Mexico's 2026 World Cup opener delivered exactly what fans — and apparently, the universe — had been waiting for: two goals, a 2-0 victory over South Africa, and an emotional exorcism of a long-standing opening-day curse. The heroes? Julián Quiñones, who scored nine minutes in, and Raúl Jiménez, who sealed the deal.
The New Guy and the Legend
Quiñones, at 29, isn't just any forward. He's the guy who switched allegiances, becoming a Mexican citizen in 2023 after playing youth football for his native Colombia. Clearly, it was a good call. His opening goal in the Azteca Stadium set the place alight and immediately put him in the kind of company you want to be in: players like Pelé, who also scored the first goal in a World Cup tournament. Not bad for someone who’s only just officially joined the party.
Then there’s Raúl Jiménez. His goal in the 67th minute wasn't just a point on the scoreboard; it was a roar of defiance. The 35-year-old veteran was visibly, profoundly emotional. And if you know his story, you know exactly why.
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Start Your News DetoxBack in 2020, while playing for the Wolverhampton Wanderers, Jiménez suffered a skull fracture so severe it nearly ended his career. He was out for eight months, and he’s worn protective headgear in every match since, a constant, physical reminder of how close he came to losing it all. His return to the pitch in August 2021 and his first post-injury goal a month later were dedicated to his family and the medical team who put him back together.
More recently, Jiménez has been dedicating his goals to his late father, who passed away in March. So, when that header found the back of the net, it wasn't just a goal; it was a testament to resilience, a tribute, and a very public, very raw outpouring of everything he's overcome. Which, if you think about it, makes a 2-0 victory feel like an even bigger win.
