Why has Mexico forgotten about Fulham's Raul Jimenez?

In the last two weeks, Jimenez has provided an emphatic reminder of what he can do when he's healthy and confident.

The 33-year-old started a mini-hot streak for Fulham, scoring a well-executed goal against Newcastle United, in which he sprayed a pass to winger Adama Traore and then got into the box to receive a cross from his teammate. Jimenez chested down Traore’s cross, turned, and fired in the opening goal of the Cottagers’ 3-1 win on Sept. 21. That followed a performance in which he had shown his quick feet and finished off the club’s only goal in a 1-1 draw with West Ham United on Sept. 14.

When Jimenez is at his best, he can lead the line, combine with other attacking players, and, most importantly score.

Mexico doesn’t have anyone like Jimenez in its player pool. The question of where the next great Mexican forward comes from has been kicking around since Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, the country’s all-time leading scorer, and Jimenez both started struggling with injuries. Chicharito is still battling injuries, missing this weekend’s trip to Cruz Azul with current club Chivas.

But Jimenez is starting each week for a Premier League side. Out of Aguirre’s options, that’s something only West Ham midfielder Edson Alvarez and Bournemouth fullback Julian Araujo can say.

Even if Jimenez were having trouble finding the back of the net, the fact he is playing regularly in arguably the world's top soccer is reason enough to bring him back into the national team squad. Just eight of the 26 players Aguirre called in for September’s friendly matches play for clubs outside of Mexico. Just three play in Europe’s top five leagues and none of that trio is an attacker.

The fate of Mexico’s front line has been left to Feyenoord's Santiago Gimenez. The former Cruz Azul product is a bright prospect, but El Tri fans are still waiting for the moment when Santi takes over in a national team shirt. It has been over a year since his last Mexico goal, and overall he has just four goals in 32 international matches. That sits in sharp contrast to the 23 goals in 30 games he scored for his club in the 2023-24 Eredivisie season.

Gimenez also left Feyenoord’s match Sunday with a foot injury. No timetable has been announced for his return, but already it should be clear that Mexico’s plan can’t solely rely on what Gimenez can potentially bring to Eli Tri.

There’s no guarantee Jimenez would be able to replicate his Fulham form with Mexico either, and certainly no guarantee this good moment will last for Jimenez. No one knows that better than he does.

In late November 2020, while playing with Wolves, Jimenez fractured his skull in a clash with Arsenal's David Luiz. A year after the incident, Wolves released a documentary called “Code Red” which outlines the story of how Jimenez was lucky to be alive, much less playing soccer again.

Before the injury, Jimenez was in the midst of a breakout spell with Wolves - scoring 27 goals in all competitions during the 2019-20 season. It was understandable that he wasn’t the same player as he worked back from that frightening moment. He scored six goals in 2021-22, remarkable given the circumstances but far from where he was at previously.

A move to Fulham last season looked to help him find rhythm again with seven goals in 24 league appearances. Yet, a thigh issue kept him out of the Concacaf Nations League Final Four contests, and after being left off the Copa América roster by Jaime Lozano and the September list by Aguirre, Jimenez is yet to appear for Mexico in 2024.

Jimenez's lack of appearances for El Tri needs to change in October when Mexico faces Valencia and the United States in a pair of exhibition matches. His inclusion is also crucial for November when Mexico competes in two Nations League quarterfinals with a spot in the Final Four at stake.

Jimenez will be 36 by the time the 2026 World Cup kicks off but could still be in the Premier League at that time. The contract he signed with Fulham in 2023 is through the summer of 2025 with a club option to extend the deal, one they surely would pick up if he can keep his place in the XI.

Mexico would do well to remember it has a veteran scorer in a top league who may be their best forward option in the present and the future.