Mexico’s two purpose scorers have been overcome with emotion as they took their crew to a win within the World Cup’s opening sport.
Printed On 11 Jun 2026
9 minutes into the opening sport of the World Cup 2026, the host nation discovered a motive to have fun as Julian Quinones scored the opening purpose of the match to offer Mexico the lead against South Africa.
The long-lasting Azteca Stadium in Mexico Metropolis was a cauldron of noise and celebration when Quinones earned the honour of changing into the opening purpose scorer of the World Cup in entrance of adoring house followers on Thursday.
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The partisan crowd was given one other likelihood to have fun when veteran striker Raul Jimenez added the second purpose within the 67th minute as Mexico broke the opening-day curse with a 2-0 win over the 2010 hosts in an exhilarating encounter.
Right here’s every part to find out about Mexico’s two purpose scorers:
Julian Quinones
The 29-year-old ahead was born and raised in Colombia, the place he performed for the nation’s youth and worldwide groups however by no means on the senior degree.
Since 2016, Quinones has performed membership soccer in Mexico, and he gained citizenship in his adopted nation in 2023, paving the way in which for him to symbolize it in worldwide soccer as effectively. It solely took a month for Quinones to obtain a call-up to the nationwide facet, and the striker has not seemed again.
Enjoying for Saudi Professional League facet Al-Qadsiah, whom he joined in 2024 for a reported $16m, Quinones earned a reputation within the nationwide outfit.
He has now joined a number of the most well-known names in soccer’s historical past, together with Pele, as the person to open the scoring in a World Cup.
Raul Jimenez
The veteran ahead was visibly emotional as he celebrated his first-ever World Cup purpose – with a header – within the 67th minute – and there’s a motive for it.
Jimenez’s purpose was additionally the image of a exceptional comeback after recovering from a near-fatal cranium fracture he sustained in a collision with David Luiz in a 2020 match whereas enjoying for the Wolverhampton Wanderers. Since then, he’s needed to put on protecting headgear at each match.
The 35-year-old was sidelined for eight months earlier than returning to motion for the Wolves in August 2021 and scored his first post-injury purpose the next month, which he devoted to his household and medical crew in an emotional tribute.
Since dropping his father in March, Jimenez has devoted a lot of his targets to his late father as he gestured to the sky and broke down in tears.
