Raúl Jiménez shines in his first World Cup after losing his father
Raúl Jiménez showed why he is Mexico's main offensive threat in this World Cup, this Thursday (11), in the opening match of this edition, at the Azteca Stadium.
The striker had a great performance against South Africa, scored a goal - the second in the 2-0 victory - and also created several opportunities for his team.
He was moved to tears after celebrating the goal, being hugged by all his teammates, who ran to congratulate him.
Afterwards, upon returning to his field, he pointed to the sky, perhaps thinking about his father, who died earlier this year. An exciting moment right at the beginning of this World Cup.
Raúl Jiménez almost died after clashing with David Luiz
However, to realize his dream of defending his nation in the World Cup, Raúl Jiménez had to overcome a serious injury.
In 2020, when he was playing for Wolverhampton-ING, the Mexican striker fractured his skull after a head-on collision with Brazilian defender David Luiz, who at the time was playing for Arsenal.
Jiménez was unconscious on the field and had to be immobilized to get off the pitch. The player underwent surgery to correct the injury.
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In August 2021, after being sidelined for eight months, Raúl Jiménez revealed that the doctors who performed his surgery considered his survival a "miracle"
"From the first moment, the surgeons and doctors told me what happened and the risks. Sometimes it's not what you want to hear, but it's their job. They told me it was a miracle that I survived. The bone had broken and there was a small bleed inside my brain. That's why the surgery had to be quick and it was a very good job by the doctors," the Mexican striker said in an interview with Reuters.
After the serious injury, Jiménez always wore protection on the right side of his head, to protect the area.
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Source: CNN