Gimenez making Mexico World Cup snub look worse with every goal

The striker has gone on to have the most prolific debut European season ever for a Mexican

When Santiago Giménez was omitted from Mexico’s World Cup roster in November, it was questionable. Now, it just seems laughable.

Giménez was bypassed in favor of the barely-fit Raúl Jiménez, and forwards like Henry Martín and Rogelio Funes Mori who have been prolific in Liga MX and less so with El Tri.

Giménez at the time was only 21 and unproven at the international level. But he’d showed plenty of promise in Liga MX and had started to translate that form to his new side Feyenoord, where he’d scored six goals in 18 games.

Mexico would end up being eliminated at the World Cup group stage, picking up one point in two scoreless opening matches before a 2-1 win over Saudi Arabia in its finale proved too little, too late.

Meanwhile Giménez has gone on a goalscoring binge after his snub, proving on a weekly basis that Tata Martino made a grave mistake not taking him to Qatar.

Giménez has 12 goals in 17 league games since the turn of the year, including a current scoring streak of seven matches in a row.

Overall, Giménez has scored 22 times for Feyenoord this season, breaking the record for the most ever goals by a Mexico men’s international in their debut European season.

The 22-year-old looks likely to only stay at Feyenoord for one season, with some of Europe’s biggest clubs lining up for his signature (ironically his departure could open the door for USMNT forward Ricardo Pepi to replace him).

Giménez will undoubtedly be a major part of Mexico’s future, but El Tri fans are likely wondering what could have been if he were more involved in the recent past.

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