Julián Quiñones made history on Thursday. He scored the first goal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Mexico took an early lead against South Africa in the tournament’s opening match.
The striker found the net in the 9th minute at the Mexico City Stadium. This sent thousands of home fans into celebration as the biggest World Cup in history kicked off.
Quiñones took advantage of a big mistake by South Africa's goalkeeper Ronwen Williams. An attempted pass from the back put a teammate in trouble. This allowed the Mexican forward to swoop in on the loose ball.
With only the goalkeeper to beat, Quiñones calmly fired home. This gave Mexico a 1-0 lead and made him the first player to score at the 2026 World Cup.
The goal was expected because of Mexico’s strong start to the game. The hosts controlled the ball from the beginning and created many early chances. Williams had to make a great save in the sixth minute to stop veteran striker Raúl Jiménez.
South Africa struggled to find their rhythm in the opening minutes. Mexico kept pushing forward to find an early goal.
Quiñones was born in Colombia but later became a naturalised Mexican citizen. He has grown into an important player for the national team. His goal now gives him a special place in World Cup history.
Thursday’s match marked the start of the first 48-team FIFA World Cup. It is co-hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
While there is still a long way to go in the tournament, Quiñones has already done something every footballer dreams of. He has written his name into the World Cup record books.
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