The World Cup is here and The Assist is back. We’ll be in your inbox each matchday with a recap of the interesting bits you may have missed (or not been able to stay awake for), plus a look ahead to the day’s action.
Today, we’ll get you set for the opening games from the tournament.
FIFA’s decision to play Mexico vs. South Africa, the opening game of the 23rd World Cup finals, at the Azteca in Mexico City was a no brainer for the game’s governing body.
The Azteca holds a unique place in World Cup history and now the rejuvenated stadium will become the first to stage a game at three different tournaments. If we get a moment as iconic as Brazil’s demolition of Italy in the 1970 final, a game that defines Joga Bonito, or even Maradona’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal against England in 1986, we’ll be very lucky indeed.
The fact that this World Cup’s curtain raiser is also a reverse of the opening game at the 2010 finals won’t be lost on many of you. At that tournament, it was Bafana Bafana who hosted, and started well with Siphiwe Tshabalala thundering home the first goal scored with the adidas Jabulani, a ball so unpredictable that it still keeps goalkeepers awake at night decades later. Now, Rafael Márquez, the man who equalised for Mexico that day, will be sat in the home nation’s dugout as assistant to Javier Aguirre, the very same coach that led Mexico way back then.
Memo Ochoa set for one last dance
Over 700 players went to the 2006 World Cup in Germany and, amazingly, four of them can still be found representing their country twenty years on at the 2026 finals! Alongside Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Luka Modrić, Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa is back at the tournament that made his name.
He’s attained cult footballer status around the world for popping up every four years, pulling off some gravity defying saves, and then disappearing into club football obscurity in between.
The now 40-year-old Ochoa also joins Messi and Ronaldo in setting a new standard in World Cup legend. All three are appearing at a record sixth tournament, longevity that can only be marvelled at by us mere mortals.
17-year-old Gilberto Mora is one to watch
The youngest player lining up for the national anthems at this World Cup is Mexican teenager Gilberto Mora. Already a well-established wonder kid at home having become the youngest ever goalscorer in Liga MX, and with big tournament experience under his belt in the form of the 2025 Gold Cup, big things are expected of Mora.
More of a playmaker in the mould of Barcelona’s Pedri than Spain’s teenage talent Lamine Yamal, Mora will be looking to drive Mexico forward and link up with their strikers.
Son Heung-min will lead out South Korea in this evening’s other game in Group A, with European qualifiers Czechia the opposition.
Having qualified for the last 11 World Cup finals in a row and coming in to the tournament unbeaten in competitive action since February 2024, South Korea will be expected to make it out of a group that will see them based in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Captain Son has already been on something of a goodwill mission to North America for the best part of a year now, having made the move from Spurs to MLS in August 2025. The impact at club side LAFC has been huge. Demand for tickets from Los Angeles’ large Korean diaspora have been through the roof, and on the pitch, Son has contributed 14 goals and 18 assists in 34 games.
There are countless ways to make following the World Cup better with FotMob, and one of them is signing up to play our predictor game for the tournament.
Predict the scores, create a mini-league for the group chat or the office, and collect those bragging rights for your ball knowledge when the points start racking up.
As with all of our predictor games, the World Cup version is completely free to play, and instructions on how to join in can be found - here.
We’ve also set up a league for readers of The Assist, which you join with code CPFQKFMU.
