Raúl Jiménez’s participation with Mexico at the World Cup has been uncertain because the Wolverhampton Wanderers star has not been on the pitch since the end of August.
The striker was working on recovering from an injury in his country and returned to the Premier League side earlier this week.
On Thursday, Record reported the 31-year-old is pushing to join the national team soon, while Wolves staff remain reluctant.
With several claims surrounding the former Benfica man’s involvement in the upcoming FIFA tournament, ESPN met the player in England and asked whether he can make it to Gerardo Martino’s squad to Qatar.
“Yes, I have thought about it [missing the World Cup]. If I’m not, I’m not; I want to be honest with myself. If I don’t feel good, I step aside,” he said.
“If I don’t feel up to it… this is as far as I’ve come, and I wish them all the luck. If I feel like I can, I’ll be there. If tomorrow was November 14, difficult. As I have been evolving, I feel that I can. He [Martino] has said it himself that he’s going to put up with me until the end.”
“I’m doing well. It has been a little longer than expected. I am working with the ball, separated from the group, but I am already warming up with the team and I can do various things. To compete, I’m not for that; but it is expected that this week it will be more integrated.”
“Physically, I feel good, [although] we are running against the current. It is a motivation; I have to be there as soon as possible.”
Wolves host Brighton & Hove Albion in the league clash at Molineux on Saturday. Jiménez says he won’t be involved against the Seagulls but could be ready for Mexico’s friendly tie against Sweden on November 17th.
Towards the end, ESPN also mention the Wolves player also did not rule out that he could ‘enter the operating room’ after the World Cup, seemingly hinting that whatever is ailing him could need more work and anything done now to remedy it is temporary.
