Javier Aguirre’s “Tri” gets off to a fantastic start as Mexico wins the 2026 World Cup opener 2-0 thanks to goals from Quinones and Raul Jimenez.

There could not have been a more thrilling opening stage for the 2026 World Cup. With a clinical and well-deserved victory, the hosts, Mexico, lived up to the high pre-match expectations at a capacity crowd at Estadio Azteca.

The match concluded 2-0 against a listless South Africa team that found it difficult to establish a presence and ultimately gave in to pressure in the second half, completing the game with just nine men. For the home crowd, Javier Aguirre’s “Tri” gave a powerful performance, guaranteeing the ideal beginning to a tournament they intend to define.

Quinones sparks Azteca celebrations

The crowd’s passion drove Mexico to control the early tempo. After barely four minutes, Raul Jimenez blasted a thunderous left-footed strike, but Williams’ incredible reflex save stopped it. This was the first major opening of the World Cup.

But Bafana Bafana’s opposition did not last long. After a sloppy error by the South African defense, the impasse was broken in the ninth minute. The crowd went into a frenzy when Julian Quinones pounced on the loose ball to score the opening goal after a center-back gave up possession on the edge of the box. The ‘Tri’ forward continued to be a threat, and soon after, a long-range attempt that went just wide of the post almost doubled his total.

Foster rose to meet a set-piece in the 37th minute, giving South Africa a momentary threat, but his header missed the mark. Before the break, Mexico reasserted its dominance; therefore, the break proved to be a brief respite. Before Julian Quinones hit the woodwork following a knockdown by Brian Gutierrez, Raul Jimenez’s incredible acrobatic attempt was stopped by another excellent Williams save.

Sithole sees red as Jimenez seals the points

The hosts continued to take advantage of defensive weaknesses in the second half. After a bad clearing, Williams nearly gave Fidalgo a second, but Gutierrez blasted over the bar as Mexico looked for a buffer.

In the 51st minute, Sithole took down Brian Gutierrez on the edge of the box, officially ending the game. Without hesitation, the referee issued a straight red card for a professional foul. The tourists would never fully recover from the psychological damage.

In the 67th minute, the second goal finally came in to seal the victory. Raul Jimenez met a precise cross from Alvarado with a stunning header that propelled the ball beyond Williams to make it 2-0.

After securing the points, Aguirre used the occasion to present the future of Mexican football by giving 17-year-old Gilberto Mora his tournament debut. Mora joined the match to thunderous applause.

With Zwane losing his head and getting a straight red card for hitting an opponent, the last moments turned into a nightmare for South Africa. After Cesar Montes was sent off for a professional foul on Mudau late in the game, Mexico likewise finished with ten men, while the visitors were reduced to nine.

Mexico easily won, earning the opening three points of their World Cup campaign despite the late dismissals. Now, South Africa needs to rapidly reorganize in preparation for their match against the Czech Republic, who are playing South Korea in the group’s other fixture tonight.

Watch the match highlights here:

Watch the opening ceremony here:

Along with Erling Haaland and Bruno Fernandes, Arsenal has the strongest representation on the PFA Men’s Player of the Year shortlist.

After an amazing season with the Gunners, which saw the team win the title with 85 points, seven more than runners-up Manchester City, Declan Rice, Gabriel, and David Raya have been considered for the prize.

Erling Haaland and Ryan Cherki of Manchester City are also nominated, as is Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United, who finished third in the Premier League with a record 21 assists. 

Cherki is also a nominee for the PFA Young Player of the Year award, along with midfielder Kobbie Mainoo of Manchester United and England, 16-year-old Max Dowman of Arsenal, Rio Ngumoha of Liverpool, and Junior Kroupi of Bournemouth.

Despite his performances in front of goal, Haaland, who scored 27 goals to win the league’s golden boot, is not the clear favorite.

Mohamed Salah, a former Liverpool winger who helped his team win the title last year, is not on the shortlist this year due to a lackluster season.

The annual presentation, which takes place at Manchester Opera House on Tuesday, August 25, will reveal the winners of the men’s PFA Player of the Year awards.

The three Arsenal players are the favorites to receive the prize, but even though the Gunners won the title, Fernandes’ record-breaking season could provide an unexpected outcome that evening.

Despite ongoing rumors linking both midfielders to Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain has no plans to consider offers for Vitinha or Joao Neves.

Journalist Dani Gil, who works in Paris and writes for publications like COPE, claims that the French champions view the two as untouchable and are never ready to engage in talks.

With both Florentino Perez and rival Enrique Riquelme announcing ambitious sporting ambitions in recent weeks, the rumors have intensified in the run-up to Real Madrid’s presidential election.

During an appearance on Horizonte, Perez fueled the rumors by hinting that he would approve a bid of at least €150 million for a top player if re-elected.

Early sources suggested either Vitinha or Joao Neves, but The Telegraph subsequently stated that Michael Olise, a winger for Bayern Munich, was the main target.

Nevertheless, connections to the PSG midfield duo have persisted. According to Dani Gil, the Parc des Princes hierarchy’s attitude has been clear-cut. Club executives see the rumors as little more than outside chatter and are unwilling to even explore the prospect of a sale.

Their position is scarcely shocking. Both Portuguese internationals played crucial parts during the season, and Luis Enrique’s team just celebrated winning the Champions League for the second time in a row.

Additionally, PSG is in a fully contractually strong position. The Parisian board spent well over €100 million to put together the alliance, and Vitinha and Joao Neves are both committed to the club until June 2029.

Their playing time indicates how important they are to the team, and both are among Luis Enrique’s most reliable players. Consequently, the club’s message is unambiguous: neither player is available.

In the meantime, the election campaign is still dominated by Real Madrid’s transfer ambitions. Names like Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries, and Erling Haaland have all been heavily mentioned in the promises and rumors surrounding the two presidential contenders, in addition to Vitinha and Joao Neves.

Focus has also shifted to the dugout, where Enrique Riquelme has been strongly associated with Jurgen Klopp and Florentino Perez is apparently favoring Jose Mourinho for a second stint at the Santiago Bernabeu.

However, continuity rather than change continues to be the main focus in Paris. PSG is not under any financial pressure to profit from their greatest assets after bolstering the team with additions like Illia Zabarnyi and Lucas Chevalier.

Vitinha and Joao Neves will continue to be at the center of Luis Enrique’s plan for the 2026–2027 season, barring an unforeseen turn of events. However, both will focus on playing for Portugal at the next World Cup before that.