Raúl Jiménez aims for Chicharito's record as the top scorer of the Mexican national team

Raúl Jiménez had a brilliant performance in the Final Four of the Nations League, scoring twice against Canada in the semifinals and another two in the final against Panama, helping Mexico secure its first title in the tournament’s short history.

The forward reached 40 goals with El Tri, surpassing Cuauhtémoc Blanco for third place among the national team's all-time top scorers. The 'Lobo de Tepeji' is now just 12 goals away from matching Javier Hernández, Mexico’s all-time leading scorer, with a long schedule of matches ahead.

The team led by Javier Aguirre will face Switzerland and Turkey in June before defending their 2023 Gold Cup title. There, Jiménez will aim to surpass Jared Borgetti’s 46 goals, moving into second place on the all-time scoring list.

The FMF is planning four more friendlies before the end of 2025 as preparation for the 2026 World Cup, two against Asian teams and two against CONMEBOL teams. With this schedule, Jiménez is surely not far from surpassing Hernández.

Raúl Jiménez has maintained an impressive scoring rate with the Mexican national team, averaging a goal every 2.7 matches. Since making his debut in 2013 and scoring his first goal in that year’s Gold Cup against Canada, his journey with El Tri has been filled with highs and lows, notably failing to score in the three World Cups he has participated in.

After a severe injury, his form dipped, but over the past two years, he has regained his sharpness. Between 2024 and 2025, Jiménez has played only five matches but has already netted six goals, raising his average to 1.2 goals per game - significantly better than his previous numbers.

If he doesn’t reach the scoring record in 2025, he will have another opportunity in 2026. Mexico will play two friendlies before the World Cup and could feature in up to five tournament matches if they meet expectations.

With as many as 21 potential games left before the end of the World Cup, Jiménez has a strong chance to cement his place as Mexico’s all-time top scorer.

"It's something that's there (being the top scorer). There are many matches ahead. I still have a lot to give to the national team, and I will give my best effort. If it happens, I’ll be the happiest", the forward said to TUDN.

Why does Jiménez have 40 goals for the Mexican National Team but only 39 according to FIFA? While El Tri and FIFA sort it out, the reason is simple: in the 2019 Gold Cup, the striker scored a goal against Martinique, a team not registered with FIFA.

As a result, the football governing body officially recognizes Jiménez with 39 goals for Mexico.