Regardless it they win, tie or lose, Mexico have already secured their place in the Round of 32. That is why head coach Javier Aguirre has decided to rest players, with the notable detail that Guillermo Ochoa will also not start the match.

These are the eleven players who will take the field from the start against Czechia, in a match officiated by Argentine referee Yael Falcon Perez.

Raul Rangel; Jorge Sanchez, Cesar Montes, Edson Alvarez, Israel Reyes, Mateo Chavez; Luis Romo, Gilberto Mora; Julian Quinones, Guillermo Martinez, Roberto Alvarado.

Jimenez’s World Cup numbers

During his first two Group A matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Raul Jimenez has been a key figure leading Mexico’s frontline, accumulating 156 minutes on the pitch. The veteran striker found the back of the net once during the opening match against South Africa, where he recorded 3 shots (all on target) and completed 16 accurate passes in 76 minutes of play.

In the second fixture against South Korea, Jimenez played 80 minutes, registering 1 shot on target and completing 12 accurate passes, bringing his total tournament stats to 1 goal, 4 shots on target, and 28 accurate passes before being rested for the final group stage rotation.

Czechia also make changes

The European side, currently ranked 43rd in the FIFA World Ranking, must win to keep its qualification hopes alive. Notably, Patrik Schick is not in the starting XI for this crucial match and will begin on the bench due to a tactical decision.

What’s next for Mexico?

After securing the top spot in Group A, Mexico are scheduled to play their round of 32 match on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at 9:00 PM ET. El Tri will take the pitch at the iconic Estadio Azteca (Mexico City Stadium), facing one of the best third-placed teams advancing from Groups C, E, F, H, or I.

The iconic Mexican striker had been getting good looks all game long, largely thanks to a great overall performance from El Tri, although South Africa‘s struggles and shaky defense played a role as well. However, Jimenez had his personal celebration denied time and time again by terrific saves from goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.

Finally, in the 67th minute of the 2026 World Cup opener, Jimenez broke through. He capped off a terrific team move to beat Williams with a precise, low-driven header. Although Jimenez is wearing a headband at the 2026 World Cup, it didn’t affect the direction on his shot. Estadio Azteca, filled to capacity, erupted as Mexico doubled their lead and all but put the game to rest.

Why was Jimenez emotional after goal in World Cup?

As noted by Fabrizio Romano on X, Jimenez celebrated by pointing his fingers to the sky, dedicating the goal to his late father. The striker’s father, Raul Jimenez Vega, passed away in March due to health complications.

In addition to the personal loss, Jimenez’s emotion could also be related to the many injuries and setbacks he has endured throughout his career, as well as the personal journey that led to this moment.

Jimenez finally scores in World Cup

Although he didn’t play many minutes across his World Cup appearances, Jimenez has indeed been to four World Cups during his international career with Mexico. However, he had yet to score a goal in soccer’s biggest tournament.

He couldn’t have asked for a better way to finally snap the drought: at home, in his country’s most iconic venue, and in the opening game of the 2026 World Cup, a tournament that everybody in Mexico has high hopes for.

Jimenez has been through a lot in his career. Only he knows all the emotions that went through his mind and body as the ball got past Williams and rippled the net. Considering it all, it makes perfect sense that he burst into tears in front of more than 80,000 fans at Mexico City Stadium and 134 million fellow countrymen watching across the Land of the Sun.

On November 29, 2020, Jimenez faced a life-threatening emergency while playing for Wolverhampton Wanderers. During a Premier League match against Arsenal, the Mexican striker suffered an accidental but devastating clash of heads with defender David Luiz, resulting in a fractured skull.

Jimenez immediately fell unconscious to the turf, receiving urgent medical attention from emergency staff for several tense minutes. He was quickly rushed to a nearby hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery to repair the fracture and relieve intracranial pressure.

Fortunately, the Mexican international made a remarkable recovery after his life hung in the balance. When he made the courageous choice to resume his professional career, he adopted a specialized protective headband designed to absorb impacts and prevent any secondary trauma to the fragile area.

Can Raul Jimenez still head the ball?

Yes, Raul Jimenez can still head the ball despite the severity of his past skull fracture. In fact, aerial duels have always been a signature component of his game, and the custom headband provides him with the physical protection and mental confidence needed to challenge for airborne balls without hesitation.

It took Jimenez nearly nine months of intensive rehabilitation to return to competitive action following the collision. He officially made his emotional Premier League return in August 2021, understandably operating with extra caution regarding physical contact during his initial matches.

While medical staff initially advised him to avoid heading the ball during the early phases of his training re-entry, Jimenez has since achieved a full medical clearance. He has routinely scored excellent headed goals for both his club teams and the Mexican national team ever since.

Advanced elite engineering for maximum protection

The protective headband worn by Jimenez is an elite piece of sports engineering rather than a standard sweatband. It is specifically designed to minimize the risk of severe reinjury by reinforcing the structural weak points of the skull during high-impact collisions.

Crafted from advanced ultra-lightweight, shock-absorbing materials, the gear completely covers his surgical scar. By deflecting and dispersing linear impact forces across a wider surface area, the headband allows the veteran striker to compete safely at the highest level of international football.

On an emotional day for Jimenez following the passing of his father, Raul Jimenez Vega, on March 12, the striker sealed Fulham‘s victory with a perfect penalty kick. After the goal, Jimenez was seen in tears, pointing to the sky in a moving tribute to his father.

Jimenez is a true specialist from the spot. With this goal, he has converted 14 out of 14 penalties in the Premier League, extending a record that is beginning to look unreachable.

Raul Jimenez is 14 for 14: Who previously held the record?

With Jimenez maintaining a perfect conversion rate through 14 attempts, fans are wondering if the streak will ever end. As of now, he holds the record for the most penalties taken in the competition without a single miss.

Prior to Jimenez setting this mark, Yaya Toure held the record with 11 consecutive successful penalties. Dimitar Berbatov also appears high on the list, having converted 9 out of 9 during his time in England.

Jimenez aims to be Mexico’s main striker

Following this victory, Raul Jimenez will return home to play for Mexico during the upcoming international break. El Tricolor is set to face Portugal on March 28, 2026, for the grand reopening of the Estadio Azteca, which has officially been renamed Estadio Banorte as part of its World Cup renovations.

With AC Milan’s Santiago Gimenez recently returning to the pitch after a long ankle injury, Raul Jimenez will look to capitalize on this opportunity. By maintaining his current form, he aims to make a statement and position himself as the preferred option for coach Javier Aguirre heading into the 2026 World Cup.

Mexican national team striker Raul Jimenez donned a jersey bearing the number 20 and the name of his former teammate, Diogo Jota, in a poignant tribute to the late player. This act honored his memory following a tragic accident. The duo had electrified crowds during their two seasons at Wolverhampton Wanderers, forging an attacking partnership that left a lasting impact in the Premier League.

Raul Jimenez shone by netting a pivotal goal against the USMNT. Jesus Gallardo initiated the play with an impressive run down the left, setting up Marcel Ruiz on the edge of the box. Ruiz then found Jimenez, who decisively struck the ball past a helpless Matt Freese. In a heartfelt celebration, Jimenez honored Diogo by mimicking his iconic celebration and putting his jersey on field.

Diogo Jota and Raul Jimenez formed a dynamic partnership at Wolverhampton Wanderers, playing together in 81 matches and combining for 17 goals. This impressive feat ranks as the second highest joint goal tally of their careers, trailing only their collaboration with Mohamed Salah, which produced 19 goals. Their synergy played a pivotal role in one of Wolves’ most ambitious projects, propelling the team to the quarterfinals of the 2019-20 UEFA Europa League.

‘I always write to him’ — Diogo Jota’s message to Raul Jiménez before their last Premier League game

Diogo Jota and Raul Jimenez, who forged a strong bond as teammates at Wolverhampton Wanderers, continue to maintain their close friendship despite going their separate ways in 2020. In a pre-match interview ahead of Liverpool’s game against Fulham, Jota spoke candidly about their enduring relationship, offering a candid confession.

“I like him a lot, Raul. I also played with Adama, but Raul and I have understood each other very well since the beginning at Wolverhampton…. I remember he was a lot of fun in training and everything in the small-sided games. I always write to him,” Diogo Jota said on April 6, via Telemundo Deportes.

“In reality, I don’t know what happened with the Mexicans. When that rivalry, that tension started,” Messi said in an April interview with Simplemente Futbol. “They positioned themselves in a rivalry with us that doesn’t really exist. There’s no real comparison between Argentina and Mexico.”

After that blunt response, Lionel added an important clarification. “I don’t know where that came from. I’ve always felt very appreciated by the people of Mexico, I’ve never disrespected anyone,” said the Inter Miami forward.

Now Raul Jimenez, striker for the Mexican national team, was asked about Messi’s comments and gave a sincere reply. “I think Messi is right to a certain point. I don’t know where the rivalry came from. It’s not to discredit Mexico or anything like that, because obviously I’m Mexican and I want us to be at the top. But he’s right,” said the Fulham player in an interview with Vamos Show.

“There’s a rivalry with the Argentina national team, but it’s more from the Mexican side toward the Argentinians,” Jimenez admitted. “They’ve beaten Mexico most of the time. They have more soccer history. They’ve always gone further in major tournaments—well, they won the last World Cup.”

How has Messi fared against Mexico?

Over the 20 years Lionel Messi has played for Argentina, he has faced Mexico six times, with five wins and one draw. The first meeting was in the 2006 World Cup quarterfinals in Germany, when Argentina won 2-1 in extra time.

The following year, the teams met again in the semifinals of the Copa America in Venezuela. Lionel had a standout performance and scored a beautiful goal in a 3-0 blowout. In 2008, they played a friendly match that ended in a 4-1 win for Argentina, with a goal and an assist from Messi.

At the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Argentina won 3-1 with an assist from the forward, advancing to the quarterfinals. After that, five years passed before the only match in which Messi did not defeat Mexico: a 2-2 friendly draw in which Leo scored one of Argentina’s goals.

Argentina vs Mexico in Qatar

The most recent clash between Argentina and Mexico took place on November 26, 2022, on Matchday 2 of the World Cup group stage in Qatar. Lionel Scaloni’s squad had lost their opener against Saudi Arabia and were on the brink of elimination, but Lionel Messi came to the rescue with a second-half goal that sparked a crucial 2-0 victory.

“It was more about the relief of scoring that important goal than anything against the fans, but the stadium was intense,” Messi recalled about his celebration. “Mexico always brings fans everywhere, to every World Cup. I think it was one of the only, or maybe the only match where it felt like there were more Mexicans than Argentinians. I think it was pretty even.”

Last time Mexico participated in the Copa America was back in 2016 where they had their worst performance ever losing 7-0 against Chile in the quarter finals. This year, they will try not to repeat what happened in 2016, but expectations are low and fans are not very motivated by this team.

The coach Jaime Lozano will try to reverse the bad situation that the Mexican national team is going through, but he left Premier League striker Raul Jimenez off the roster. Many people may wonder why Lozano took this decision.

Raul Jimenez out of Copa America 2024

Raul Jimenez will not be part of the Mexican national team for Copa America 2024 because he is not in top condition after being out of action at Fulham for almost two months due to an injury.

The iconic Mexican striker only played an amount of 61 minutes in the past two months in the last 14 matches with Fulham in the Premier League. Coach Jaime Lozano plans to make a generational change with the national team, leaving aside several players who were previously considered, such as Raul Jimenez.

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.

On November 29, 2020, a collision with Arsenal’s David Luiz halted his rising career and he was never the same again. In fact, his performance in the Qatar 2022 World Cup was very disappointing with Mexico.

Now, when things were going well, Raul Jimenez made an incredible mistake by hitting Sean Longstaff of Newcastle. The aggression was dangerous and got him a red card just in the 22nd minute.

*Ungoing story

Raul Jimenez is a lethal, fast and smart forward who has been playing in the Premier League since 2018, he is considered one of the best Mexican forwards of the moment but unfortunately he will play with his national team in the 2023 Gold Cup.

So far Jimenez is one of a long list of top players who are not playing for Mexico in the Gold Cup, there is much speculation about the future of Mexico in the tournament with a squad full of unknown players.

Prior to the 2023 Gold Cup, Raul Jimenez played for Mexico against Guatemala on June 7 and it was expected that he would be called up for other games knowing that he is the 7th goalscorer of the Mexico’s national team.

Why was Raul Jimenez not called up to play in the 2023 Gold Cup?

Raul Jimenez is not playing for Mexico in the 2023 Gold Cup because he was excluded from the Mexican squad on May 30, 2023 by then-manager Diego Cocca. He played a recent friendly game but was not part of the squad in the Nations League.

Another reason why Raul Jimenez is not playing for Mexico in the tournament is that he was going through a groin injury during the first weeks of June and it was likely that he would have to undergo surgery due to that injury.

Mexico will have to play other forwards in the tournament but this time they will focus their forces in the midfield and use only two forwards like Santiago Gimenez and Henry Martin while they have ten midfielders available.

Currently sitting third in Group B with three points after two games, Herve Renard’s squad can advance to the round of 16 with a win on matchday three, while even a draw would be sufficient. Meanwhile,Mexico’s World Cup campaign has gotten off to a rough start, with a 0-0 draw against Poland and a 2-0 loss to Argentina. El Tri still haven’t scored a tournament goal, and they are still hunting for their first victory.

Gerardo Martino’s squad is now in last place in their group and will be eliminated from the competition if they are unable to win their last group stage game.To advance to the next round, the Mexicansmust hope that Poland defeat Argentina and that they score at least three goals in the process, while Saudi Arabia must beat Mexico.

Why is Mexico’s Raul Jimenez starting on the bench againstSaudi Arabia?

To date in 2022-23, injuries have keptRaul Jimenezout of action for the larger portion of the season. Due to a torn medial collateral ligament in his knee, he missed the team’s early season games. The 31-year-old has not played for Wolverhampton since the team’s 0-0 stalemate against Bournemouth in August.

Jimenez made his 2022 World Cup debut over three months after his last Premier League game and less than a week after making his comeback via an international friendly. The Wolverhamptonattacker entered the Group Stage play against Poland in the 71st minute as a replacement, and he spent most of the match roaming the opposing half, hoping toscore for the first time since March.

Unfortunately for Raul Jimenez, he will once again have to sit on the bench to begin the game. It is expected that Rogelio Funes Moristarts at the top of the lineup,ahead of Henry Martin andRaul Jimenez.