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Mexico reminds FIFA what not to miss in the 2026 World Cup

Mexico debuted at the 2026 World Cup with a win against South Africa, showcasing their home advantage and the historic importance of the Estadio Azteca.

If we are honest, we football fans needed this. We needed to put an end to the exploitations, politics, chaos, power plays and bad faith actions of those who run the show. What we needed was the show. Luckily this show has finally begun and with the arrival of football the conversations can finally change. Is Mexico a team that can aim to win the tournament? No, not on this performance. Yet we can say with confidence that they will have the greatest home advantage of any team participating in this World Cup, not only because they easily have the most fervent crowds of the three co-hosting teams, but also because of the altitude and, potentially, the heat, which could give them an advantage against opposing teams coming to this soccer-crazy country. And as football finally takes center stage, a thought must go to the stage itself. How magnificent is this glorious Estadio Azteca, blending the size and heights of the Bernabéu with the culture and traditional charm of the Maracanã. The way the first ring rises towards the sky, almost like an exponential curve, creates a cauldron in which passion reverberates and the past resonates. One of football's true cathedrals, history radiates from its creaking, if recently scrubbed, pores: Carlos Alberto's galloping shot, Pelé's lifting of the World Cup in 1970, the Hand of God, the goal of the century and Diego Maradona lifting his Jules Rimet are all events that have happened here. What a blessing. In contrast, what a crime for football that the final of this expanded tournament is taking place in a soulless metal box in New Jersey rather than in one of the sport's most historic and grandiose stadiums. What a perfect summary of the cultural barbarism that FIFA has inflicted on the tournament in the name of commercial gain. But let's get back to football. As mentioned, Mexico did not send a loud and clear message today, but it did what was necessary. It is now clear that in recent friendlies the coach Javier Aguirre has sought greater control in the matches, and for this reason he has deployed Erik Lira in a midfield role reminiscent of the free throws of the past. Julian Quiñones may not be a household name internationally, but he is Mexico's best player, and comes into this tournament full of confidence after finishing the Saudi Pro League as top scorer. And given the talent present in that league, that is an achievement not to be underestimated. Quiñones had the first chance of the match, which would have served to calm the nerves of the fiery home crowd, but instead found a way to score a calming goal in the ninth minute. It wasn't an iconic goal like Siphiwe Tshabalala's in 2010, when these two teams met in the opener of the previous tournament. Here a heavy touch from Sphephelo Sithole gave Mexico a goal that was impossible for South Africa to recover, and when a few minutes later South Africa suffered a red card, the match was effectively over. Raul Jimenez scored the second goal for Mexico and was thus able to express his emotion at having scored in what should be his last participation in the World Cup.

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