It’s unbelievable that another 4 years have slipped by — it feels like yesterday that Qatar witnessed Argentina’s coronation and Messi’s ultimate ascent to the summit, yet that impression says less about memory than it does about time itself, that tireless rider charging on his iron steed, lasso already looped around our ankles, dragging us headlong through the rushing years.
With this series of articles, I’ve set myself the task of doing justice to as many World Cup matches as I possibly can — working through them moment by moment and thought by thought, which I’ll try to rank in some form or fashion. The plan is for these moments to eventually mature, by the end of the tournament, into a cumulative top-10 list covering the whole competition. On top of that, there’ll be a dedicated stats corner, and I’ll be naming my Player of the Match based entirely on my own judgment and nobody else’s.
Moments:
5. Moment — The Time Loop
Javier Aguirre (Mexico’s manager) and Hugo Broos (South Africa’s manager) faced each other exactly 40 years ago, at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico — back then, as players. In the Mexico–Belgium group stage match at the Azteca Stadium, Aguirre lined up for Mexico and Broos for Belgium, both in the starting eleven. Mexico won that game 2–1.
One venue and 40 years — fate spinning its roundelay through space and time. Back in 1986, as these two men sprinted past each other on the pitch or clashed shoulders in a challenge, neither of them could have imagined that forty years later, in that same place, they’d be shaking hands again. It’s a stunning story — and even if it unfolded off the pitch, it absolutely earns its place as a standout moment.
4. Moment — The Sending-Off of César Montes
The Lokomotiv Moscow centre-back was shown a red card after the 90th minute — something that had virtually no bearing on the outcome of this match, but could come back to bite Mexico in their next game due to the suspension. César Montes is known for his aggressive, passionate style of play, which in the best-case scenario gives his team a real shot of energy, and in the worst-case scenario sees him picking up yellows or getting his marching orders on a regular basis.
He didn’t have a bad game — he had his moments of clearances, won the majority of his duels especially in the air, and passed with 92% accuracy. Though it’s worth noting that Mexico’s defensive capabilities weren’t exactly put through their paces today.
3. Moment — Quiñones’ Goal Squirts Through the Keeper’s Legs
I’ve placed Quiñones’ goal — Mexico’s first, and the first goal of the entire tournament — at third on my list. South Africa’s goalkeeper Williams had his pass intercepted in the most unconvincing fashion by Sphephelo Sithole, allowing Erik Lira to muscle in and win the ball, which found its way to our hero, who in that moment wrote his name into the history books of both the World Cup and Mexican football forever. His goal slipped through the keeper’s legs with the nimble quickness of a little mouse.
Quiñones was born in Magüí Payán, in the southern reaches of Colombia — a region long scarred by guerrilla conflict. And to linger on that for just a moment: right now, the roar of football is surely louder than the crack of gunfire.
2. Moment — Sithole Gets an Early Shower After Fouling Gutierrez in a Goal-Scoring Position
Poor Sithole had an absolute nightmare of a match — not only did he fumble the ball for Mexico’s opening goal, but on top of that he was sent off in the 49th minute, and this moment well and truly pulled the last remaining teeth from South Africa’s bite, which hadn’t exactly been venomous to begin with — about as threatening, if we’re being honest, as a garden snake.
1. Moment — Raúl Jiménez’s Goal
There was never any other choice for the top spot — this was one of the most beautiful and most deeply moving moments of the entire match, for more than one reason.
Raúl Jiménez pointed to the sky, and after an emotional roar, the tears came too. He scored his first ever World Cup goal — and he almost certainly dedicated it to his father, who passed away this past March.
Sure, the great clichés tell us that life is full of peaks and valleys — and in 2020, after a devastating head collision, he had to undergo life-saving surgery and spent nine months on the sidelines. So yes, there have been dark valleys along the way. But this moment? Nobody can ever take this from him. This moment is a peak, and from up there, the view is something else entirely.
Stats Corner
The match’s most intriguing statistic, to my mind, is the 3 red cards — because if that were the only thing you looked at, you’d be forgiven for thinking this was a brutal, feisty affair, spiced up with various flavours of combat sport and the obligatory verbal sparring to go along with it. But that simply wasn’t the case. I wouldn’t call this match dirty, or riddled with snide moments — there were just some ill-timed fouls committed in the wrong place at the wrong time.
In virtually every other metric, Mexico comprehensively outclassed their opponents. Alongside a 60–40% possession advantage, the hosts racked up an xG of 1.46 compared to South Africa’s 0.07, and had 20 touches inside the penalty box to their opponents’ 2.
Even to the most untrained eye, Mexico’s technical superiority was plain to see — and on the rare occasions South African players did find space in front of them, they had absolutely no idea what to do with it.
A degree of caution is par for the course at every World Cup — less pressing, lower intensity — but what caught my eye after Sithole’s sending-off was just how passive the Latin Americans remained. There were minutes where they put down tools and stopped playing football in a way that was frankly embarrassing to watch. One thing is certain: the fixtures ahead will only get harder, and they simply cannot afford to drop the tempo as drastically as they did during certain spells of this game.
Player of the Match
Like most major international outlets, I couldn’t give the Player of the Match award to anyone other than Julián Quiñones — he scored, hit the post, had the most shots and the most successful dribbles on the pitch. He wanted it, he seized it, and he ran with it.
Cultural Moment
For this match’s cultural moment, I’ve chosen a Mexican dressed as a skeleton — invoking that deeply rooted culture of death and rebirth, a sombrero perched on his head and a vuvuzela in hand. That last detail personally takes me straight back to a nostalgic summer, a deafening buzz, and the name Siphiwe Tshabalala.
Quiñones scores. #FIFAFanFestival Mexico erupts 🇲🇽#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/Xt4ePzxUHO
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 12, 2026
