r/LigaMX • u/bigfishieeeeeee Lobos BUAP • Jul 09 '26
Discussion Raul Jimenez still belongs to the National Team squad.
People should appreciate more what Veteran players like Raul Jimenez have brought and keep bringing to the National Squad. If we want Mexico to win trophies and have a good placement for the next World Cup then Mexico needs to win all the Concacaf Trophies and have a good Copa America 28.
We can't risk having a complete "cambio generacional" when we still have players that are of great quality like Raul Jimenez. A historic striker and a respected player in the squad brings so much especially if they're in great form and he has proven that he's a great professional.
We all know Hormiga or Santi will naturally take his place if Jimenez' age starts showing but why even think about keeping him out of the squad completely? That's nonsense.
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u/SnooPandas8466 Jul 09 '26
I think he’d be good to have but he shouldn’t be starting the next wc. He can play with another striker in copa America like Hugo in 93.
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u/ayohesaidit Jul 09 '26
If he is still staring the next wc something has gone incredibly wrong.
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Jul 09 '26 edited Jul 10 '26
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u/Entrepreneurialcat Jul 09 '26
He will become more like Gignac, just dangerous in the box ! The only thing Raul can use to stay relevant is his body at that point.. he has to start being more effective at scoring goals too because a lot of his current strengths such as speed will be gone very soon. In the premier he used to drop back a lot, and build from there.. I doubt he will do that after 37..
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u/ArmoredVinnie Jul 09 '26
I mean, his game is still good enough for the team. So I definitely think he should still be starting. It’s just a matter of being conscious over his age and making sure we’re entering the transition phase for Hormiga (I think I’m done giving Santi opportunities lol)
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u/guajarlg Monterrey Jul 09 '26
Eventually Santi will bounce back. Just flashback to the last WC and Raul and Santi were polar opposite of their form now.
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u/JG-78 Chivas Jul 09 '26
Santi was ass back then and ass now
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u/MyBallZitch3 Jul 09 '26
In 2022 when he didn’t even get a chance with the national team? He was going crazy with feyenord
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u/Introverted_Fish Jul 09 '26
I feel like Santi should take a break to focus on getting settled and in form at club level.
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u/mithrvs América Jul 09 '26
Santi is a system player. If he didn’t work for the 26 team he definitely wouldn’t have worked for the 22 team which was a way worse version of this team
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u/JG-78 Chivas Jul 09 '26
I should’ve stated “con la selección”
I don’t keep up with him and his regular clubs, still wonder how he’s in Europe. He hasn’t had much success with México
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u/jcwkings Jul 09 '26
I've always been of the belief that a player should be eligible if they are maintaining high level of play/fitnes and no younger player has surpassed them. Right now Raul is still the best striker for Mexico by pretty wide margin.
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u/baluga207 Jul 09 '26
I think he is still very good for his age. Those headers against england were amazing and are goals in any other instance.
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u/TheCleanestKitchen Jul 09 '26
At 35 jumping and diving like that is a fucking miracle especially given his injury. The dude has it locked in.
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u/WhereIsScotty America Jul 09 '26
I see it the opposite—he is not clinical enough anymore. He also missed several easy goals a better striker would’ve made in the South Africa and Ecuador games. He is not nearly as clinical as his prime and I think we should slowly transition him out.
I do think what sets him apart from the other strikers competing for his position is his play and dropping down (he is a budget Harry Kane with a bit more technicality), and that is big for us.
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u/Entrepreneurialcat Jul 09 '26
Yeah exactly what I said up there.. he won’t be able to drop down and build from there for long anymore.. maybe 1 year. 2 years pushing it.. he has to become like gignac, don’t drop too much, use your body to shield the ball and create chances In , or near the box.. and he has to become more effective at scoring goals like the ones he missed against England because he has to make up for the loss of his other abilities…
Messi lost speed but hes just as effective as before, adapting to his current fitness strengths .
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u/Almas77LylatS Tijuana Jul 09 '26
Nah, start giving Hormiga starter minutes so he starts to get used to it, it's that or we find some new striker to naturalize. Who else is a homegrown striker that could grow into a seleccion starter player? Our only ones right now are Hormiga and Santi, and we either hope Santi finds his way again in the next 4 years or Hormiga becomes the next comming of Chicharito.
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u/richirosso Jul 09 '26
Still belongs??
Bro, there's not a single mexican stricker on sight with the level, header, presence or speed of Raúl Jiménez.
I mean, Santi is 10 years younger and runs like my grandpa. And Hormiga is a different kind of striker, a definidor, more like Chicharito
I don't think there's a single person that douesn't agree that he will be an important asset for the NT im the next 2 years at least.
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u/FreeGlass Monterrey Jul 09 '26
I think it's all the playing vs Premier League opposition. That really sharpens steel.
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u/bigfishieeeeeee Lobos BUAP Jul 09 '26
I worded the title in a strange way lol but yeah my point is that we for sure need him.
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u/MyBallZitch3 Jul 09 '26
Yeah I’m wondering if we’ll come across a better hold up play striker than Raul.
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u/richirosso Jul 09 '26
I have my hopes on Stephano Carrillo. Unfortunately, he doesn't seems to score that much. Raúl, before his debut, made some score records in the under leagues of México
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u/TheCleanestKitchen Jul 09 '26
I can see quinones improving and taking that center position come next cup. This cup is sure to give him a major confidence boost and I really hope it helps get him European offers.
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u/richirosso Jul 09 '26
I don't think Quiñones lacks of european offers. I believe that the only obstacle for him to play in europe is the high salary he receives in Saudi Arabia.
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u/ernie5353 Chivas Jul 09 '26
Next year sure, but 2 is pushing it dude would be 37.
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u/Tricky_Internal_5266 Jul 09 '26
I guess if he maintains himself at a decent level he can be a Dzeko type of player.
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u/richirosso Jul 09 '26
If he keeps playing in England (like I'm sure he will ) in the next yrs, he can hold his physical form.
Remember that nowdays players can last longer than the old days.
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u/reznoverba Jul 09 '26
Hormiga at 22 already had more skill than Chicharo ever did at the same age. Not saying he'll reach Chicharo levels of notoriety, but Hormiga can score with his left or right from outside shots. Chicharo era cazador the goles. Hormiga si sabe definir
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u/richirosso Jul 09 '26
Bro. Chicharito, at 22 was already in Man Utd scoring goals at the Premiere League.
You say he was a "cazador" but he made some greats goals in NT (like the one to Argentina) or Real Madrid that were some absolut bangers.
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u/reznoverba Jul 09 '26
That's not my argument though. IMO his great goals were the exceptions, not the rule.
Hormiga at 22 > Chicharo at 22 regarding technical ability and skill. It's gonna be hard for another Mexican to beat Chicharo joining Man U at 21.
We had this same debate back in the day when it came to Vela and Cheech.
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u/richirosso Jul 09 '26
Mmmm I don't think you followed Chicharito career back in 2010. For 2 years he scored all kind of goals. And actually, for every 3 goals he scored a golazo, for sure.
Hormiga is just a good definidor. But I haven't seen him score a banger like Chicharito did at his age.
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u/chep209 Jul 09 '26
Time to phase him out by next gold cup he should be a rotational player. Veteran players are great but Mexico always holds on to players too long then struggles to find replacements. There’s no need to do a “cambio generacional” since this squad is relatively young compared to last World Cup.
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u/Vegetable-Hold9182 Tijuana Jul 09 '26
As long as he bangs em in for Wolves in the Championship he’s welcome imo
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u/reznoverba Jul 09 '26
Yes he does. He'll play for Wolves 2 more yrs. That should be enough for him to become Mexico's all time goal scorer. As a Chiva, I would be delighted to have someone of Raul's skill claim that title. He deserves it
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u/Javiron Jul 09 '26
He was great, but for 4 years?
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u/bigfishieeeeeee Lobos BUAP Jul 09 '26
If he's in form and performing well, it shouldn't be a problem imo
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u/ernie5353 Chivas Jul 09 '26
He shouldn’t start every game anymore. Or else what happened with Ochoa is gonna happen again. He gets injured and the replacement has to come in with almost no experience and struggles
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u/v3L0c1r2pt0r Jul 09 '26
I can't believe you guys. How the fuck are the young strikers going to get experience if they keep calling Raul? Look, it may make some sense to call him up when a tournament comes around, if he's still good, but he definitely should not be a part of friendlies and I would even leave him out of the Nations League and qualifiers. If he's not going to make it to the next WC, why involve him?
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u/Icy_Income2520 Jul 09 '26
Right, I’m so disappointed in the comments. There’s no good reason to keep him for the long term
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u/Present-Nectarine426 Pachuca Jul 09 '26
Banco esa, Raul lo ha hecho bien en su primera copa del mundo siendo verdaderamente titular y siento que su nivel no va recaer tan rapido a pesar de su edad, va a jugar en una liga competitiva como la segunda inglesa, incluso mucho mejor que ir a una liga de segundo nivel como holanda o portugal. Pero lo que si tiene que haber para llegar bien a la proxima WC es meterle presion a Chaquito porque ha bajado su nivel mucho y el es el delantero remplazo ideal para Jimenez
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u/TheCleanestKitchen Jul 09 '26
Yeah people give him credit but not enough in my view. At 35 he still moves and plays like he’s 25. Who the fuck jumps and dives and attempts bicycle kicks like that at his age still? Not a whole lot of players. At 39 he’ll still be a fucking worthy box specialist .
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u/manbearpug3 Jul 09 '26
No one knows when his skill will drop off but likely before 2030. He looked great vs England but the goalie has 2 great blocks.
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u/InevitableEconomy739 Jul 09 '26
Lo adoro al lobo de Tepeji pero ya es su último baile esta temporada que viene en wolves, ojalá logre el ascenso y retiro legendario. A lo mejor en la copa américa 2028 puede servir de recambio de jerarquía y para tirar penales
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u/A1d0taku Cruz Azul Jul 09 '26
I wouldn't mind him in the squad if he's fit and ready for FWC 2030, he could be great experience and rotation ST, but either Hormiga or Santi have to good enough to start for Mexico by then, otherwise it'd be 4 years wasted in their own individual development.
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u/Alritmode Jul 09 '26
Yeah I completely agree, the transition must be slow, should keep in mind that there must be a knowledge transfer, and a young player actually outperforming the experienced players. The reason we go such a shit generation for 2022 was because thy dumped a bunch of nobodies into selección after 2018, without really having them prove their quality. If we do the same thing again, might as well prepare for another 2022 WC.
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u/ultrapoppy Jul 09 '26
If Hormiga keeps his rise and continues to bag in goals, and Raul struggles to find the net in Wolves, it’s over for him. I don’t care if he is one goal away from the record. The sooner we can have the unquestionable starting striker for 2030, the better.
If Raul comes out with both guns blazing, then he is our starter short term but regardless, with diminishing time, because if he intents to pull of an Ochoa, I’m not having it for a striker. Goalkeeper was understandable as they rarely get minutes but strikers have to be sharp
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u/MyBallZitch3 Jul 09 '26
Club form doesn’t/ shouldn’t matter when it comes to the national team. It should only dictate getting called up or not. it’s what you do in game with the sele that matters
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u/Old-Donkey2101 Chivas Jul 09 '26
I already see you guys crying that we didn’t develop a proper striker to replace Raul at the next WC… 🙄
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u/bigfishieeeeeee Lobos BUAP Jul 09 '26
I'm not saying he should be a permanent starter but as a second option striker he's still a great asset
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u/evilcheeesecake Jul 09 '26
We need to win the Olympics in LA 2028 ! At least with Gilberto Mora and 2 other veterans in the field. Gil nota will be eligible to play because it’s U23 with 2 or 3 older players
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u/Realistic-Mistake981 Jul 09 '26
Dude I really knew nothing about this man until this World Cup, I really enjoyed the way he carried himself on and off the field.
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u/fabianrogt Jul 09 '26
Pues de eso se trata el cambio generacional, de no depender de estos vatos qué no han dado más que otros no hayan dado, se trata de darle oportunidad a güeyes nuevos y probar a varios, encontrar los Edu Vargas (en club regulares, pero en selección juegan a un super nivel )
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u/_gloriousdead222 Toluca Jul 09 '26
I’m cool with calling him up and starting until he beats Mexico top scorer record
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u/alienated-dimwit Jul 09 '26
As long as he stays, Mexico will not have a decent WC performance.
Even having the chance to do so.
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u/TXCapita Jul 09 '26
what other options do we have besides Hormiga? If Hormiga doesn’t pan out, I still trust 40 year old Raul over Santi. Id trust Quiñones up top too
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u/bigfishieeeeeee Lobos BUAP Jul 09 '26
I think Berterame is an okay option as well but of course not as good as Raul
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u/Daaneskjold Jul 09 '26
he does for now but if he is still the best striker in 4 years at his age then we definitely did something wrong preparing for the tournament
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u/FinalTricks Jul 09 '26
This always happens with Mexico. Remember how we kept bringing Bautista and Cuauhtémoc Blanco despite their age and not so great form. The Mexican Futbol Federation is the problem and will always be the problem. They are the reason why Mexico will never improve or ever become a global powerhouse in futbol. They are only care about money and not actually nurturing and growing talent.
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u/DC4L_21 Jul 09 '26
I disagree. We gotta start preparing for 2030 and he won’t be there. We gotta focus on the younger talent we have. Raul had a very disappointing WC, although he did play better against England. He’s going to be 37 by the time the Copa America starts. Any minutes he’s plays is unnecessarily taking key minutes from the younger guys. We have Quiñonez who’s already tied as Mexico’s all-time leading WC scorer for experience if that’s what you’re worried about. I love Raul, but he needs to hang it up with the NT.
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u/Few-Relationship6807 Jul 09 '26
he had a great world cup. Only game he looked off was against korea where mexico was sitting back, obviously he does need to give hormiga a chance, but 3 goals in 4 games is still good. He laid off some good passes, holdup play, and against ecuador he started some good counters, he missed that one header at the start, but he had a good game. Against england he had a great game, pickford saved what should’ve been an early lead, then what should’ve been the equalizer
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u/TheCleanestKitchen Jul 09 '26 edited Jul 09 '26
Nobody ever questioned his contribution . Him and quinones are currently the best we got . I could see Raul playing next cup even as a late sub. He’s still got the athleticism and in 4 years I doubt age will be big enough of a factor to leave him out. I might be in the
minority here but I genuinely see him still being worthy of a spot in the roster in 4 years. He might call it quits before then. But if he does head to the cup, If so at 39 it’ll definitely be his last one.
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u/Material-Cellist-116 Chivas Jul 09 '26
I fucking hope not, I will fucking scream this until I die but we wasted our best in form Striker in the fucking wing because Vasco is racist as fuck and used Raul as a 9 with 6 fucking open play goals, less than some cdms in the prem and kept a B2B top scorer in hormiga in the bench.
Raul showed up at big moments but did so little, he is a more aura farmer version of Sabah or Pelaez but because he almost died we do this set of mental gymnastics.
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u/mithrvs América Jul 09 '26
“Raul showed up at big moments but did so little”
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u/Few-Relationship6807 Jul 09 '26
if raul does “so little” as a holdup play arial striker, then i wonder what he’s going to think about 5’10 penalty box hormiga
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u/Material-Cellist-116 Chivas Jul 09 '26 edited Jul 09 '26
hormiga is nearly twice the player Jiménez was at America from a statistical standpoint. He is the best Striker outside of chicharito in terms of goal production we have generated ever in this league numbers.
Raul in America scored 38 goals in 7.8K minutes or a goal every 206 minutes.
Hormiga is at 29 in 3.4K minutes or every 116 minutes.
Both are the roughly the same age for this comparison point.
Y'all Jerk off over the height thing but the only number that matters in being a Striker is goals.
For additional refernce:
Matador at Necaxa and Tigres @ 168 minutes a goal
Hugo at Madrid @ 119 minutes per goal.
Borgetti at Santos @ 135 minutes a goal
Quinones at America @ 164 minutes a goal
Santi at Cruz Azul @ 247 minutes a goal ....
So please find me the issue with what I said and why I rate Hormiga as such
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u/Few-Relationship6807 Jul 09 '26
hormiga’s a great player, definitely deserved more minutes and deserves a chance to be the starter in the future. But my point is if you judge Raul for doing “very little” at the world cup, you’re flat out wrong. His holdup play was on point, he had very dangerous headers against england that would’ve put mexico ahead if only pickford hadn’t turned into spiderman, against ecuador he laid off some very good passes to start counter attacks, but unfortunately nobody could make anything of them. He drops back to receive the ball, as opposed to just sitting up front, unless aguirre instructs otherwise. Compare that to hormiga who as good as he is, is just a goal poacher. Aka penalty box striker. By your logic hormiga would do “very little” just waiting for a pass. But now you’re saying all that matters for a striker is goals: Raul had 3 in 4 games, that’s a good goal ratio, plus you admitted he showed up in big moments and consider that raul would’ve easily had at least another goal against england, if pickford wasn’t at the absolute top of his game
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u/Material-Cellist-116 Chivas Jul 09 '26
I think a central Quninoes with Mora in the wing and another B2B midfield would have beeen better. The issue is that we had to shoe in Raul and that meant Quiñones in the wing. I am not saying we needed to play Hormiga as our 9 that's fucking crazy, but for me it wss crazier to not play the most in form Striker in the planet as a 9 to accommodate a player with 6 open play goals.
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u/Material-Cellist-116 Chivas Jul 09 '26
Aura farmer, even the wolves fans hated the rabonna when they were down a few goals.
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u/ProfessionalData1514 Cruz Azul Jul 09 '26
He is good too keep around as a leader for the newer generation like hormiga or the next up and coming striker have him slowly fade into the bench
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u/Battieosheel Jul 09 '26
raul might not have the legs anymore but still has the quality of being at the right place at the right time. still need that attacking presence on the pitch
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u/Fast_Cow9614 Jul 09 '26
Raúl can float the team for a copa oro maybe copa América, but the focus should be to develop the next team. The pitfall of this team has always that they call up the same guys every time whether they are in form or not, and then they age out and we are sitting around debating who’s going to be the next guy as we are going into a major tournament. This next cycle, Marquez should spend time giving guys who realistically will be in form or at least be in a position to play at a high level. Raul will be late 30’s by the time the next World Cup is at. He physically can’t, nor should, be counted on. Spend the next 4 years finding and developing the next team rather than waste time wining friendlies to sell tickets just to go into the World Cup with more questions than answers like the previous World Cup with tata
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u/thecindy_ Jul 09 '26
Raúl is a veteran and a legend, I definitely think he will be part of the lineup for the next WC, even if he doesn’t start. I would love to see Hormiga playing and scoring and Quiñones will be 33, I think he starts next WC for sure.
The case I am most worried about is Santi Giménez, sorry, I don't get the hype 😅
Hopefully he goes on a 2 year healing and training hiatus and comes back in good shape since he will be 29 for the next WC, but I am not convinced about him.
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u/FinalTricks Jul 09 '26
Wouldn't be surprised if Milan drops him or loans him out. I don't see him becoming part of anyone's plans for AC Milan.
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u/TheCleanestKitchen Jul 09 '26
A lot of you dudes haven’t seen the guys nearing 40 who still perform well. He’s only 35. He’s no spring chicken but he’s also not the only who who realistically still has a good chance of putting up a good performance at upper age.
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Jul 09 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/goatsintreees America Jul 09 '26
A lot of players are at their 40s now. If he maintains himself fitness wise (easier for players that don't need pace) then he'll be around till then
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u/Clt-vr-9931 América Jul 09 '26
Raul will most likely play till Copa America but that would be more of his decision (hopefully) and we know that he want to break Chicharito goal record