Raúl Jiménez

Lore & Background

Jiménez began his career in Club América's youth system before debuting in the first division in October 2011. He won his first championship with América in 2013, winning the Clausura tournament, and was the team's second-highest goalscorer. In August 2014, Jiménez joined Spanish side Atlético Madrid. After one season he signed for Benfica. He amassed 120 appearances and scored 31 goals during his three years with the Portuguese side, winning two consecutive league titles, among other major honours. In June 2018, Jiménez joined Wolverhampton Wanderers on loan, and was the team's top scorer with 17 goals across all competitions. He joined Wolves on a permanent basis the following year and became an instrumental and prolific striker, though spent nine months out with a serious head injury between November 2020 and August 2021.

In Their Own Story

The floodlights at the Estadio Azteca hummed with a low electric buzz, the kind that vibrates in your chest before a match. In the tunnel, the green shirts lined up shoulder to shoulder, and there he was—Jiménez, already lacing his boots with the slow, deliberate focus of a man who has done this a hundred times. He caught the eye of a young midfielder beside him and gave a single nod. No words needed. Up on the pitch, the roar hit like a wall. He jogged to the centre circle, the grass dark and slick under the lights, and for a moment the noise faded to a distant ocean. Then the ball found his feet on the left flank, thirty yards out, and he didn't think. He just struck it. The sound was a crack, a gunshot, and the net rippled. The Azteca detonated. He ran, arms wide, the green shirt flapping, and the whole stadium ran with him.

Reader's Guide

Jiménez was a part of the Mexico under-23 squad that won the gold medal at the Summer Olympics in 2012. A full international since 2013, Jiménez has represented his country at four FIFA World Cups (2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026), three CONCACAF Gold Cups (2013, 2019 and 2025, winning the latter two), two FIFA Confederations Cups (2013 and 2017), and two Copa América tournaments (2015 and 2016). He is currently second on the national team's all-time scorer list with 47 goals.

Did You Know?

• Jiménez scored his first professional goal on 30 October 2011 in a 2–3 loss to Puebla.
• He scored a hat-trick for América in a 5–3 win against Santos Laguna on 30 April 2014.
• Jiménez scored his first two UEFA Champions League goals on 26 November 2015 against Astana.