Mexico is currently facing a pleasant dilemma as they prepare for their Concacaf Nations League semifinal match against Canada. The question on everyone’s mind is whether to start Raul Jimenez or Santiago Gimenez, or possibly both, as the leading striker for El Tri, under the guidance of Javier Aguirre.
It’s remarkable to consider Jimenez’s current position, as just four years prior, the idea of him playing in crucial matches for his national team seemed improbable. He was then beginning his recovery from a severe skull fracture sustained in a collision with David Luiz in November 2020 while playing for Wolves. Even more recently, the prospect of Jimenez competing for playing time with Gimenez, who has been outstanding for Feyenoord and moved to AC Milan, in 2025 appeared unlikely.
Initially, it seemed Jimenez’s greatest achievement would simply be returning to professional football. He did make his comeback at Molineux, but he appeared to be a diminished version of his former self. When his time with Fulham began slowly, it looked as if the dynamic forward who had previously troubled Premier League defenses during Wolves’ promotion days was gone for good.
However, that wasn’t the case. As Jimenez himself mentioned earlier this season, he simply required more time to regain his peak performance.
“I returned a year after the injury,” he stated in December, “but I believe I only recently returned to my best form.”
This revitalized Jimenez is once again challenging top European defenders. He joined his national team this month as one of only 13 players to have scored ten or more goals in the Premier League this season. Fulham’s confidence in him has been richly rewarded, as his goals are significantly contributing to their push for European qualification.
This is not just a case of a mediocre player experiencing a lucky streak. According to Wyscout, Jimenez’s combined expected goals and expected assists are at 14.03, ranking him ninth in the Premier League this season. This is a stronger performance than some highly-regarded players in recent times, surpassing the underlying statistics of Matheus Cunha and even Chris Wood.
Similar to his pre-injury form, Fulham’s number 7 is effective in build-up play and linking up with teammates while playing with his back to goal. In Marco Silva’s attacking system, Jimenez gets numerous shots on goal – in fact, more per 90 minutes than Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah. Only Cole Palmer, Eberchi Eze, and Noni Madueke take more than 3.75 shots per 90 minutes.
Fulham’s trust in Jimenez has paid off, as Silva mentioned in January. Beyond just his goal output, the experienced striker has been praised for his positive competition with Rodrigo Muniz for a starting position, supporting Muniz’s development while also fighting to remain in the team for crucial matches. Jimenez has delivered in several of these key games, including scoring the equalizing goal against Newcastle in a vital win for Fulham’s European ambitions, netting two goals against Ipswich to become Mexico’s top scorer in the English top division, and making a skillful run against Jakub Kiwior to secure a draw against Arsenal.
The encouraging news for Aguirre is that Jimenez’s Fulham form has extended to the international level. His stunning free-kick against the USMNT, which set Mexico on course for a 2-0 victory, was exceptional, while his goal against Honduras demonstrated his predatory instincts in the box. In both matches, he consistently got shots on goal, a highly valuable attribute for a center forward. For a period, it seemed Jimenez had lost this ability. Now, only a few players in Europe’s top leagues can match him.
