Raúl Jiménez’s return to form for Fulham this season and subsequent return to the Mexican national team may be a point of joy for some, but not journalist Daniel Rodriguez.
He’s covered the 33-year-old’s return for Mexico on ESPN today and, frankly, isn’t impressed by the whole affair.
Jiménez is making his return to the national side during this international break alongside fellow veteran Memo Ochoa after being removed by the previous management.
He hasn’t played for his country since November 2023 but is now back in under a new manager after three goals and one assist in seven games for Fulham in the Premier League this season.
Rodriguez is less than impressed that the veteran is all that Mexico has to offer.
He says such a return ‘only happens in Mexico’, pointing out how while the likes of Antoine Griezmann is retiring from international duty for France, his nation are calling on their veterans to rescue the ship.
Four months after essentially being binned off for their country, who wanted to renew themselves, he says they’re now being treated like kids who can ‘change the face’ of a team who are ‘dragging a severe crisis’. There’s a distinct irony and melancholy about that given both players have been a part of the ‘crisis’.
He believes the Fulham striker intends to ‘rise again like the Phoenix’ thanks to nothing more than ‘four good games’ in the Premier League.
Rodriguez is also clearly unimpressed by the ‘overflowing passion’ coming from commentators, particularly those praising his assist. They’re ‘cheerleaders’.
When, in reality, it is a clear sign of the ‘poor raw material’ Mexico are working with when they are getting excited about a 33-year-old striker with just three or four good performances under his belt.
He does limit his criticism of the striker himself but is insistent that the reality is he’s not going to offer anything particularly new and any belief he will offer anything new or suddenly take his Fulham form into the international set up is ‘a real nonsense’.
