Four games. Four wins. Zero goals conceded. No team at FIFA World Cup 2026™ can say that. Only Mexico. Mexico made history by winning a knockout match at the FIFA World Cup after 40 years.
While the tournament spotlight has followed Kylian Mbappé’s golden boot run and Argentina’s bid for back-to-back titles, co-hosts Mexico have quietly built the most complete record in the competition. Week 3 ends with El Tri marching into the Round of 16, the Estadio Azteca rocking behind them, and a statistic that no other side in this World Cup has matched.
Watch Mexico’s FIFA World Cup 2026™ journey live on ZEE 5 — stream every match with the ZEE 5 FIFA Subscription Quarterly Plan at ₹799.
Four Wins, Zero Goals Conceded — Put That in Context
Mexico are the only team in the tournament that has won all four matches without conceding a single goal. Spain are the only other team at this tournament yet to concede, but they drew against Cabo Verde. But Spain’s group-stage opponents were Cape Verde, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia. Respectable competition — not elite.
Mexico’s path has been considerably tougher. They beat South Africa, South Korea, and Czechia in the group stage, then defeated Ecuador in the Round of 32. Four different opponents. Four different tactical problems. One answer: Mexico’s defensive structure held every single time.
That is not defensive football. That is a well-organised, balanced team that knows exactly what it is doing at both ends of the pitch.
A Rise in the Rankings That Tells Its Own Story
Before this tournament began, Mexico sat 14th in the FIFA World Rankings. They are now 9th. Five places gained in three weeks. That is not a fluke — it is the product of consistent results at the highest level of international football, achieved on the biggest stage the sport offers.
The improvement is not just about results, either. It is about how they are getting them. Mexico are playing with a fluency and cohesion that has surprised even those who expected them to perform well on home soil. The system works. Every player knows their role. And right now, no one has found an answer to them.
The Players Driving It
Gilberto Mora is 17 years old, and already the most exciting player Mexico has produced in a generation. His dribbling, his directness, and his willingness to take defenders on in high-pressure moments have been a revelation. Against Ecuador, he was unplayable for stretches — his 15th-minute run nearly produced a phenomenal goal. He will only get better as this tournament continues.
Raúl Jiménez is the veteran anchor. His goal against Ecuador — a precise, curling finish into the top-right corner — was the kind of finish that only comes from a striker who has done this thousands of times and never lost the instinct. At 35, he is playing with the composure of someone who knows this is likely his last World Cup and intends to make it count.
Julián Quiñones completes the attacking triangle. He scored the opener against Ecuador and then set up Jiménez for the second — the kind of selfless, intelligent play that separates good teams from great ones. Quiñones does not need the glory. He just needs Mexico to win.
What Comes Next
Mexico’s Round of 16 opponent will be the winner of the England vs DR Congo tie. Neither will be easy. England carry the weight of expectation and the quality to hurt any side. DR Congo, if they get through, would be one of the tournament’s great stories and a team with pace and directness that could test Mexico’s defensive record.
Whatever the matchup, Mexico will play at the Estadio Azteca on July 6 at 5:30 AM IST in front of a crowd that has not seen their team at this level in forty years.
Four wins, zero goals conceded, ninth in the world, and still going. Team of the week. Without question.
Watch Mexico’s Round of 16 clash live on ZEE 5 — India’s official home of FIFA World Cup 2026™. Don’t miss it.
Disclaimer: Subscription pack prices are subject to change from time to time. Please visit the subscription page for the most up-to-date pricing information.
