The Mexican men’s national football team took the win in the 2026 World Cup opening game, beating South Africa 2-0.
It was a great showing for the team coached by Javier Aguirre, which played some great attacking football and nullified a South African team that pushed but ultimately lacked quality.
The Tri, as the Mexican national team is affectionately known, took the lead early on. In the 8th minute, the South African team gave up possession from a goal kick, and the ball fell to striker Julián Quiñones. The forward opened up a shot for himself and slotted it between the legs of Ronwen Williams, the South African goalkeeper.
The African team gained some ground as the minutes passed. However, they couldn’t hurt a Mexican defense that showed some vulnerability.
In the 22nd minute, the match was paused for a cooling break so players could drink and take a breather. Despite a comfortable 23°C in Mexico City at the time of the match, the altitude of 2,240 meters above sea level does demand extra effort from players.
