Zlatan Ibrahimovic lauded Mexico's commanding 2-0 victory over Ecuador in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32, describing it as the team's finest performance of the tournament. The former Sweden striker highlighted Mexico's intensity from the opening whistle, stating they established control immediately.
Ibrahimovic praises Mexico's dominance
In a video shared by FOX Sports on X, Ibrahimovic said, "They played with high intensity in defensive and also offensive. So they showed from the first minute who is the boss of the game, and they got the two goals." He noted that although Mexico slowed down after halftime, they remained in control and secured a deserved victory. "And then in the second half they slowed down a little bit, and in the end they won. And this Mexico had their best performance so far in the tournament," he added.
Mexico's historic knockout-stage win
Co-hosts Mexico advanced to the Round of 16 with a convincing 2-0 win over Ecuador on Tuesday, ending a long wait for a knockout-stage triumph. According to OptaJoe's X handle, this marked Mexico's first World Cup knockout-stage victory since 1986 and snapped an eight-match streak of eliminations in knockout fixtures, the longest such run in World Cup history. The match was delayed by an hour due to heavy rain and lightning, but El Tri continued their unbeaten run while maintaining an impressive defensive record.
Goal scorers and key moments
Mexico broke the deadlock before halftime when Julian Quinones capitalized on a defensive mistake. Raul Jimenez then doubled the advantage later in the first half, giving the hosts a comfortable cushion at the break. Ecuador controlled more possession after the restart and attempted a comeback, but Mexico's resolute defense held firm for another clean sheet. Ecuador's night worsened in stoppage time when defender Piero Hincapie received a red card. The victory was Mexico's fourth successive win of the tournament, extending their streak without conceding a goal and reinforcing Javier Aguirre's side as one of the standout teams.
Records set by Gilberto Mora and Raul Jimenez
Teenage midfielder Gilberto Mora made history at 17 years and 259 days old, becoming the second-youngest player to start a World Cup knockout match, behind only Pele (17 years, 239 days in 1958), according to ESPN FC's X handle. Jimenez also etched his name into the record books: at 35 years and 56 days, he became the oldest Mexican player to score in a World Cup knockout match and the first Mexican in his 30s to find the net in the knockout stages, per ESPN Insights' X handle.
What's next for Mexico
Mexico will next face the winner of the England-DR Congo Round of 32 encounter as they aim to continue their World Cup campaign on home soil. The team's impressive form and defensive solidity have made them a formidable contender in the tournament.
