Carlos Salas’ joy for the 2-0 victory in the Mexican team’s debut against his South African team turned into tears when remembering the death of his mother, Celsa, when he remembered that Raúl Jiménez dedicated the second goal to his father Raúl Jiménez Vega, who died on March 11, 2026 at the age of 62.
“My mother inspired me to be a good person and to always fight for my dreams,” said Salas, a native of Guadalajara, Mexico. “Raul Jiménez’s father also had a lot of influence on his sports career.”
Salas, one of the most fervent Tri fans, and hundreds more had to endure temperatures above 85 degrees under the rays of the sun in Lynwood’s Plaza México.
“Mexico wanted to win, they kept the pressure on the rival and, after this victory, the team invites us to sound once again that this time we will go beyond the fifth game (sixth due to the new format of the competition),” analyzed the fan, who came to watch the game on a giant screen, alongside his wife Alejandra.
Before its debut, Mexico had not won a first World Cup match. In their record there were two draws and five defeats, as well as two goals scored and 16 conceded.
“I told you we won 2-0,” said María “La Culichi” Rocha, an enthusiastic 62-year-old housewife who lives in the city of Compton, at the end.
Although she correctly guessed the final score of the match held at the Azteca Stadium – Mexico City Stadium during the World Cup -, she was wrong when mentioning that the goals would be scored by Hirving “Chucky” Lozano and Diego Lainez. None of these players are on the Mexico team.
Mexico has qualified for 18 FIFA World Cups, having hosted three times (1970, 1986 and 2026), but has only reached the quarterfinals on two occasions: Mexico -70 and Mexico -86.
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Among the attendees, the presence of Mrs. Flor Gross Sales, from Guatemala, who watched the game in her wheelchair, was surprising. Her children took her: Juan and Halie.
“My mother had a stroke; her right hand is numb, but she wanted us to bring her to see Mexico,” said Juan Gross Sales. “We support Mexico, because my father [Samuel] “He is from Puebla.”
Likewise, Aaron Tappan, a young African-American high school student, wrapped himself with the Mexican flag behind his back.
“We must be together. We are all brothers,” he said.
Rodrigo Reyes, 54, a construction worker wearing the mask of the wrestling hero, Blue Demon, shouted at the top of his lungs the first goal of the World Cup by Julián Quiñones, in the 9th minute.
“I saw that, before, the players lacked motivation, but now they have all the support of the country and of us who are here in the United States,” Reyes said.
Adelina Méndez, from Puebla, and her husband Félix Juárez, from Mexico City, were “fascinated” by the opening of the World Cup.
“Mexico demonstrated the greatness of its culture,” said Adelina, who wore a hat printed with the flag of her native country, while she danced to the beat of “quebraditas” and “La Chona.”
Amandina Starrantino, a reporter for CBS Los Angeles, was “forced” to take some dance steps, invited by the Mexicans, who, as she said: “They are very special to celebrate.”
“For me, it’s impressive. The dedication they have for their national team is crazy,” he told La Opinión. “They spread their enthusiasm and joy.”
Although Plaza México presented the “Golazo Fest” to celebrate Mexico’s participation in the great international soccer tournament, Alejandro Rivas, better known as the clown “Chilaquil” received tremendous boos when the LED television signal was lost for several minutes.
“Calm down! Calm down! The players stopped because they had to cool off,” he invented and in unison, the crowd responded: “calm.”…lero”, although the matter was resolved without people missing key moments of the meeting, and he was also applauded.
“Mexico was forceful in the attack; they played well and it is clear that the players are giving themselves,” said “Chilaquil.” “That’s what we’ve been waiting for for many years and we’re going to continue like this. What’s left? For us to reach the final and win the Cup.”
Attendees celebrated next to the “El Ángel” monument in Plaza México and enjoyed the music of the late “Charro de Huentitán”, Vicente Fernández. In fact, they played “El Rey” three times, and the audience accompanied the verses, just after forward Raúl Jiménez scored Mexico’s second goal, in the 67th minute.
There were some having drinks at midday and others drinking beer responsibly, hiding it in paper bags from the supermarket, so as not to be surprised by the security guards.
One of them, Salvador López, from Oaxaca, dressed in a white Mexican t-shirt with the number 8 and a tricolor wrestler’s mask.
How many beers do you have?
“A chi*prance…Quite a few I mean.”
