Julián Quiñones sets multiple Mexico and World Cup records with landmark 2026 opening goal
The naturalized striker scored against South Africa to reach two historic milestones, including one that took nearly a century to achieve.
Mexico made history Thursday at Estadio Ciudad de México, where Julián Quiñones etched his name into the record books with the opening goal against South Africa in the first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Al-Qadsiah striker, who plays in the Saudi Pro League, found the net just nine minutes into the game after Erik Lira won possession just outside South Africa’s penalty area, setting up the breakthrough.
The goal carried historic significance. Quiñones became the first naturalized player to score the opening goal at a FIFA World Cup. It also marked the 1,000th goal Mexico’s men’s national team has scored in official competitions.
A milestone nearly a century in the making
Mexico’s first-ever goal in an official competition came almost 100 years ago, when Juan Carreño Lara scored during the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics in a 7-1 loss to Spain.
At the time, the Olympic soccer tournament was organized by FIFA and featured full senior national teams, making Carreño Lara’s strike the first official goal in Mexico’s national team history.
Carreño Lara also holds another special place in Mexican soccer history. He scored Mexico’s first-ever World Cup goal during the inaugural tournament in Uruguay in 1930, finding the net in a 4-1 defeat to France.
Mexico matches Qatar in one game
With two goals on Thursday, Mexico increased its all-time World Cup scoring total to 64 goals, and has already scored as many as in the whole of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez, who also scored against South Africa, now have an opportunity to climb Mexico’s all-time World Cup scoring list during this tournament. The national team record is shared by Luis Hernández and Javier “Chicharito” Hernández, who each scored four World Cup goals.
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