After much controversy, the 2026 World Cup finally officially kicked off and football once again became the focus. For Mexico, a 2-0 victory over South Africa in the opening match was an important result, but the performance of coach Javier Aguirre's team was not convincing enough to put them in the group of championship candidates.
However, the home team possesses a special advantage that few opponents have. In addition to the enthusiastic cheers from tens of thousands of home fans, Mexico also benefits from the altitude and characteristic weather conditions, factors that can cause difficulties for any team playing here.
Azteca Stadium continues to prove why it is considered one of the holy sites of world football. The legendary work that witnessed Pele lifting the Golden Cup in 1970, Diego Maradona creating the "Hand of God" and scoring the "goal of the century" in 1986 still retains a special atmosphere, where history is present in each stand.
On the pitch, Mexico entered the game with the goal of controlling the game. Javier Aguirre continued to pursue the philosophy of controlling the ball and building a playing style from the lower line, with Erik Lira playing a regulating role in the center of midfield. Meanwhile, Julian Quinones is considered the most dangerous explosive player in attack after a season of explosion in the Saudi Pro League.
It was Quinones who opened the turning point of the match. After a mistake from the South African defense, this striker scored the opening goal in the 9th minute, helping Mexico relieve pressure very early. The game became easier for the home team when Sphephelo Sithole received a red card at the beginning of the second half, causing the African representative to play with one less player.
Raul Jimenez then scored the second goal to seal the 2-0 victory. This veteran striker's goal not only helped Mexico keep 3 points but also had great spiritual significance for him personally.
One of the most notable highlights is Aguirre giving opportunities to young talents. Gilberto Mora, the youngest player at the 2026 World Cup when he was only 17 years old, left many marks during his time on the field. Meanwhile, Armando Gonzalez also showed great potential when he was brought in to replace Jimenez.
However, Mexico still revealed some limitations. The blue team controlled the ball well but the deployment speed was sometimes quite slow, lacking the necessary breakthrough against organized opponents. Cesar Montes' late red card also forced Aguirre to recalculate the defense plan in the following matches.
“Mexico won, that is the most important thing in a World Cup opening match, but I am not satisfied with the way we controlled the match in the second half. We should have played better, circulated the ball faster and finished off the opponent thoroughly, instead of letting the match drag on in chaos in the final minutes” - Aguirre said after the match.
In terms of results, Mexico has completed the task. With the victory in the opening match, the opportunity to win a ticket to the knockout round is very high. However, if they want to go further and truly become a phenomenon at the 2026 World Cup, the home team will need to improve the quality of their playing style in the upcoming matches.
