Mateo Chávez scores debut World Cup goal for Mexico

Mexican left‑back Mateo Chávez, 22, made his World Cup debut for the senior national team and scored the opening goal in a 3‑0 win over the Czech Republic at the Estadio Ciudad de México during the 2026 tournament. The strike came in the 55th minute after a swift counter‑attack started by Luis Romo, and the young AZ Alkmaar player celebrated, saying “Muy bonito, creo que esto me lo llevaré a la tumba.”

The goal was also an emotional moment for his father, former international Paulo César “Tilón” Chávez, who missed the final list for the 1998 World Cup. He recalled the pain of being dropped and expressed pride in his son’s achievement, noting the match revived memories of his own career and the popular 1998 song “Prefiero el fútbol” that mentioned “El Tilón.”