Mexico Wins World Cup Opener, Ronaldo’s Final Chance

On Thursday, Mexico and South Africa opened the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Playing at the iconic Estadio Azteca, Mexico celebrated an exciting 2-0 victory. Julian Quinones scored the first goal of the tournament, putting Mexico ahead just nine minutes into the game. In the 67th minute, star striker Raul Jimenez sealed the win with a second goal.

While Mexican fans celebrated in the streets, the spotlight also turned to Portugal, another tournament favorite. Ryan O’Hanlon of ESPN highlighted a significant stat for Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo. He noted that no player over 40 has ever won a World Cup. Ronaldo, who turned 41 in February, is facing a tough challenge. The oldest player to win was Dino Zoff of Italy at age 40.

As Ronaldo enters his sixth World Cup, a record-breaking feat, he is still seeking his first World Cup victory. Despite his age, Ronaldo remains focused on this elusive title. In his long career, he has consistently defied expectations, including achieving over 970 career goals and scoring 28 goals with two assists in 30 starts for Al Nassr last year.

Notably, Ronaldo is Portugal’s all-time leading scorer with 143 career goals. He also netted five goals during the 2025 World Cup Qualifying matches. Portugal boasts a strong lineup featuring Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, Rafael Leao, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, and Bernardo Silva alongside Ronaldo. However, the challenge of age and history looms large.

Portugal’s group matches begin on June 17 against DR Congo in Houston, followed by a match against Uzbekistan on June 23, also in Houston. They conclude the group stage against Colombia on June 27 in Miami.