World Cup 2026 Player of the Day - Day 1: Quinones Shines as Hosts Mexico Make Winning Start

Mexico made the ideal start to their home World Cup, and Julian Quinones played a starring role as the co-hosts recorded a comfortable 2-0 win over a South Africa team who finished the game with nine men.

Quinones – playing at his first World Cup after averaging better than a goal for Al-Qadsiah in Saudi Arabia this season – opened the scoring as Mexico – who had captain Cesar Montes sent off in stoppage time – capitalised on Sphephelo Sithole’s poor first touch from Ronwen Williams’ short pass out from the back, sweeping the ball through the South African goalkeeper’s legs inside nine minutes for the earliest goal in a World Cup opening match since Philipp Lahm’s thunderbolt for Germany against Costa Rica in 2006.

Despite his prolific club form, this was only Quinones’ third international goal – and his first since 2024.

The 29-year-old winger – who represented Colombia at U20 level before switching his allegiance to Mexico in 2023 – was a thorn in South Africa’s side throughout down the left, attempting more shots (five) and completing more dribbles (five) than any other player on the pitch at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, as well as completing 28 of the 33 passes he attempted – giving him a pass completion rate of 85%.

Quinones also had a key role in Raul Jimenez’s second-half goal which doubled El Tri’s lead, showing great composure to feed Roberto Alvarado – who in turn crossed for the veteran Jimenez to head home his first World Cup goal.

Substituted to a rapturous ovation after 79 minutes, Quinones did more than enough to cement his place in the Mexican side for their second group fixture against South Korea in Guadalajara next Friday (June 19) – and suggested he might be capable of producing something truly spectacular, audaciously trying to lob Williams from almost the halfway line in the first half.

Next, see World Cup 2026: What Date and Time do the Group Stage Matches Kick Off?