Julian Quiñones, the Mexican forward who plays for Saudi club Al-Qadsiah, made World Cup history by scoring the first goal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup during Mexico’s opening match against South Africa at the Azteca Stadium on June 11, 2026. He struck early in the ninth minute, capitalizing on Mexico’s intense attacking pressure from the start and finishing with a deceptive shot past goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
The goal placed Quiñones among the fastest scorers in World Cup opening matches. It was the third-fastest goal ever scored in a World Cup opener, behind Brazil’s César Sampaio, who scored in the fourth minute against Scotland in 1998, and Germany’s Philipp Lahm, who scored in the sixth minute against Costa Rica in 2006. Quiñones’ strike also became the fastest goal ever scored by Mexico in World Cup history.
The match was marked by more drama than just the opening goal. South Africa’s Sphiwe Sithole received the tournament’s first red card after being involved in the sequence that led to Mexico’s goal and then being sent off. The incident added to the intensity of the game and underlined the high-stakes nature of the tournament’s first fixture.
Quiñones’ early breakthrough ended his scoring drought and instantly secured him a place in World Cup records. His goal gave Mexico a historic moment in the competition and ensured that the 2026 tournament began with a landmark achievement for both the player and the national team.
