Quinones and Jimenez score as Mexico opens World Cup with win
Mexico beat South Africa 2-0 in the 2026 World Cup opener, with Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez delivering the goals in Mexico City.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
3 min read
Mexico opened the 2026 World Cup with a 2-0 victory over South Africa on Thursday, with Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez scoring at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Al Jazeera reported. The result gave the host nation an immediate lift in Group A and put two forwards with different career paths at the center of the tournament’s first match.
Quinones scored after nine minutes, making him the first goalscorer of the 2026 World Cup, according to Al Jazeera. Jimenez added Mexico’s second goal in the 67th minute, giving the home side a win over the 2010 World Cup hosts.
Julian Quinones
Al Jazeera reported that Quinones, 29, was born and raised in Colombia, where he played for the country’s youth and international teams but did not represent Colombia at senior level. He moved into Mexican club football in 2016 and later became eligible to play for Mexico after gaining citizenship in 2023.
His Mexico call-up came about a month after he became a citizen, Al Jazeera reported. Quinones has since become part of Mexico’s national team setup while playing club football for Al-Qadsiah in the Saudi Pro League.
Al Jazeera reported that Quinones joined Al-Qadsiah in 2024 for a reported fee of $16m. His early goal against South Africa placed him among the players who have opened the scoring at a World Cup, a list Al Jazeera noted includes Pele.
An AFP caption from the match described Quinones as a central figure in the first half, while Reuters photographed him alongside Jimenez after the win. His goal came in front of a heavily pro-Mexico crowd at Estadio Azteca, where the tournament began.
Raul Jimenez
Jimenez, 35, scored Mexico’s second goal with a header in the 67th minute, Al Jazeera reported. It was his first World Cup goal, and he was visibly emotional in the celebration, according to the outlet.
Al Jazeera linked that reaction to Jimenez’s recovery from a skull fracture suffered in 2020 while playing for Wolverhampton Wanderers. The injury came after a collision with David Luiz, and Al Jazeera described it as near-fatal.
Jimenez was out for eight months before returning for Wolves in August 2021, Al Jazeera reported. He scored his first goal after the injury the following month and dedicated it to his family and medical team.
Since the injury, Jimenez has worn protective headgear in matches, according to Al Jazeera. The outlet also reported that since his father died in March, Jimenez has dedicated many of his goals to him, often gesturing to the sky during celebrations.
Together, Quinones and Jimenez gave Mexico a winning start in a match that carried both sporting and symbolic weight for the host nation. Al Jazeera reported that Mexico’s 2-0 result came in a lively opener against South Africa and sent the home crowd into celebration.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.