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Ahead of the United States’ World Cup opening match against Paraguay on Friday, former U.S. men’s national team assistant coach and current Canada head coach Jesse Marsch shared his experience leading the USA in the 2010 World Cup. Marsch threw a dig at the U.S. team, and former players did not hesitate to respond. But let’s back up. Marsch opened up about his time leading USA under former head coach Bob Bradley, and commented about his perspective around the players — specifically what he thought was lacking. “In the U.S., we had to beg players to sing the national anthem,” Marsch said. Marsch’s comments did not faze FOX Sports’ Clint Dempsey — who played for Marsch and the American national team in the 2010 World Cup. “I can’t take that guy too seriously,” Dempsey said ahead of Canada’s opening match against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday. “It was an honor for me, growing up and representing my country. I wasn’t someone who would normally sing. I put my hand over my heart and pray to the good man upstairs.” Dempsey remains one of the USA’s most talented players across his three World Cup appearances — he was the only player to score in all three — and recorded 54 goals in 141 appearances with the United States. When it comes to playing for the U.S., Dempsey emphasized his experience representing his country. “I bled for this country. I broke my nose playing for this country. I came back from two heart procedures and played for this country,” Dempsey added. “I’m not going to take advice from someone who switched to the other side and is singing for another country’s national anthem.” Marsch assisted Bradley from 2010-2011 and was a part of the Americans’ 2010 World Cup staff when the squad posted a first-place finish in Group C before being eliminated by Ghana in the round of 16. Marsch was strongly considered taking over as the United States head coach in 2023, but he was ultimately sidelined when former coach Gregg Berhalter was rehired. Additionally, FOX Sports’ Thierry Henry offered his advice to Marsch ahead of his World Cup debut. “You got to walk the walk and talk the talk. You can’t hide behind the fact that you are a decent team,” Henry said ahead of Canada’s opener. “You took a job, by the way, that someone started… That team was already there when he arrived. Yes, he elevated them. Let’s see what he can do today against Bosnia [and Herzegovina].” Since Marsch arrived to Team Canada in 2024, he has accumulated a 12-12-5 record.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

In an entertaining nightcap to conclude the opening day of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, South Korea surged late to secure a comeback win. After a frustrating first half that saw South Korea dominate without scoring, Czechia opened the scoring with a set-piece goal from captain Ladislav Krejčí. From there, however, it only served as a wake-up call for South Korea, which raised its game considerably and got impressive goals from In-Beom Hwang and Hyun-Gyu Oh. Here are my takeaways: 1. South Korea’s Persistence Pays Off The game opened with South Korea dominating possession and Czechia sitting back patiently with a focus on team defense. That was to be expected as Czechia is a team that has been reliant on its defense for years. But South Korea won this game by not becoming frustrated, when it easily could have. Despite creating several chances in the final 10 minutes of the first half, South Korea headed to the locker room at halftime empty-handed. Then, in the second half, Czechia took the lead completely against the run of play through its biggest strength on a set-piece goal from Krejčí. At a time when South Korea could have either crumbled under pressure, panicked or forced chances, the team stuck with its game plan and remained focused on its attack. Eventually, the Taegeuk Warriors were rewarded with a brilliant goal in the 67th minute when Lee Kang-In delivered a brilliant pass that found Hwang, who chipped Czechia goalkeeper Matej Kovár after some impressive footwork. From there, it only seemed like a matter of time before South Korea found the winner. That indeed came when Hwang moved down the right side and set up substitute Oh for a close-range finish. South Korea head coach Myung-Bo Hong deserves a lot of credit. First, his decisions were spot on. Removing captain and team legend Son Heung-min in the 69th minute is one that could have been viewed controversially if it did not work, but Oh came on and found the winner. But more than his tactical decisions, Hong instilled a lot of resolve into his team. Comeback wins are never easy at the World Cup, and they require the team to have a strong mentality. That typically stems from the coach. 2. Czechia Needs More Than Just Set Pieces Coming into this game, Czechia’s game plan was no secret. Its biggest strength is its ability to score on set pieces. In World Cup qualifying, 11 of its 22 goals were through set pieces. That only continued after 74-year-old head coach Miroslav Koubek was hired in December. In the playoff round of UEFA qualifying in March, Czechia played Ireland and Denmark to 2-2 draws before winning both games in shootouts. All four goals were from set pieces. Krejčí, a central defender who most recently played for Wolverhampton in the Premier League on loan from Girona in Spain, has been especially dominant. He scored in both the wins over Ireland and Denmark. Now, he can add a World Cup goal to his resume. In the 78th minute, Czechia nearly scored again from a set piece when Tomáš Souček headed home a free kick, but it was ruled offside on a very tight decision. To make a run in the World Cup, Czechia will need a more balanced and varied attack. The team simply did not create much from open play against Korea. Despite coming up short, Czechia has a realistic path to the knockout round. A win over South Africa could be enough, given that eight of the 12 third-place teams advance, and it also has a catchup with Mexico. 3. Son’s Frustrations For South Korea Son Heung-min is the most successful Korean player of all time, with a stellar European career between Hamburg, Bayer Leverkusen and Tottenham, where he spent most of his career and eventually rose to the team’s captain. In 2025, he moved to Los Angeles FC in MLS. His first season in MLS was strong with nine goals in 10 games, but 2026 has been a nightmare with no goals in 13 games. It was an open question how that slump would carry over into this World Cup. Son was active and involved in dangerous chances. It seemed like a goal was coming for him, and his best opportunities came at the end of the first half, including a scuffed chance from deep inside the Czechia box. In the second half, he continued to threaten and had the best chance of the game in the 56th minute, which forced a save from close range. Ultimately, he was subbed off in the 69th without contributing to a goal. Now, the pressure will continue to mount on him. South Korea played its best soccer after Son was subbed out, but the team will ultimately need Son to capitalize if it wants to win knockout games. He remains essential to the team hitting its potential. 4. Kang-In Lee And Hwang Were South Korea’s Stars The two best players on the field in this game were South Korea’s Lee and Hwang. Both players combined for the equalizer, but that tells only part of the story of just how good both players were. Lee, a reserve midfielder for recent Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain, was the driving force behind South Korea’s attack throughout the entire game. Even in the first half, when the game was scoreless, typically every promising attack originated from him. In the second half, he elevated his game. Hwang was the game’s best player as he scored and assisted in a dominant second half. The Feyenoord midfielder, who also played for the Vancouver Whitecaps in 2019-2020, made the impressive big plays that took Czechia out of its well-organized defensive shell and opened the game. 4 ½. What’s Next? South Korea and Mexico both picked up three points in Group A on Thursday, but South Korea currently sits second in the group due to goal differential. It will get the chance to leapfrog El Tri in the standings in their meeting at Guadalajara Stadium on Thursday. Czechia is third in Group A with zero points and a goal differential of minus-1. It will play last-place South Africa in its second group stage match on Thursday.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The first day of the 2026 FIFA World Cup did not disappoint. Curses were broken in Mexico City, as were the hearts of the Bafana Bafana faithful. Here is everything you might have missed from Day 1 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup: Mexico vs. South Africa South Africa vs. Czechia BEST OF THE DAY Assist Of The Day Raúl Jiménez waited 12 years for his first World Cup goal, and his Mexico teammate Roberto Alvarado made sure he didn’t have to work too hard for it. The 27-year-old Chivas winger saw Jiménez calling for the ball at the far post and delivered a perfectly-weighted cross with his favored left foot, and Jiménez just had to place the ball outside the reach of South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams. Save Of The Day South Korea walked away with all three points against Czechia thanks to some late-match heroics from Kim Seung-gyu. After conceding two goals — one of which was disallowed — Seung-gyu picked himself back up and made this save from point-blank range that kept South Korea out in front through the final whistle. Goal Of The Day When Lee Kang-in played Hwang In-beom through, he had three defenders closing in on him. By the time he controlled the ball, he had the whole right side of the goal open. How? A fake shot that fooled Czechia’s entire back line. That bit of skill was the difference between one and three points for South Korea on Thursday. Moment Of The Day Raúl Jiménez was overcome with emotion after giving Mexico a 2-0 lead over South Africa. Not only was it Jiménez’s first-ever World Cup goal, but it was in tribute to his late father Raúl Jiménez Vega. It’s a moment he and El Tri fans will surely never forget.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

If the United States men’s national team is to make a long run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a lot will have to go right. That starts with the team’s key players, many of whom will be playing in their second World Cup. Of course, all 26 players who step onto the field for any team at the World Cup are important, but with this U.S. team, there are a few players who are essential to head coach Mauricio Pochettino. There are simply no replacements for any of these players. Should any of them not be able to go, Pochettino will either completely change how the team plays or they’ll struggle with replacements who are limited in their ability to fill the roles. Let’s identify five who’ll be indispensable. Age: 27Club: AFC Bournemouth (English Premier League) All throughout the cycle leading to the 2022 World Cup, many questions surrounding the U.S. team involved midfielder Tyler Adams. Who was his backup, and how could the team play without him? Four years later, the same questions persist. Many were hoping Johnny Cardoso would be that pick, but he is injured and never comfortably fit into the role even when healthy. Pochettino controversially elected not to bring Tanner Tessmann or Aidan Morris, who were potential options. Adams has struggled with injuries over the years and the team has never looked comfortable when he is not on the field. His absence was particularly noticeable in March when the U.S. team struggled to contain Belgium and Portugal. While Adams is no longer the team’s captain, as he was at the 2022 World Cup, he is the most indispensable player. There is no clear backup for him on this roster, or even in the entire player pool. When Adams is playing at his best, he helps cover up a lot of the team’s weaknesses. He can cover ground in transitional defending. He can help shield the backline. If the U.S. team is to go on a run and advance in the knockouts, Adams is essential. He must stay healthy, and he must avoid cards.  If he is not on the field, the team is in trouble. Age: 26Club: Crystal Palace (English Premier League) After Adams, Chris Richards is the next most important player on the U.S. team. Central defense is a weakness for the U.S. team, and it is a problem that has been building for years. Over the past six years, youth national teams have not produced many top players in this position. The U.S. team had to use two over-age central defenders at the 2024 Olympics because few quality U-23 players existed. It is also a reason why Tim Ream, at age 38, is still a starter. But Richards has been a rare bright spot amongst the player pool in the middle of the backline. His club career with Crystal Palace has been very successful in recent years. He won the FA Cup in 2025. In May, he saw Crystal Palace lift the Conference League title. While he did not play in the final due to injury, he was important throughout the campaign. Richards missed the 2022 World Cup due to a hamstring injury and various injuries have forced him to miss long stretches over the years. Right now, he is currently trying to recover from an ankle injury in time for the opening game, although he stated on Wednesday that he is good to go. It is the same injury that forced him out of the Conference League final. The gap between Richards and the next best central defender on the team is wide. It is a position where ambitious teams cannot afford to be weak. For Pochettino, Richards needs to be at or near full fitness for the duration of the tournament. Age: 27 Club: AC Milan (Italian Serie A) The Hershey, Pennsylvania, native is the most accomplished American player of all time at the club level, and he has scored many important goals over the years for the national team. He is the U.S. team’s most feared attacking player and is the offensive key to a run into the knockout rounds. When Pulisic is playing well, he elevates the rest of his teammates around him. Opposing teams must focus more on defending him, which opens space for others. A big issue surrounding the national team throughout 2026 was Pulisic’s scoring drought. It was not until the 3-2 friendly win over Senegal on May 31 when Pulisic finally found the back of the net this calendar year for either club or country. The hope amongst the team is that with his slump over, the goals and assists will come in droves. Pulisic Odds to Win Golden Ball: +8000 Age: 28Club: Fulham (English Premier League) Whenever healthy, Robinson has been among the best left backs in the Premier League with Fulham. In recent years, there has been a lot of concern about whether Robinson would be ready for this tournament as an injury to his right knee limited him at the end of the 2024-25 season and a subsequent surgery failed to have him back on the field for the start of the 2025-26 campaign. It was not until December when he returned for the Cottagers. When he played for the U.S. team in March, it was his first international appearance since 2024. He was sorely missed. Robinson is an elite fullback in the modern game. He is fast, he can cover a lot of ground over 90 minutes, he is effective on both sides of the ball, and he reads the game so well that he is rarely out of position. Robinson is irreplaceable for Pochettino. When he is not on the field, the U.S. must play in a different way tactically with multiple players filling roles Robinson can normally do by himself. Fortunately for the U.S. team, Robinson looks ready to go for the World Cup and his goal against Germany on Saturday was one of the best goals the team has scored in years. Age: 27Club: Juventus (Italian Serie A) Weston McKennie is by far the most versatile player in the entire U.S. player pool where he can play across the midfield, either fullback position or either wing position. Throughout the 2025-26 season with Juventus, McKennie featured in many different roles and was one of the team’s best players. It was the final year of his contract and for stretches, it seemed as if Juventus was simply going to let him go. Ultimately, the front office decided he was simply too good and too unique to let leave. In March, McKennie signed a lucrative new contract to remain in Turin. Pochettino seems to be arriving at a similar conclusion with McKennie. It is very hard to find someone else in the U.S. player pool who has as wide a variety of skillsets. At his best, he can score, create, win duels, defend and thrive in games that become intense and physical. The concern is that McKennie has not always been at his best. The Texas native is often a bellwether for the team. When he plays well, the U.S. team plays well. When he doesn’t, such as at the 2024 Copa América or the 2025 Nations League finals, the team doesn’t. Pochettino has reasons to be optimistic for McKennie at this World Cup. He is coming off a strong season with Juventus and McKennie often raises his level on the biggest stages, such as the 2022 World Cup. 2026 FIFA World Cup: How To Watch The World Cup will run from June 11–July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament matches will air live across FOX and FS1 with every match streaming live and on-demand within both the FOX One and the FOX Sports apps. The USMNT’s opening game vs. Paraguay will be streaming free on Tubi.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The format of the World Cup has changed entering 2026. Instead of 32 teams with the top two from each group making it to the knockout rounds, there are 48 teams this year. Eight teams that finish in third place will advance from their group to the knockouts. Does that change the strategy at all when entering this tournament? Not for the USA. This is a must-win game for the U.S. because of the order of its games. There might be a little room for error, but you don’t want to go into your last game against Türkiye, which will be the toughest, needing a result. Getting a win against Paraguay would be a great way to start and a massive boost. Here’s what to expect on Friday at Los Angeles Stadium (9 p.m. ET on FOX and streaming live for free on Tubi). One thing to note is that this will be a very different United States lineup than the one that faced Paraguay last November. Goalkeeper Matt Freese, defenders Sergiño Dest and Tim Ream and striker Folarin Balogun were the only four players who started both that game and the United States’ friendly against Germany last Saturday. While the U.S. squad will look different, Paraguay’s approach is unlikely to change. Expect Paraguay to drop deep in defense and concede possession to us. Manager Gustavo Alfaro took over as Paraguay’s coach in August 2024 and led the team to a 5-4-1 (wins-draws-losses) in World Cup qualifying. That one loss was an away match against Brazil, but his team also registered wins over Argentina and Brazil at home. Don’t expect Paraguay to come out and look to play an attacking game. Alfaro will have his team ready to defend and make life difficult for the USA. I’m always here to highlight the center backs when they should be highlighted, and the key to Paraguay here is its defense, of which Alderete is a huge part. Alderete made 33 appearances in the Premier League this past season for Sunderland. He did not feature in the friendly against the United States late in 2025 because he was coming back from injury. But he did manage to receive a red card in a scuffle after the game. Paraguay is a very, very defensively sound team, only conceding 10 goals in 18 World Cup qualifying matches. Expect this team to sit back and focus on defending with an eye on doing damage in attack in transition after winning possession. MLS fans will know Miguel Almiron as a go-to playmaker Atlanta United. He will be the key in attack for Paraguay when it does get on the ball and looks to get forward. Before the USA’s loss to Germany, I highlighted how important Leroy Sané was going to be on the right wing for Germany in case he was able to get Ream in a one-on-one situation. Ream is likely to start on the left of the United States’ back three in defense, so he’ll be on Antonee Robinson’s side. Making sure the 38-year-old captain has support when defending attacks in transition from Paraguay will be important. Paraguay had 10 shutouts in its 18 World Cup qualifying games, so it’s not going to be easy to break down in what will be a difficult defense to break down. I’m expecting the United States to have the majority of the ball, though. We had 56% of possession back in November against Paraguay, and it may end up being more this time around. That doesn’t mean it will be a walk in the park for us, though. The USA’s wingbacks (Dest on the right and Robinson on the left) will be hugely important on both sides of the pitch. While the wing backs are going to be important going forward (which I’ll get to shortly), they’re also going to be important on defense. Paraguay is going to look to drop low and hit the United States on the counterattack. While Robinson and Dest are going to be important going forward, there will also be a job for them to do in defense. Both of these guys are more than capable in attack, which is clear from Dest scoring in the USA’s 3-2 win over Senegal and Robinson scoring an impressive volley in the 2-1 loss to Germany. Robinson will be on the left side along with Christian Pulisic, while Dest will be on the right side, likely with Malik Tillman, who started against Germany. The key for the two wing backs will be to combine with Pulisic and Tillman to overload the Paraguay defense going forward. Dest started against Paraguay in November, but Robinson missed the game with Max Arfsten starting in his place. Neither Pulisic nor Tillman featured, as well. If the U.S. wins this game, I expect the success going forward to be from the wide areas.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Co-hosts Canada and the United States will open their highly anticipated World Cup campaigns Friday, but each team will be facing a difficult opponent who could spoil the party for the respective home crowds. Canada kicks off the day’s action in Toronto against a Bosnia and Herzegovina team that is participating in its second World Cup. The day then concludes when Mauricio Pochettino’s United States team hosts Paraguay in Los Angeles in what promises to be a hard-fought game. Here is a look at both games. Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina: How to Watch Six games, six losses. That is Canada’s history at the World Cup, with pointless campaigns in 2022 and 1986. After a disappointing tournament in Qatar four years ago, Canada will finally look to take its first ever positive steps at the World Cup when it hosts Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday in Group B action. There is plenty of room for optimism for Canada these days. The team boasts several high-quality players who play in the top leagues in Europe. It’s done well under head coach Jesse Marsch, who guided the club to a semifinal run at the 2024 Copa América. Since that run, Canada has only continued to surge under Marsch. In the 23 matches since its shootout loss to Uruguay in the third-place game, Canada has only lost twice. The strength of the team over the past two years has been its defense. Since the Copa América, Canada has conceded more than one goal only twice, a 4-2 win over Croatia last June and a 2-2 draw with Iceland in March. This rise has propelled Canada to 30th in the latest world rankings. The concern for Canada right now, however, is the health of two of its best players. Left back Alphonso Davies is dealing with a hamstring injury and is doubtful to be able to play on Friday, while central defender Moise Bombito is day to day. Bosnia and Herzegovina comes into this game as an underdog with a FIFA World Ranking of No. 64, but that could be misleading. Right now, it is a team full of confidence riding an eight-game unbeaten run. The last time Bosnia and Herzegovina lost was in a World Cup qualifier against Austria on September 9. The highlight of this run was in March during the World Cup qualifying playoffs, where Bosnia and Herzegovina defeated Wales and then Italy in shootouts to qualify for this tournament. Led by head coach Sergej Barbarez, Bosnia and Herzegovina brings a team that has a blend of youth, prime-age players, and older stars. Former New England Revolution winger and Wisconsin native Esmir Bajraktarevic is one of the team’s bright young players. Now at PSV Eindhoven, the player known as the “Milwaukee Messi” played 120 minutes in each of the March playoff games and buried his penalty in the shootout to defeat Italy. On the other end of the spectrum, there is captain Edin Džeko, who is the all-time leading scorer and most capped player in the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s national team. At age 40, he is still crucial to the team. He scored five international goals in 2025, and it was his late equalizer against Wales in March that kept their qualifying hopes alive. Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina: Player to Watch After a prolific start to his career with Gent in Belgium followed by a terrific five years with Lille in France, David moved to Juventus last year. It was a difficult first season in Italy for him as David managed just six goals in Serie A as the club failed to qualify for the Champions League. It is obvious that David is a quality player, but how much will the tough season affect him? He is the player to watch in this game because his performance could very well dictate Canada’s performance. If he plays like he did during his Lille years, Canada is a threat. If he stays in his Juventus-era rut, Canada likely doesn’t have the firepower to advance very far. USA vs. Paraguay: How to Watch In Group D, the United States national team kicks off its World Cup campaign on Friday night in Los Angeles and Mauricio Pochettino’s squad is among the most difficult teams to predict in the World Cup, despite its current FIFA World Ranking of 17. The Pochettino era has been a wild roller-coaster. At the beginning of 2025, the U.S. team was in terrible shape after finishing fourth in the final rounds of the Nations League with losses to Panama and Canada. At the Gold Cup that summer, Mexico got past the U.S. in the final. But the fall saw the team steadily improve to the point where, in November, the U.S. team was playing terrific soccer. In that window, the U.S. team defeated its Friday opponents, Paraguay, 2-1, and then followed that with a resounding 5-1 win over Uruguay. Then this past March, the team made a complete 180 and struggled to compete in ugly losses to Belgium and Portugal. The two tune-up friendlies were mostly positive as the team defeated Senegal 3-2 and lost to Germany 2-1. Still, the U.S. was prone to making costly mistakes that could sink them at the World Cup. In other words, the team is almost unpredictable, and almost any scenario at this World Cup is possible. But there have been two encouraging developments for the team recently. The first is that Christian Pulisic ended his scoring drought against Senegal by bagging his first goal for club or country in 2026. If he is back in form, the U.S. team will be dangerous in the attack. The second is that the team’s best central defender, Chris Richards, appears to be ready to play. He suffered an ankle injury three weeks ago playing for Crystal Palace. If he is back and close to full fitness, the U.S. team’s defense is significantly improved. The U.S. team’s opponent on Friday will be Paraguay, and it will be the first time the U.S. team has faced a South American team at the World Cup since the last time it hosted in 1994, when it upset Colombia, 2-1, in the group stage and then lost to Brazil in the round of 16. Paraguay qualified for the World Cup with a sixth-place finish in South America’s single-table qualification, but there was not much separating the teams that qualified. Argentina finished comfortably in first, but Ecuador finished second with 29 points, while Colombia, Uruguay, Brazil, and Paraguay all finished with 28 points. Coached by Gustavo Alfaro, Paraguay enjoyed some impressive moments during qualifying, including home wins over Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. Those results showed that this Paraguay team can defeat the best teams in the world. It will be the ninth World Cup appearance for La Albirroja but the last time came in 2010 when the team made a run to the quarterfinals in South Africa. For the team’s veteran leaders, Miguel Almirón and Gustavo Gomez, it will be their first time in the tournament. But Paraguay has a nice blend of veterans and youth. One of the team’s most talented young players is Diego Gomez, who broke out in MLS before transferring to Brighton & Hove Albion, where he is now a regular in the Premier League. Meanwhile, Gustavo Gomez, the 33-year-old central defender, will captain Paraguay. He is a club legend for Palmeiras in Brazil, where he has won Brazil’s Serie A three times and the Copa Libertadores twice. USA vs. Paraguay: Player to Watch The AC Milan winger finally ended his 2026 scoring drought in the U.S. team’s first tune-up game against Senegal. That gave hope to the U.S. team and its fans that Pulisic is in the process of returning to top form. He is absolutely critical to the U.S. team’s chances for success at the World Cup and the pressure on him is intense as he is the figurehead for the country that will be hosting the most games of this World Cup. Against Paraguay, it will be important to watch Pulisic early. If he is energetic and creating chances shortly after the opening kickoff, the U.S. team will be in good shape. If he is invisible, Paraguay has a good chance of getting a result.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez helped Mexico make an exuberant start to the World Cup on Thursday, scoring a goal each in a 2-0 win over South Africa in the opening match of the tournament. With a capacity crowd of 80,824 watching at the iconic Azteca Stadium, co-host Mexico started the largest World Cup tournament in history by getting goals in each half while three red cards were shown — two for South Africa and one for Mexico — becoming the first World Cup opener to have multiple players receive red cards since Cameroon in 1990. South African players Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane were both given red cards, forcing the team to finish the match with only nine players. Mexico defender César Montes was then given a red card in injury time. Former Mexico striker and FOX Sports talent Javier “Chicharito” Hernández, emphasized the importance of the result despite the extracurricular activity. “It was crucial,” Hernandez said. “This is the correct way to start this World Cup: with your people, scoring two goals, maintaining the clean sheet. Even though that sent off with Montes is going to be difficult for the team, it’s all positives.” “And you see this fanbase,” Hernandez added. “We all can celebrate, finally. Now we’re thinking about the next game.” Quiñones, who was the top scorer in the Saudi league this season, gave Mexico the lead in the ninth minute. Jiménez added the second goal on a header in 66th. Hernandez was happy to see Mexico’s starting striker get on the scoresheet. “It’s his first goal in a World Cup, his first starting as well over there, and with that very special meaning. I think we are all very touched by that, because our main striker goals a goal and it means so much more than just a simple goal at the World Cup.” With his 46th international goal, and his first in three World Cups, Jiménez tied Jared Borgetti for second place for the Mexican national team. He is six goals behind Hernández, who leads with 52 career goals. Quiñones, a 29-year-old forward who was born in Colombia, was one of six starting players who made their World Cup debut for El Tri. The Associated Press contributed to this report.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Mexico’s opening-day curse is broken. After the numerous opening performances that preluded the start of the 2026 World Cup inside the iconic, colorful and majestic Mexico City Stadium, Mexico finally kickstarted the tournament with a joyous and confident victory. Ten-man Mexico took down nine-man South Africa, which offered very little, in a 2-0 win. Yes, you’re reading that right. Three red cards were dealt in the opening match of the entire World Cup. Amazingly, this wasn’t the first time it’s happened in the tournament — but it was the first three-red card World Cup game since Portugal-Netherlands in 2006. South Africa was even involved in a three-red card World Cup match back in 1998. Back to today. With goals from an excellent Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez, Javier Aguirre’s squad delivered a strong performance, temporarily placing it at the top of Group A. But it wasn’t perfect. I mean, how can it be with all these sending-offs? But at least three points were achieved, and that’s all that matters. As for South Africa? Bafana Bafana need to improve significantly if they want to get out of the group. There were too many individual errors and a lack of discipline, evidenced by the two red cards. Here are my takeaways. 1. So Many Red Cards Hinder Actual Match Analysis You can only judge by what you see in front of you, and when a team faces nine men, then it’s only a matter of closing a match, not competing in one. But then, when another red card enters the narrative, the conclusion of the match becomes disjointed. South Africa’s Sphephelo Sithole was sent off in the 49th minute for being the last man and stopping Brian Gutierrez’s one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Consequently, that red card sadly impacted the African nation’s afternoon — and that’s after Hugo Broos’ side entered this fixture with a heavily defensive and counterattacking mindset. In the 84th minute, Themba Zwane, who only came on in the 62nd, was sent off after catching Roberto Alvarado in the face. By then, the match was fully over, and the African side could only hope the scoreline wouldn’t worsen. Mexico’s red card — which I don’t think should have been given, as the intended player who was fouled was going away from the goal — came too late to impact anything. But it does speak of a fragility that Aguirre’s side can often show. It did deserve the three points. No doubt. And prior to the sending off, could it have been better for the CONCACAF side? Sure. Are there things to improve? Absolutely. And as FOX Sports analyst Peter Schmeichel mentioned before kickoff, it’s important to remember that Mexico City’s altitude (7,350 feet) is unforgiving, so the strategy from Mexico had to be focused on patience. And quite honestly, the start of the World Cup always takes time for teams to adjust, especially with this particular edition, with so many teams and locations involved. But in the end, earning three points was the most important factor, as fans around the stadium sang, “Cielito Lindo,” highlighting their joy after Mexico reached its objective: winning. 2. Welcome To The Big Leagues, Gilberto Mora Gilberto Mora isn’t new to Mexico’s national team, but he still made history with his World Cup debut. At 17 years old and 240 days, Gilberto Mora came on in the 66th minute for El Tri and became the youngest Mexican and North American player to feature at a World Cup. He is now the youngest CONCACAF player to appear in a World Cup game, edging out fellow Mexico player Manuel Rosas, who was 18 in the 1930 World Cup. What’s more, he’s also the first player born after the 2006 FIFA World Cup final to appear in a World Cup match. I talked about him in our World Cup predictions story, and hopefully, we will see him shine at some point in the group stage — and even further. I don’t know about you, but when I was 17, I was busy taping my CD player with scotch tape as I tried to listen to Nas’ “Illmatic” whilst getting out of doing my math homework. Unbelievable to think that the teenager, Mora — who is scouted by major European clubs — is now a World Cup player. 3. Mexico’s Three-Man Attacking Line Shined Aguirre’s decision to start the Colombian-born attacker Julián Quiñones — last season’s top scorer in the Saudi Pro League — was not just because of his goals. It was also due to his movement in the three-man attacking line and his ability to capitalize on South Africa’s mistakes in possession. Quite simply, the 29-year-old was everywhere, dropping to midfield, moving from wing to wing and causing mayhem, as the older Raúl Jiménez prioritized the box. He took his goal well, the first one of the tournament, and kickstarted the Mexican crowd’s euphoria. Just before the break, another shot of his hit the post. Quiñones’ energetic and animated style is a its addition to this lineup, which sometimes looks for answers when the rhythm of the match is not going their way. Quiñones could be the X-factor. Chivas’ Roberto Alvarado was also superb, providing width and danger, as his excellent assist gave way for Jiménez’s headed goal. Speaking of the striker who just returned to Wolves, I was so happy to see his goal. Jiménez lost his father to pancreatic cancer back in March, so it was clearly an emotional moment for him. All three were great. 4. Strong Defensively, Mexico Needs To Work On Possession Without the ball, you always know what you’re getting from Aguirre’s Mexico, as it is focused heavily on protecting the goalkeeper. Erik Lira, for example, was excellent. But with the ball, it needs to be more decisive and perhaps a little quicker entering the final third. That’s necessary because, as I mentioned earlier, El Tri will face tougher opponents in the future and most definitely those with 11 men on the pitch — unless they keep racking up red cards. But today was about getting used to the competition, this challenging altitude and the objective to get stronger as the tournament evolves. Hopefully, it can be more aggressive as it enters the opposition’s half. 4 ½. What’s Next? Following Mexico’s World Cup-opening win, El Tri will head to Guadalajara Stadium to face South Korea on June 18. Aguirre’s squad will have to navigate that second Group A match without César Montes due to the suspension resulting from his red card. South Africa must quickly put the opening match behind it and regroup before playing Czechia at Atlanta Stadium on June 18. It will be a massive uphill battle for Hugo Broos’ side, which will be forced to take the pitch missing Sithole and Zwane.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Thursday’s 2026 World Cup opener between Mexico and South Africa made history with three players seeing red cards and being sent off. Neither team finished Mexico’s 2-0 win over South Africa with 11 players on the field. South Africa had two players sent off in its 2-0 loss to Mexico at Mexico City Stadium, joining Cameroon in 1990 as the only nations to have multiple players receive red cards in a World Cup opener. Surprisingly, Cameroon won that game 1-0 over defending champions Argentina. Thursday’s match is the first World Cup game since 2006 to see three or more red cards. Back in 2006 was the infamous Portugal vs. Netherlands game in the Round of 16. In that match, infamously known as the “Battle of Nuremberg,” four red cards and 16 yellow cards were awarded. Portugal won 1–0 thanks to a first-half goal from midfielder Maniche. Only six red cards have ever been awarded in an opening World Cup match, and five of them have come in two matches; the other came in 1938 (Germany’s Hans Pesser). South Africa went behind early as Mexico winger Julián Quiñones capitalized on a mistake by midfielder Sphephelo Sithole to score the first goal of the tournament in the ninth minute. That was just the start of Sithole’s bad day. In the 49th minute, Mexico midfielder Brian Gutierrez was through on goal when he was taken down by Sithole from behind. Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio was quick to award Sithole a straight red card. Eighteen minutes later, Mexico striker Raul Jimenez doubled the host country’s lead with a free header. South Africa’s day went from bad to worse in the 84th minute, when substitute Themba Zwane was sent off. Sampaio went to the VAR screen and judged that Zwane had struck Mexico winger Roberto Alvarado. Mexico did not escape the match unscathed, though. Captain César Montes was given a straight red card for a hard tackle on South Africa right back Khuliso Mudau, who was charging down the right wing into the 18-yard box.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

U.S. Men’s National Team Training Base (IRVINE, Calif.) — The last time the U.S. men’s national team faced Paraguay, things got spicy. American defender Alex Freeman and Paraguay captain Diego Gómez set off a scuffle that cleared the benches in stoppage time during a friendly last November. After a ball rolled out of bounds, both players raced to retrieve it. Possession belonged to the United States, but Gómez challenged Freeman, which is when both teams went at it for several tense minutes. In the end, Paraguay’s Omar Alderete was shown a red card, while U.S. midfielder Christian Roldan was given a yellow. This time around, when the two nations face off in their World Cup opener on Friday at Los Angeles Stadium, cooler heads must prevail. And the 21-year-old Freeman, who will likely be making his World Cup debut as the youngest player on this U.S. roster, knows it. “We matched the intensity versus Paraguay in the last match, and now it’s, how can we be protagonists and strike first in this game as well?” Freeman told me and reporters ahead of the team’s final training session Thursday morning. “How can we do that and be able to keep our heads on a swivel as well? “In these games, heads can go loose and you kind of get out of your head spaces and get stupid yellow or red cards. And I think that’s what we want to avoid. How can we keep the intensity, but how can we keep our head down?” That moment cemented Freeman’s status in the team, and he backed it up three days later by scoring a brace against Uruguay. Since making his senior debut against Türkiye on June 7, 2025, Freeman has become a fixture in the lineup, starting 12 of his 17 total appearances, including each of the last three matches. And if last week’s sendoff match vs. Germany was any indication — which it probably is — he will start for the U.S. at the World Cup. “He’s a beast,” Christian Pulisic told a group of reporters pitchside before he got warmed up for practice. “He’s really impressed me, especially in these first two games here in this camp [against Senegal and Germany]. I think he’s done such a good job, just his overall presence and what he brings. Not even just his physicality and athleticism, but he’s made some good forward progression with the ball and played good balls in behind and I feel like he seems a lot calmer. “And I like what I’ve seen.” Freeman admitted that he’ll have some pre-tournament jitters. But he wants to make them work in his favor. “How can I take those nerves and make it impact the way I play?” said Freeman, who joined La Liga side Villarreal from MLS club Orlando City earlier this year. “If you don’t have nerves, I feel like you’re not going to enjoy the moment to the fullest. For me, I want to put those nerves aside and just have the confidence to be able to play my game.” Freeman’s family is no stranger to major events and massive moments, though. His father, Antonio, is a Super Bowl champion wide receiver and Green Bay Packers Hall of Famer. He’ll be at Friday’s match and the younger Freeman already knows what his dad will tell him ahead of kickoff. “It’s knowing that you’ve gotten to this point, having confidence in yourself, betting on yourself and now, it’s a big opportunity to better yourself again,” Freeman said. “Now, what can you do with the chance, with the opportunity, to make an impact?” Freeman said his family is already in town, and he plans to hang with them on Thursday night to get his mind right for Friday. “My mom and dad and all my family are coming so I can hopefully spend a little time with them and thank them for everything,” Freeman said. “To have that calm moment with my family to prepare me for the game knowing that it’s gonna be a lot of pressure [is important]. They’re the kind of people who can calm the moment down and make it feel like everything is easy.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports