Just less than six years ago, Raul Jimenez was lying unconscious during the Wolves-Arsenal game in the Premier League after a head collision. There were fears he might die. He didn’t die, but he for sure took months to recover from that dreadful injury.
So, when he scored Mexico’s second goal against South Africa in the 2026 FIFA World Cup opener on Thursday night, he had really come a long way from that day in 2020. The 35-year-old met a cross from Roberto Alvarado to head the ball in. He celebrated and then pointed to the sky. His father passed away earlier this year. It must have been him in his mind when the footballer made those moving gestures.
It was his 46th goal for Mexico in 125 games. He is only six goals behind the country’s highest scorer to date, Javier Hernandez. This was also Jimenez’s first start in a World Cup game. In 2014, 2018 and 2022, he made appearances as a substitute. Scoring his first World Cup goal in his first start in front of an 80,000-strong crowd made the occasion all the more special.
“We really congratulated him because he gives a lot to the team,” said Julian Quinones, who opened the scoring for Mexico in the 9th minute of the game. “Being part of a team is our pride, and it’s wonderful he continues to add goals to his career as a player in our national team,” he added.
‘It’s a great moment for him’
Jimenez, earlier this week, returned to Wolves after a three-year spell with Fulham. Speaking on his goal, former England international Gary Neville on ITV said, “That is likely to be the greatest moment of his life from a football perspective, scoring in front of 80,000 in that stadium, in his home country. It is a great moment for him.”
Another England international Ian Wright added: “It was very emotional for Raul Jimenez. If it were me, I would probably feel the same. The thing about it is when he scores the goal as he runs off, you can see the realisation, and that is where the emotion comes.”
Jimenez’s comeback reinforces one thing for sure. That if one is willing to put in the hard yards, success is guaranteed. It may take longer, but one is sure to get there in the end. Who could have imagined his Thursday night’s goal-scoring moment in 2020 when he lay unconscious during the Arsenal-Wolves game?
