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Mexico won the match. South Africa won the meme game.
The 2026 World Cup opening saw the hosts cruise to a comfortable 2-0 over South Africa.
But while Mexico got three points, it was a red-card moment that stole the spotlight.
In fact, the match had more dismissals than goals, with Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio sending off not one but three players during the clash at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium.
One of those in particular has already secured a top spot in World Cup folklore forever.
In the 84th minute, South Africa’s Themba Zwane was shown a straight red card after striking e a Mexican player in the face during an attacking action.
Sampaio headed to the VAR, reviewed the incident and returned to the pitch to announce his decision – in English – over the stadium’s microphone.
There was just one problem.
Judging by their reactions, no South African player seemed to have the slightest idea what the ref was saying.
As the Sampaio delivered his explanation, cameras zoomed in on Zwane and South African teammate Khulisu Mudau, whose mixture of confusion, disbelief and mild panic quickly became the real highlight of the evening.
Within minutes, screenshots of their bewildered expressions were spreading across social media, with fans declaring the moment “the first meme of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Someone dubbed it “a generational meme”. Others were already calling it the tournament’s meme champion – and we’re only one match in.
For Sampaio, it’s far from the first time one of his decisions sparked viral reactions.
At the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup, the Brazilian had to officiate a tense France VS England quarterfinal, one of whose moments triggered an unforgettable reaction from Jude Bellingham – which cameras captured in all its glory.
Jokes aside, Sampaio is far from an inexperienced referee and is known as one of the best in his country.
He already featured in two previous FIFA World Cups – the 2018 and 2022 editions – as well as in South America’s most important football club competition, the Copa Libertadores.
And we are pretty sure most football fans can’t wait to see him in action again pretty soon, in the upcoming World Cup games.