For the first time in four decades, the Mexican national soccer team has advanced past the knockout stage of the World Cup. Mexico defeated Ecuador 2-0 in a thrilling match held in Mexico City on Tuesday night. This victory ends a series of seven heartbreaking exits from this stage for El Tri fans.
Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez were the stars of the match, each scoring in quick succession during the first half. Quiñones opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, and Jiménez added a goal in the 31st minute. These goals allowed Mexico to move to the round of 16, achieving something they had not done since their win against Bulgaria in 1986.
Javier Aguirre, Mexico’s current coach and a former midfielder on the 1986 team, expressed his joy. “It means a lot to me,” said Aguirre. “We are in the round of 16, and the connection with the fans is spectacular.” Aguirre has had a long history with the team, including roles as an assistant and head coach in previous World Cups.
Mental toughness was key for the team after previous setbacks. Mexico experienced seven straight eliminations in the knockout stages from 1994 to 2018 and did not advance past the group stage in 2022. This year, an expanded World Cup format added a round of 32 before the round of 16, an opportunity Mexico seized.
Quiñones’ performance has been remarkable. With three goals in the tournament, he ranks as Mexico’s second-highest World Cup scorer, following Luis Hernández and Javier Hernández. Known for his strong play, Quiñones arrived from Colombia at 17 and later became a naturalized Mexican citizen.
Raúl Jiménez also made history by scoring his second goal of the tournament, bringing his total to 47 for the national team. This puts him five goals away from the top spot held by Javier “Chicharito” Hernández.
Mexico has kept a winning streak of 12 games, with only two official losses at the iconic Azteca Stadium, the last being in 2013. The match against Ecuador started an hour late due to a thunderstorm but ended in celebrations across Mexico.
Fans gathered on Reforma Avenue to celebrate the victory. Denisse Ildefonso, a 20-year-old cook, joined thousands in shouting ‘We did it!’ when the match concluded. The pride among fans was palpable, shared by young and old across neighborhoods and fan zones set up throughout the city.