Three red cards in a World Cup opener is the most ever. Mexico’s 2-0 win over South Africa broke a record held since 1990 when nine-man Argentina lost 1-0 to Cameroon. But those red cards and the score line don’t tell the full story of last night’s opener.
Ahead of kick-off, the focus for Mexico was on their 17-year-old starlet Gilberto Mora. He’s the youngest player at the World Cup, and don’t be fooled into thinking he’s just a teenager with a bit of potential.
Who is Gilberto Mora?
Mora is a genuine Wonderkid who could be a difference maker this summer. At just 15 years old, he became Tijuana’s youngest-ever player to feature in Liga MX and their league’s youngest-ever goalscorer.
Mora was fast-tracked to the national team and made his debut in January 2025. He, of course, made history again that day, becoming the country’s youngest ever representative.
As Mora suffers from the same groin injury that has affected Lamine Yamal, there have been some doubts cast ahead of the World Cup. But, if fit, the World Cup will surely be the launchpad for Mora in the same way Euro 2024 propelled Yamal.
Mexico manager Javier Aguirre said: “He’s surely on the radar of several huge clubs around the world and it fills me with pride to see him being talked about on the global stage.”
The 17-year-old made 20 appearances for Tijuana this season, scoring six and assisting one. He plays as a number 10, is technically very gifted, creative and has an incredible passing range.
All of this meant that heading into the opening match, Mexico fans were talking all about their emerging superstar.
Raul Jimenez’s remarkable journey
Instead, it was Mexico’s veteran who stole the show in front of 80,000 at the Estadio Azteca. Raul Jimenez came up with a moment that filled football fans around the planet with just as much pride as Aguirre has for Mora.
On November 29th 2020, during Wolves vs Arsenal, Jimenez suffered one of the most shocking injuries in recent football history. A clash with David Luiz left Jimenez unconscious.
His skull was fractured and he suffered a brain bleed which required emergency surgery to save his life. The question was never when or if he’d played football again, it was whether Jimenez would be able to continue living a normal life.
Nine months later, he defied all the odds and returned to football. However, Jimenez wasn’t able to reach the heights of his maiden Premier League campaign.
But, throughout the last two seasons at Fulham, Jimenez has hit double digits across all competitions whilst remaining an integral part of his nation’s squad.
Last night, as the curtains opened on a summer of football, Jimenez marked the evening with a moment he’s worked for his entire career. The Mexican has represented his country at Brazil 2014, Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, but never scored a goal.
Jimenez’s crowning moment
In the 67th minute of Mexico’s World Cup opener against South Africa, the Estadio Azteca erupted. Jimenez scored his first World Cup goal with a stooping header into the bottom corner past Ronwen Williams.
It was a goal that saw an outpouring of relief in the stands, as Mexico extended their advantage. But for Jimenez, that goal meant so much more. He looked up and pointed to the sky, dedicating the goal to his late father, who passed away just months before the World Cup.
That goal was a culmination of years of sacrifice, uncertainty, recovery and resilience. It was a crowning moment on a career defined by never giving in.
That moment carried far more than just the elation of a first World Cup goal, but also the weight of everything Jimenez has had to overcome in the last six years.
His celebration was incredible; you could not just see but feel the emotion behind those fist pumps and tears. You could feel it in his teammates’ embraces and all around the Azteca, where the sound of Cielito Lindo echoed deep into the night.
It will surely be one of the most emotional moments of the tournament. And this is what the World Cup is all about: moments that go beyond a scoreline.
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