FIFA World Cup 2026: US Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson congratulates El Tri, backs USA to join Round of 16
Mexico City, July 1
United States Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson congratulated Mexico on reaching the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 following its 2-0 victory over Ecuador and expressed hope that the United States would join them in the next round.
Host United States will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 clash on Tuesday (local time) at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium.
Taking to X, Ambassador Johnson hailed Mexico's achievement and extended his best wishes to the U.S. men's national team ahead of its Round of 32 fixture.
"Congratulations, Mexico, on today's victory and for advancing to the next round! Tomorrow it's the U.S. National Team's turn to win and join them there," Johnson wrote.
The win marked Mexico's first FIFA World Cup knockout-stage victory since 1986 and snapped an eight-match streak of eliminations in World Cup knockout fixtures, the longest such run in the competition's history, according to OptaJoe's X handle.
The contest, which was delayed by an hour because of heavy rain and lightning, saw El Tri continue their unbeaten run while maintaining their impressive defensive record.
Mexico took the initiative from the outset and broke the deadlock before halftime when Julian Quinones capitalised on a defensive mistake. Raul Jimenez then doubled the advantage later in the opening half to give the hosts a comfortable cushion heading into the break.
Ecuador controlled more of the possession after the restart and attempted to mount a comeback, but Mexico's resolute defence held firm to secure 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 and extended their streak without conceding a goal, reinforcing Javier Aguirre's side as one of the standout teams of the competition.
Mexico will next face the winner of the England-DR Congo Round of 32 encounter as they look to continue their World Cup campaign on home soil.
The match also saw teenage midfielder Gilberto Mora make history. At 17 years and 259 days old, he became the second-youngest player ever to start a FIFA World Cup knockout match, behind only Pele, who achieved the feat at 17 years and 239 days during the 1958 tournament, according to ESPN FC's X handle.
Jimenez also etched his name into the record books. At 35 years and 56 days old, he became the oldest Mexican player to score in a FIFA World Cup knockout match and the first Mexican in his 30s to find the net in the knockout stages, according to ESPN Insights' X handle.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The way Mexico kept a clean sheet for four matches is remarkable. Javier Aguirre has built a fortress. But I'm more excited about that 17-year-old Gilberto Mora - imagine being compared to Pele at that age! We need our young Indian players to get such exposure abroad.
Honestly, it feels weird seeing the US ambassador so enthusiastically backing both teams. Diplomatic niceties aside, Mexico has been the story of this World Cup so far. That 2-0 win over Ecuador was clinical. But the real test will be against England or DR Congo in the next round.
That Raul Jimenez goal at 35 years old is something special! Proves age is just a number. Reminds me of Sunil Chhetri still leading our Indian team. But I'm worried about the weather delays - heavy rain and lightning could mess up any team's rhythm. Hope USA-Bosnia match doesn't face similar issues.
As someone who follows football from both sides, Mexico's defensive record is outstanding but their attack depends too much on individual brilliance. Quinones and Jimenez won't always be there to rescue them. USA might have an easier path against Bosnia, but let's see how they handle the pressure.
I've been following Mexican football since the 2014 World Cup, and this team finally looks like they have a proper plan. The way they absorbed Ecuador's pressure after half-time showed real character. And that young Gilberto Mora starting at 17?
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.