Guillermo Ochoa and Santiago Gimenez are not part of Mexico’s starting lineup against South Africa in the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off this Thursday at Estadio Azteca with Mexico taking on South Africa. The hosts will be without two of their biggest stars in the starting XI, as head coach Javier Aguirre has opted to leave Guillermo Ochoa and Santiago Gimenez on the bench. Following the opening ceremony, the official lineups for both teams were announced ahead of the tournament opener. Among Mexico’s starting eleven, the absence of Ochoa stood out, as he will not begin the World Cup as the team’s first-choice goalkeeper. Instead, Raul Rangel will get the nod, a decision that comes as little surprise considering he started Mexico’s last eight friendlies during the team’s preparation for the FIFA tournament. As a result, Ochoa and Carlos Acevedo will serve as backup goalkeepers. Ochoa still reaches a World Cup record Even though he is not part of Mexico’s starting lineup, Guillermo Ochoa will still achieve a FIFA World Cup milestone on Thursday while sitting on the bench—one that no other player has reached before in the tournament’s history. Javier Aguirre, Head Coach of Mexico. Ochoa is the first player ever to be part of six different FIFA World Cup editions. His first experience came at Germany 2006, and he has been included in every Mexico squad at the tournament ever since. In the coming days, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will match that mark, though with one key difference: the stars of Argentina and Portugal have played matches in all six of their World Cup appearances and, barring any unforeseen issues, will do so again this summer. Ochoa, meanwhile, was an unused substitute in both 2006 and 2010 and appears likely to remain without minutes in 2026 as well. Santiago Gimenez awaits his opportunity off the bench Just like Guillermo Ochoa, Santiago Gimenez will begin the 2026 World Cup among the substitutes and will have to wait for his opportunity to make an impact in the FIFA tournament. The 25-year-old striker appears to have fallen behind Raul Jimenez in Aguirre’s pecking order, with the veteran forward earning the starting role on Thursday. The 2025-26 season was a difficult one for Gimenez. He managed just 18 appearances for AC Milan due to physical setbacks, recording one goal and three assists across Serie A, Coppa Italia, and the Supercoppa Italiana. That lack of playing time also affected his standing at the international level, allowing Raul Jimenez to move ahead of him in the battle for the starting spot.
The Milan forward finally ended a frustrating scoring drought, but even that positive moment was followed by a sobering reminder from former United States goalkeeper Tim Howard about the expectations that come with being the face of the national team. As the countdown to the 2026 World Cup enters its final days, Christian Pulisic finds himself back in the spotlight for two very different reasons. The Milan forward finally ended a frustrating scoring drought, but even that positive moment was followed by a sobering reminder from former United States goalkeeper Tim Howard about the expectations that come with being the face of the national team. For the United States national team, confidence is building at the perfect time. Yet while Pulisic’s long-awaited goal against Senegal provided relief ahead of the tournament, it also sparked a wider conversation about pressure, leadership, and what will be expected from him once the World Cup begins on home soil. The breakthrough arrived during the USMNT’s 3-2 friendly victory over Senegal. Pulisic had gone nearly five months without finding the net for either club or country. His previous goal came for Milan in a Serie A victory over Hellas Verona on December 28, while his last international goal had arrived back in November 2024 against Jamaica. Against Senegal, however, the 27-year-old delivered exactly the kind of performance supporters wanted to see before the World Cup. After creating the opening goal for Sergino Dest with a perfectly weighted assist, Pulisic added a goal of his own in the 20th minute. Receiving a clever pass from Ricardo Pepi, he rounded goalkeeper Mory Diaw before calmly finishing from a tight angle to give the United States national team a 2-0 advantage. “I have played really well in recent months, but all everyone seems to care about is goals,” Pulisic said afterward. “Hopefully, we can stop talking about it. We’ve got big games ahead, and I’ve got to be ready.” Timely boost before World Cup The goal could hardly have arrived at a better moment. With the World Cup opener against Paraguay rapidly approaching, questions had begun to emerge regarding Pulisic’s form in front of goal. Despite producing solid performances and contributing creatively, the lack of goals had become one of the dominant storylines surrounding the United States national team. United States national team coach Mauricio Pochettino had publicly predicted that Pulisic would soon rediscover his scoring touch. Throughout the training camp leading up to the Senegal match, the Argentine manager consistently praised the forward’s attitude and commitment. According to Pochettino, the goal was simply the reward for the work Pulisic had been putting in behind the scenes. “The performance of Christian was really, really good,” Pochettino said after the match. “I think he still has potential to improve, but my thing is, this is the way he’s been training from Day 1.” Christian Pulisic of United States scores his team’s second goal against Mory Diaw of Senegal The coach added that the goal was exactly what his star player needed before entering the biggest tournament of his career. “[Scoring] is important for a player preparing for the World Cup. I’m so happy for him.” Tim Howard delivers sobering reminder While many supporters viewed the goal as the perfect way to silence criticism, former United States national team goalkeeper Tim Howard offered a different perspective. Speaking on the Unfiltered Soccer Podcast, Howard reacted to Pulisic’s suggestion that people might finally stop discussing his goal drought. The World Cup veteran made it clear that life as the country’s biggest star comes with constant scrutiny. “He is not living on this planet if he truly believes that one goal after a very long drought is going to ‘people can stop talking about it’, they won’t,” Howard said. Tim says one goal from Pulisic won't silence people. pic.twitter.com/ueAo2lC7UR— Unfiltered Soccer (@UnfilteredSoccr) June 4,
Although Mauricio Pochettino appeared to have reached an agreement with AC Milan, Oliver Glasner is reportedly emerging as the frontrunner to become the new head coach. Following a six-hour meeting, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is said to have made the Austrian coach his top choice. Following the dismissal of Massimiliano Allegri, AC Milan are preparing a rebuild of their sporting project in search of greater competitiveness. In recent weeks, Mauricio Pochettino appeared to be the favorite, reportedly reaching an agreement with the club. However, Oliver Glasner has reportedly overtaken him as the leading candidate. After a lengthy meeting with Zlatan Ibrahimović, the Austrian coach is moving ever closer to the Rossoneri. According to Alessandra Gozzini, via La Gazzetta dello Sport, Gerry Cardinale and Zlatan Ibrahimović met with Oliver Glasner in Germany for six hours. After this meeting, the Austrian coach has become the leading candidate, as his spells at Eintracht Frankfurt and Crystal Palace FC were notably successful. In addition, the style of play he implemented at those clubs aligns with the sporting project’s vision. While Bayer 04 Leverkusen had emerged as a strong contender for Glasner, they have already announced Carles Martínez Novell as their new head coach. As a result, the Rossoneri appear to have a clear path to reaching an agreement with Oliver. In addition, Oliver could take charge as soon as possible, something Mauricio Pochettino would not be able to do, as he must wait until the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup. If AC Milan fail to secure the arrival of Oliver Glasner soon, he could be tempted to remain in the Premier League. Following the reported departure of Marco Silva to SL Benfica, Fulham FC have reportedly identified the Austrian coach as their top priority, as per SportsBoom. Not only did he lead Crystal Palace FC to European competitions and trophies, but he also helped bring out the best version of several players, including Daniel Muñoz. Oliver Glasner, Manager of Crystal Palace, celebrates with the UEFA Conference League Trophy. Ralf Rangnick’s arrival could be crucial in convincing Oliver Glasner As one of the most impressive managers in the Premier League, Oliver Glasner may not be in a hurry to accept a new challenge. Instead, he could look to take on a more ambitious project, which is why he has reportedly not immediately accepted the proposal from AC Milan. Rather, he has supposedly decided to listen to the proposal presented by Cardinale and Ibrahimović. With this in mind, Ralf Rangnick’s arrival could be key to convincing Glasner. Given the inconsistency of the sporting project, Glasner could have serious doubts about moving to Serie A. Therefore, Rangnick’s arrival would give the Rossoneri greater long-term direction, as he not only influences signings, but also the coaching staff and youth academy. With this duo, AC Milan could receive a major boost in competitiveness. However, if Ramon Planes is appointed as sporting director, the Austrian coach could have serious doubts.
