The World Cup only needed nine minutes to catch fire. Mexico’s 2-0 win over South Africa had a little bit of everything: an early goal, a huge home crowd bouncing in an iconic stadium, Raúl Jiménez making history, three red cards and one of the strangest opening-night stat lines the tournament has seen.
Julián Quiñones got the first goal of World Cup 2026, pouncing in the ninth minute after South Africa were caught in possession on the edge of their own box. It was the perfect start for Mexico and the perfect release for a nation hosting the tournament on home soil. The Azteca did not need much encouragement. After that, it was all noise, smoke and green shirts.
Then came Jiménez. His 67th-minute goal made it 2-0 and gave the night its proper emotional centre. It was his first World Cup goal, and a big one, historically too. That strike took him to 46 goals for Mexico, level with Jared Borgetti as the country’s second-highest scorer. For a player whose career has had to be rebuilt through pain, patience and stubbornness, it was a moment with serious weight behind it. His celebration said it all. In 2020 he suffered that life-threatening injury, and only recently lost his father. So this really was his moment.
But the stat that will travel furthest is the red-card madness. Three sendings-off in one World Cup opener. South Africa lost Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane in the second half, before Mexico’s César Montes was also dismissed in stoppage time. That means this single game produced three red cards, only one fewer than the entire 2022 World Cup managed across 64 matches.
It was not just scrappy. It was historic. The first World Cup opening game with three red cards. More red cards than goals.
Mexico do not always go deep, but they know how to start. This time, with Jiménez scoring, the Azteca roaring and the red cards flying, they gave World Cup 2026 a wonderfully unhinged opening chapter. They’ve already won over the neutrals!
