June 25: Mexico sealed a flawless group-stage campaign at FIFA World Cup 2026 with a commanding 3-0 victory over Czechia, becoming the first Mexican side to win all three of its World Cup group matches and finish with a perfect nine points.
After a goalless first half, Mexico broke the deadlock in the 55th minute through Mateo Chávez, who scored in his first World Cup campaign to put the hosts in front. Just six minutes later, Julián Quiñones doubled the lead with his second goal of the tournament, giving Mexico complete control of the contest.
Mexico continued to dominate the second half and capped off the performance with a stoppage-time goal from Álvaro Fidalgo, wrapping up an emphatic 3-0 win in the Group A finale.
The result ensured Mexico finished top of Group A with nine points from three matches, marking the first time in the nation’s World Cup history that it has secured a perfect record in the group stage.
The match also saw veteran goalkeeper Memo Ochoa make another landmark appearance, becoming the oldest North American player to feature in a World Cup match at 40 years and 346 days. His presence added to the celebratory atmosphere at Mexico City Stadium as the hosts completed an impressive opening phase of the tournament.
For Czechia, the defeat brought an end to a disappointing campaign. The team finished bottom of the group with just one point from three matches and was eliminated from the competition after failing to recover from a difficult start to the tournament.
Elsewhere in Group A, South Africa’s victory over South Korea secured second place for the African side, while South Korea’s fate remained dependent on results in other groups as it looked to qualify among the best third-placed teams.
Mexico will now head into the knockout stage with momentum, confidence, and growing belief after a strong all-round display in the group phase, where it combined defensive solidity with timely attacking contributions.
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