — his 46th for Mexico — drawing him level with Jared Borgetti as the country’s second-highest scorer of all time. He now trails only Javier Hernández by six goals.
Substitute Érik Lira praised the team’s mentality after the game.
“We knew the responsibility we carried. From the first whistle, our mindset was to win.”
There was another historic moment for Mexico when teenage sensation Gilberto Mora came on in the second half. At just 17 years and 240 days old, Mora became Mexico’s youngest-ever World Cup player and the sixth-youngest in tournament history.
But the drama didn’t end there.
South Africa’s frustrations boiled over when Themba Zwane was shown a red card after VAR caught him striking Roberto Alvarado in the face.
The match then descended into chaos in stoppage time when Mexican defender César Montes was also sent off, making it three red cards in total — a fiery start to the 2026 tournament.
For Mexico, it was the perfect response after their disappointing group-stage exit at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. They now sit top of Group A and will face South Korea national football team on June 18 in Guadalajara.
South Africa, meanwhile, will look to bounce back when they take on Czech Republic national football team in Atlanta.
Before kick-off, the opening ceremony brought its own magic, with performances from Shakira, Maná, Andrea Bocelli, and actress Salma Hayek.
Shakira performed the official tournament anthem alongside Burna Boy, while Lila Downs welcomed fans in Spanish, English, and indigenous languages — a fitting celebration for a World Cup opening night filled with history, passion, and unforgettable moments.
