Raúl Jiménez
Who was Raúl Jiménez?
Mexican striker who has played for major European clubs including Benfica and Wolverhampton Wanderers. He is known for his clinical finishing and has been a key player for the Mexico national team in recent years.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Raúl Jiménez (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Raúl Alonso Jiménez Rodríguez, born on 5 May 1991 in Tepeji del Río de Ocampo Municipality, is a Mexican professional footballer playing as a striker for Premier League club Fulham and the Mexico national team. His journey from the Club América youth system to European football shows the path many top Mexican players take for success abroad.
Jiménez's professional career took off at Club América, where he climbed the youth ranks before debuting in the first division in October 2011. During the 2013 Clausura tournament, he made a significant impact, helping América win the championship and finishing as the team's second-highest scorer. This success in Mexico caught the eye of European clubs, leading to his move to Spanish club Atlético Madrid in August 2014. His stint in Madrid was short, lasting only a season, but it gave him valuable experience in top-level European football.
The striker found more stability and success with Portuguese club Benfica from 2015 to 2018. In 120 appearances, Jiménez scored 31 goals and helped the team win consecutive league titles. His time in Portugal showed his ability to adapt to different playing styles while consistently scoring goals. This period proved him to be a reliable striker capable of competing in multiple tournaments at once.
In June 2018, Jiménez moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers on loan, starting his Premier League journey. He made an immediate impact, finishing as the team's top scorer with 17 goals across all competitions in his first season. The loan's success led to a permanent move in 2019. However, his time with Wolves faced a major setback due to a serious head injury in November 2020, keeping him out for nine months until August 2021. His recovery and return underscored his resilience and determination to continue playing at a high level.
Internationally, Jiménez has been a key figure in Mexican football for over a decade. He began with the under-23 squad that won gold at the 2012 Summer Olympics, paving the way for his senior team success. Since his first senior cap in 2013, he has played for Mexico in three FIFA World Cups (2014, 2018, and 2022), three CONCACAF Gold Cups, two FIFA Confederations Cups, and two Copa América tournaments. With 44 international goals, he ranks third on Mexico's all-time scoring list, establishing himself as one of the country's top strikers.
Before Fame
Growing up in Tepeji del Río de Ocampo Municipality, a small town in Hidalgo, Jiménez's journey to professional football started in the youth system of Club América, one of Mexico's top clubs. The early 2000s were a time when Mexican football clubs were modernizing, investing a lot in youth programs to compete internationally and send players to Europe.
Jiménez joined Club América's academy when Mexican football was focusing more on technical skills and tactical know-how. As he moved up through the youth ranks, Mexico was becoming known for producing talented strikers who could succeed in European leagues. The foundation he built during these early years was key in developing the skills and mindset he needed to eventually compete in Europe.
Key Achievements
- Olympic gold medalist with Mexico U-23 team at 2012 London Olympics
- Two-time Liga NOS champion with Benfica (2016, 2017)
- Two-time CONCACAF Gold Cup winner with Mexico (2019, 2025)
- Third-highest goalscorer in Mexico national team history with 44 goals
- First Mexican player to reach 50 Premier League goals
Did You Know?
- 01.He scored the winning goal for Mexico in the 2012 Olympic final against Brazil, securing the country's first Olympic gold medal in football.
- 02.His skull fracture injury in November 2020 required emergency surgery and led to him wearing protective headgear upon his return to competition.
- 03.He became the first Mexican player to score 50 goals in the Premier League during his time with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
- 04.Jiménez has scored goals in four different decades (2010s through 2020s) for the Mexico national team.
- 05.He was teammates with future Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema during his brief stint at Atlético Madrid in 2014-2015.