Raúl Jiménez was one of Mexico’s heroes in Tuesday’s friendly against South Korea, scoring in a 2-2 draw as El Tri continue preparations for the 2026 World Cup, which they will co-host with the US and Canada. Following the game, the Fulham striker shared an important message about the team’s expectations moving forward.
Fresh off their 2025 Gold Cup triumph in July, Mexico returned to action this month with back-to-back friendlies — first a scoreless draw with Japan, followed by a dramatic 2-2 against South Korea. Jiménez opened the scoring, but South Korea struck back with goals in the 65th and 75th minutes before Santiago Giménez salvaged a draw with a stoppage-time equalizer in the 92nd.
Speaking in the mixed zone afterward, captain Jiménez praised El Tri’s performance while stressing the need for growth. “Yes, I think we took a lot of good things from both games, things we obviously need to keep improving. But that’s football — there are no easy matches. We’ll keep preparing for what’s really important, which comes in a year.”
The striker also underlined the value of facing strong international competition as Mexico gears up for 2026. “Yes, it’s always important to face this kind of opponent who are already qualified for the World Cup, the kind of rivals you might run into there. And, like I said, it’s about continuing to improve certain aspects and doing things the right way,” he added.
Raul Jimenez #9 of Mexico and Minjae Kim #4 of South Korea battle for the ball during the first half of the match at GEODIS Park on September 09, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee.
After wrapping up their US tour with two draws, head coach Javier Aguirre noted that the squad has a solid foundation but remains a work in progress. A total of 35 players have been tested so far, and Aguirre suggested more changes could be on the way. Up next, Mexico will face Colombia in Arlington on October 11 before returning home to Guadalajara to play Ecuador on October 14.
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Mexico National Team TV Schedule: View El Tri Games On TV
Raúl Jiménez closing in on scoring record
Jiménez’s goal against South Korea wasn’t just another tally in a friendly — it brought him one step closer to history. The Fulham striker now sits on 44 international goals, just two behind Jared Borgetti (46) for second place on Mexico’s all-time scoring list. Javier “Chicharito” Hernández remains the nation’s all-time leader with 52 goals in 109 appearances.
With eight goals separating him from Chicharito, Jiménez will have plenty of chances to climb the ranks. Mexico are guaranteed at least eight more friendlies before the 2026 World Cup, plus three group-stage matches at the tournament itself. At 34, Jiménez still has time to leave his mark as one of El Tri’s greatest scorers.
