The dream that began in Magüí Payán

2026 has been a remarkable year for Julián Quiñones.

At 29, the striker has been making a name for himself both with Al-Qadsiah in Saudi Arabia and with the Mexican national team – and it was precisely with Mexico that he starred in some of the most memorable moments of the World Cup.

But how did he get this far?

Quiñones’ journey has been marked by obstacles that seemed difficult to overcome and achievements that, at times, seemed impossible. It is a story that deserves to be told.

Quiñones was not born in Mexico, but in Colombia, in the town of Magüí Payán, not far from the border with Ecuador. The striker himself has described the place as “a very remote, forgotten village.” (BBC Sport)

His father left the family when he was still a young boy, and Quiñones was brought up by his mother and grandmother, alongside his three sisters. He acknowledges just how difficult that absence was, but he is also grateful for what he learnt from the women who raised him: “It was difficult. But I always had my mum and my grandmother as my driving force. They always gave me advice and encouraged me to keep going.” (Fútbol Picante – ESPN MX)

Quiñones’s childhood, like that of many people who grew up in the region, was marked by poverty, violence and very difficult living conditions. Around 75 per cent of homes in the community lack access to basic sanitation, and many families do not even have reliable access to safe drinking water.

“My mum was the one who never let me hit rock bottom, who never let me go down the wrong path.” – Julián Quiñones

He helped support the family by doing odd jobs whilst also devoting himself to his studies. But he also credits his mother with preventing him from going down dangerous paths, like so many other young people in the region: “I think every child makes mistakes, and I ended up falling in with the wrong crowd. But my mum was the one who never let me hit rock bottom, who never let me go down the wrong path.” (Fútbol Picante – ESPN MX)

His mother also realised something that was impossible to ignore: Julián had an enormous talent for football. She couldn’t let that potential go to waste – let alone allow him to give up on a dream which, although it seemed a long way off, could transform his life.

At the age of 16, Quiñones travelled to Cali after being selected to train at the Fútbol Paz academy, an amateur club aimed at young people in vulnerable situations.

Quiñones remembers his arrival well: “To be honest, I was really scared. I didn’t even have football boots – I was wearing shoes with holes in the toes. But I went with the hope of showing my talent, regardless of the circumstances.” (Fútbol Picante – ESPN MX)

Those hopes were soon realised.

Playing for Fútbol Paz in the national Under-17 tournament, Quiñones – tall and athletic – quickly showed he was a striker in a league of his own. He gave his all on the pitch and it wasn’t long before he became the competition’s top scorer, with 50 goals in 38 matches.

The rise of Mexican football

The following year, he and other young players from the club were given the chance to trial at Tigres UANL in Mexico.

As he was still a minor, Quiñones travelled accompanied by his mother. It was the first time either of them had been on a plane.

Tigres saw what Fútbol Paz already knew: Quiñones had something special.

The club decided to take a chance on the youngster and sign him for their youth academy.

For Fútbol Paz, the transfer fee helped the project to grow and also brought benefits to the local community. For Quiñones, however, the move meant something even greater. His first salary showed that, perhaps, his dream of supporting his family through football could actually come true.

He handed the money over to his mother as soon as he received it.

From then on, the young striker began a new life in Mexico.

At Tigres, he won two Liga MX titles and the CONCACAF Champions League in 2020. During his time at the club, he was also sent out on loan three times: first to Venados, then to Lobos BUAP and, finally, to Atlas.

It was at Atlas that his career took another leap forward. The loan turned into a permanent transfer in 2022, and Quiñones helped the club win two consecutive Liga MX titles, ending a 70-year wait for the trophy.

This was followed by a brief spell at América. Even in such a short time, he still managed to win three titles with the historic Mexico City club.

Over the course of eight seasons in Mexican football, Quiñones established himself as a prolific striker and a constant threat to opposing defences. His career continued to flourish – and, it seemed, there was no limit to how far it could go.

The choice of Mexico

For much of his time in Mexican football, Quiñones was still representing Colombia’s youth teams on the international stage, featuring in the 2017 South American Under-20 Championship and the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games – a tournament which Colombia won, with Quiñones as the top scorer.

Despite this, her name remained absent from the senior national team’s plans.

By the time he finally received a call-up from Colombia in 2023, Quiñones had already made another decision: to represent the country where he had built his life and found a way to fulfil his dream of providing for his family – Mexico.

“I found Mexico to be a very generous country. People welcome you, help you to excel and grow as a person, and I loved that.” – Julián Quiñones

In various interviews, he explained his choice, speaking fondly and gratefully about the country that had welcomed him: “I found Mexico to be a very generous country. People welcome you, help you to excel and grow as a person, and I loved that. Little by little, I settled in and began to feel at home. I’ll always be very grateful for those moments. Mexico has made me a better person. I didn’t have a good reputation back in Colombia, because I wasn’t very sensible at the time, but Mexico welcomed me with open arms, understanding that we all go through good and bad times in life. I’ve learnt a lot from that.” (BBC Sport)

The decision upset some people in Colombia, who saw the move as a way of turning his back on the country where he was born. His mother, Glória, however, supported her son. She summed up the situation poetically: “No one is a prophet in their own land. When you have dreams to fulfil, you can go anywhere and you’ll manage to fulfil them there.” (Fútbol Picante – ESPN MX)

Quiñones made his debut for Mexico in November 2023.

Four months later, in March 2024, he scored his first goal for the national team, against Panama, in the semi-final of the CONCACAF Nations League.

The following year brought his first titles with El Tri: the CONCACAF Nations League and the Gold Cup.

The striker who conquered Arabia

Despite quickly becoming a key player for the Mexican national team, Quiñones decided to leave Mexican football in 2024, when he moved to Al-Qadsiah in Saudi Arabia.

By September 2026, he had scored 63 goals in 72 appearances for the club. This year, he finished as the league’s top scorer with 33 goals – overtaking Al-Ahli’s Ivan Toney on the final day of the season and leaving even Al-Nassr’s Cristiano Ronaldo, a five-time winner of the ‘Ballon d'Or’, trailing behind.

His breakthrough at the World Cup

But, impressive as these figures may be, perhaps nothing was more significant than Quiñones’ performance at the 2026 World Cup, played partly in the country he has chosen as his home.

Mexico were eventually knocked out by England in the round of 16, but before that, Quiñones had already made history in the national team’s colours.

In the opening match against South Africa, he became the first player from a CONCACAF side to score the opening goal of a World Cup. The goal was also the fastest of the tournament in 20 years.

And that was just the beginning.

Quiñones also scored against the Czech Republic, Ecuador and England.

In doing so, he set a record: he was the first Mexican player to be directly involved in five or more goals in a single edition of the tournament, surpassing the previous record held by Luis Hernández, who had been involved in four goals in 1998.

The highlight of Quiñones’ incredible run came with his first nomination for the ‘Ballon d’Or’ award.

He became only the second Mexican player ever to be nominated for the award, after goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa in 2007.

Football as a tool for change

But Quiñones does not limit himself to bringing joy to fans on the pitch. With the profile he has built up in recent years, he has also begun to use his voice and his position to help people who, like him in the past, have had fewer opportunities.

In Mexico, he is an ambassador for the Fundación Freedom, an organisation that works to combat human trafficking and raise awareness of immigration-related issues.

Inspired by the opportunity that Fútbol Paz gave him whilst he was still a teenager, Quiñones has also become president of the Banning Pass Little League in the United States. The organisation provides basketball and softball training for children who cannot afford it or who are at risk.

Ultimately, however, his greatest motivation remains the same as it was from the very beginning: his family. It was his mother and grandmother who stood by him when he had almost nothing, encouraging him to pursue a dream that seemed out of reach.

César Valencia, owner of Fútbol Paz, recalls that this determination was already evident from Quiñones’ very first days at the club: “The first question we ask the lads who arrive here is: ‘Why are you here?’ And Julián’s answer has always been: ‘I want to support my family.’” (Fútbol Picante – ESPN MX)

Years later, the answer remains virtually the same. What still motivates him to strive for more, to work every day and to try to be the best player he can be?

The explanation is simple: “Everything I do, I do for my mum and my whole family. It’ll always be that way.” (Fútbol Picante – ESPN MX)