Raul Jimenez‘s absence from the Mexican team‘s lineup for the final two matches of the Concacaf Nations League is notably significant, as he will not be participating in the squad for the continental tournament’s concluding games. We explore the reasons behind this decision.
His exclusion from the squad list is particularly surprising, especially considering that he played a few minutes in Fulham’s recent emphatic victory over Tottenham in Matchday 29 of the 2023/2024 Premier League season.
Many had anticipated the 32-year-old Mexican forward to be included in his national team’s roster for these games. However, despite his recent appearance for Fulham, Jimenez is just returning from an injury. It was thus decided to prioritize his recovery and not risk further strain by including him in the upcoming matches.
Concacaf Nations League Semifinals
Mexico must play at least two official matches. The first one is highly anticipated: the challenging semifinal they are to play against Panama. This is a rematch with the team they narrowly defeated in the final of the last Gold Cup 2023, securing a slim 1-0 victory thanks to a goal from Santiago Gimenez.
This time around, the narrative may be entirely different, yet the Mexican team remains the favored contender to triumph over the Panamanians. The second match will be determined by the outcome of the semifinal: a victory will send them to the final, while a defeat will place them in the match for third place.