Julian Quinones celebrates scoring the opening goal for Mexico at the 2026 World Cup in their win over South Africa. ReutersJulian Quinones celebrates scoring the opening goal for Mexico at the 2026 World Cup in their win over South Africa. ReutersAl Qadsiah striker outscored Cristiano Ronaldo in 2025/26 season and scored the first of Mexico's two goals against nine-man South AfricaMexico's Julian Quinones scored the first goal of the 2026 World Cup, carrying on his fine form from an outstanding Saudi Pro League campaign.The Colombian-born Quinones ​scored only nine minutes into his World Cup debut, adding to the 33 Pro League goals that saw him finish ahead of England's Ivan Toney and Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.Quinones, 29, secured Mexican citizenship in October ⁠2023 and made his first appearance for El Tri a month later. He now holds the distinction as the first player to score at Fifa's expanded 48-team tournament.It took the Al Qadsiah striker only nine minutes. After the pomp and pageantry of the Opening Ceremony, where acts included Shakira and Burna Boy, Mexico flew out of the blocks at the sold-out Azteca Stadium.South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams played an ill-advised pass to Sphephelo Sithole at the top of the penalty arc. Sithole was still careless in losing the ball to pressure from Erik Lira, and as Quinones seized upon the turnover and ​fired in a low finish that went through Williams' legs. Fulham striker Raul Jimenez, making his first World Cup start at his fourth global finals, scored his first World Cup goal on 67 minutes.Jimenez, 35, doubled Mexico's advantage when he ran to the back post and headed Roberto Alvarado's cross from the top right corner of the area low between Williams and his near post.▶It came almost six years after he ⁠suffered a nearly career-ending head injury playing for Wolverhampton Wanderers in the English ​Premier ⁠League.Cesar Montes took the lone ‌blemish for Mexico, sent off in second-half stoppage time with the third red ​card of the match brandished by Wilton Sampaio. Montes took out Khuliso Mudau as he tried to dribble into the penalty area, and was ruled to have denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.South Africa rarely threatened with even numbers in their first World Cup match since hosting the event in 2010. They were reduced to 10 men when Sampaio judged that Sithole had hauled down Brian Gutierrez during an obvious goal-scoring opportunity early in the second half.Play00:48World Cup kicks off with Mexico vs South AfricaIt was nine men in the ​84th minute following a video review that showed Themba Zwane had ​deliberately struck ‌a Mexico player.It was a first victory in eight attempts for Mexico playing in a World Cup opener.Manager Javier Aguirre was also on the field when Mexico last began a home World Cup with a 2-1 win over Belgium at the same Estadio Azteca in 1986.“This could have been a 4-0 match, but people were happy. It is the start of the World Cup, ​we left the nerves ‌behind and we go with three points,” Aguirre told reporters. “Now we are thinking about what is next.”Updated: June 12, 2026, 3:19 AM