Mexico have history, pressure hosting South Africa in World Cup opener

MEXICO CITY — Javier Aguirre knows exactly what awaits his Mexico national football team when it hosts the FIFA World Cup opener against South Africa national football team on Thursday in Mexico City, launching Group A action.

Aguirre, who played a key role in Mexico’s 1986 World Cup campaign, appeared in all 90 minutes of the host nation’s 2-1 victory over Belgium national football team in the tournament opener four decades ago. That match was decided by a 39th-minute goal from legendary striker Hugo Sánchez, a moment still remembered as one of Mexico’s iconic World Cup memories.

Now in his third stint as head coach of the national team he once represented as a player, Aguirre has emphasized unity and a family-oriented mindset within the squad, aware of the pressure and significance of playing a World Cup on home soil.

“There’s nothing like playing in your home country,” Aguirre said in Spanish at Wednesday’s pre-match news conference. “There are a lot of people here who were not born yet the last time we had a World Cup here, and this is what I have told them time and again.”

“I think the message has trickled down, and I have convinced them, and they have used the word family organically. So this tells me that they feel very comfortable. It’s a very strong word.”

Aguirre returned to lead the program after a difficult stretch of results against regional rivals earlier in the 2026 cycle. Since his return, Mexico has regained momentum on the continental stage.

CONCACAF Nations League and the CONCACAF Gold Cup titles in 2025 marked a return to dominance, with victories over Panama in the Nations League final and the United States in the Gold Cup final.

Striker Raúl Jiménez has been central to that resurgence, scoring six goals across the semifinal and final stages of both tournaments. Jiménez’s return to top form followed a lengthy recovery from a serious head injury sustained while playing for Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020.

Aguirre said he hopes those experiences translate into the same confidence Mexico carried onto the pitch at the Estadio Azteca in 1986.

“I remember how confident we were when we went on the field,” he said. “We felt that the game was not going to go wrong.”

The opening match also carries historical symmetry for South Africa. When the country hosted the World Cup in 2010, South Africa national football team drew 1-1 with Mexico in Johannesburg in the tournament opener.

After failing to qualify for three consecutive World Cups, South Africa returned to the global stage by advancing through Africa’s qualification pathway, highlighted by a strong performance that included a key win over Nigeria in Group C.

Midfielder Teboho Mokoena acknowledged Mexico’s advantage as host but stressed his team’s readiness.

“We don’t have pressure,” Mokoena said. “The pressure is on Mexico, the host. We know what is expected of us, and we know how much we’ve prepared for this game and this tournament. We’re just looking forward to the game tomorrow.”

In Thursday’s other Group A fixture in Zapopan, South Korea faces the Czech Republic. South Korea’s Son Heung-min will appear in his fourth World Cup, aiming to guide his team to consecutive group-stage qualifications for the first time.

The Czech Republic will be led by forward Patrik Schick, who scored five goals during qualifying and remains a key attacking threat as the tournament begins. -Field Level Media/Reuters