Raúl Alonso Jiménez Rodríguez (; born 5 May 1991) is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a striker for club Wolverhampton Wanderers and the Mexico national team.
Jiménez began his career in Club América's youth system before debuting in the first division in October 2011. He won his first championship with América in 2013, winning the Clausura tournament, and was the team's second-highest goalscorer. In August 2014, Jiménez joined Spanish side Atlético Madrid. After one season he signed for Benfica. He amassed 120 appearances and scored 31 goals during his three years with the Portuguese side, winning two consecutive league titles, among other major honours. In June 2018, Jiménez joined Wolverhampton Wanderers on loan, and was the team's top scorer with 17 goals across all competitions. He joined Wolves on a permanent basis the following year and became an instrumental and prolific striker, though spent nine months out with a serious head injury between November 2020 and August 2021.
Jiménez was a part of the Mexico under-23 squad that won the gold medal at the Summer Olympics in 2012. A full international since 2013, Jiménez has represented his country at four FIFA World Cups (2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026), three CONCACAF Gold Cups (2013, 2019 and 2025, winning the latter two), two FIFA Confederations Cups (2013 and 2017), and two Copa América tournaments (2015 and 2016). He is currently second on the national team's all-time scorer list with 47 goals.
Club career América 2011–12 season Jiménez began his career playing for Club América's youth system, being considered a promising young striker. On 9 October 2011, under interim-coach Alfredo Tena, Jiménez made his professional debut during the Apertura tournament against Monarcas Morelia, in a match which ended in a 1–1 draw. He scored his first goal on 30 October in a 2–3 loss to Puebla, scoring in the 2nd minute of the match. He appeared six times and scored one goal in his debut tournament.
Jiménez did not appear in the Clausura 2012 until 11 February—week seven of the tournament—against Atlas, which ended in a 1–1 draw, coming on as a second-half substitute for Christian Bermúdez. He scored his first goal of the tournament on 9 March in the 1–1 draw against Tijuana at the Estadio Caliente. Jiménez appeared twelve times and scored once during the Clausura, with América being eliminated in the semi-finals by Monterrey.
2012–13 season After participating in the Summer Olympics with Mexico and the sale of Vicente Matías Vuoso, Jiménez won a spot in América's starting eleven for the Apertura 2012 tournament, playing as a second-striker alongside Christian Benítez in manager Miguel Herrera's 5–3–2 tactical scheme. He was also given the vacant number 9 shirt, switching from the number 47 shirt he debuted with. Jiménez scored on 15 September in the 2–0 victory over Santos Laguna at the Estadio Azteca. He would go on to score two weeks later in the 1–1 draw against Monarcas Morelia. Jiménez received his first red card during América's 2–1 victory over San Luis, meaning he would miss El Súper Clásico against Guadalajara. On 3 November, he scored the second goal in the 4–0 win over Pachuca. On 17 November, Jiménez scored in the 1–2 defeat to Morelia in the second-leg of the quarter-final. Despite the loss, América won the series by a 3–2 aggregate score and advanced to the semi-finals. América would ultimately be eliminated in the semi-finals by Toluca. Jimenéz ended the tournament with sixteen appearances and scoring four goals.
Jiménez began the Clausura 2013 tournament as a starter in the first two league matches, and scored his first brace in the 4–0 victory over Atlante on 19 January. He bagged another brace on 2 February in América's 3–0 win against Querétaro. On 31 March, Jiménez scored two headers in the 2–0 victory over Guadalajara at the Estadio Omnilife. Jimenéz finished the regular phase of the tournament with eight goals, and scored in América's 1–0 away win over Pumas UNAM in the first-leg of the quarter-final series of the playoffs on 8 May. In the second-leg of the semi-final series against Monterrey, Jimenéz scored from a penalty and assisted Christian Benitez in the second goal to win the match 2–1 (4–3 on aggregate), sending América to the Final against Cruz Azul. Jiménez played in both legs and scored in the subsequent penalty shoot-out which América ultimately won, thus being crowned league champions.
2013–14 season On 3 August 2013, Jiménez scored his first goal of the Apertura tournament in the 3–0 win over Atlas. He would go on to score in each of the next three matches in wins over Atlante, Pachuca, and Morelia, respectively, taking his goal tally to four goals in five matches played. He would score again on 13 September in América's 1–2 defeat to Santos Laguna. On 5 October, Jiménez scored a header and assisted in Luis Gabriel Rey's goal in the 2–0 victory over Guadalajara. Jiménez ended the regular-phase of the Apertura with seven goals in twelve games played. He scored in the second-leg of the quarter-finals against Tigres UANL which ended in a 1–1 draw at the Estadio Azteca on 1 December, with América advancing, despite a 2–2 aggregate score, due to the away-goals rule. América would win the semi-final matches against Toluca and advance once again to the league final, though failing to achieve the repeat after losing both legs to León.
The Clausura 2014 tournament saw Jiménez make 17 appearances and score 8 goals. In the quarter-final match against Santos Laguna on 30 April, Jiménez scored a hat-trick in the 5–3 win. However, América would lose the second-leg of the series 1–3 and being eliminated from the playoffs, despite a 6–6 aggregate score due to the away-goals rule.
2014–15 season Jiménez began the Apertura 2014 tournament scoring four goals in the first three games. On 26 July, he scored the first goal in América's 2–1 win over Tijuana. On 4 August, he scored a hat-trick and assisted Oribe Peralta in the 4–0 win against Puebla. Jiménez played his final game for América on 9 August 2014 against Tigres UANL, providing the assist for the second goal scored by Miguel Layún in the 2–0 win.
Atlético Madrid
On 13 August 2014, Atlético Madrid reached an agreement with Club América for Jiménez, for a fee reported to be in the region of €11 million. The following day, he signed a six-year deal after passing the medical examination. Jiménez made his debut on 16 August, in the final of the Ramón de Carranza Trophy pre-season tournament against Sampdoria, starting the match and being substituted out in the 79th minute. Atlético won 2–0.
Jiménez made his competitive debut in the first leg of the Supercopa de España on 19 August, a 1–1 draw against Real Madrid, playing the final 12 minutes in place of fellow debutant Mario Mandžukić. Jiménez played in the second leg as well coming on as a substitute for Antoine Griezmann in the 73rd minute of the match, the game ended in a 1–0 win and an aggregated score of 2–1.
Jiménez made his La Liga debut on 25 August 2014, in a goalless draw against Rayo Vallecano. He scored his first league goal for Atlético on 27 September, in a 4–0 win against Sevilla, coming off the bench. It was his only goal for Atlético that season.
Benfica On 9 August 2015 Jiménez, who was expected to complete a loan deal to Premier League side West Ham United, failed to show up to his medical after reports claimed he had missed his flight to London after he had overslept. However, multiple sources had reported his agent Jorge Mendes had suggested he spurn the move, in favour of a move to Primeira Liga side Benfica.
On 13 August 2015, Jiménez joined Portuguese champions Benfica, signing a five-year deal. Benfica spent €9.836 million to bring Jiménez to the club, although this included unspecified amounts on agent's fees and signing-on fees in addition to the transfer fee itself. The €9.836 million may have included a €1 million transfer fee, and €3 million to acquire 50% of the player's economic rights.
2015–16 season
Jiménez scored his first goal for Benfica on 29 August against Moreirense, scoring a header in the 75th minute to level the score 1–1, with Benfica eventually winning the match 3–2.
On 26 November, Jiménez scored his first two goals in the UEFA Champions League, striking at both ends in each half as Benfica salvaged a 2–2 away draw against Astana. On 9 March 2016, he helped Benfica to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League in a 2–1 away victory against Zenit Saint Petersburg. In the 85th minute of the match, Jimenéz struck a long-range shot which was saved by Yuri Lodygin onto the bar, with the ball rebounding to Nicolás Gaitán who tied the match 1–1. On 9 April, he came off the bench and scored the winning goal in the 2–1 victory against Académica, securing Benfica's lead in the Primeira Liga. Four days later, due to the suspension of Jonas in the first leg, Jiménez started the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final match against Bayern Munich, scoring the first goal in the 2–2 draw at the Estádio da Luz; a 3–2 defeat on aggregate meant Benfica were eliminated from the competition.
On 24 April, he scored another winner in the league, this time scoring the lone goal against Rio Ave, extending Benfica's lead in the league. On 15 May, Jiménez came on as a second-half substitute as Benfica were crowned league champions after defeating Nacional 4–1. Five days later, he capped off the season scoring from the penalty spot in the 6–2 win over Marítimo in the Taça da Liga final, where he also finished as the competition's top goalscorer with four goals.
2016–17 season On 21 July 2016, it was announced that Benfica had purchased the remaining 50% of Jiménez's economic rights for €12 million. It was widely reported that this had brought the total value of his transfer to around €22 million, making Jiménez the most expensive player in Portuguese football history (this remains unsubstantiated, since the €9.836 million spent by Benfica in 2015 included various costs besides the transfer fee) and the most expensive Mexican player. In that season, he played in the Taça de Portugal final, which Benfica won over Vitória de Guimarães (2–1).
2017–18 season Jiménez came off the bench to score Benfica's final goal in their 3–1 Super Cup win over Vitória de Guimarães. On 17 December, Jiménez made his 100th appearance for Benfica in all competitions following an away 5–1 win over Tondela.
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2018–19 season as loan On 12 June 2018, Benfica loaned out Jiménez to newly promoted Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers on a season-long loan for a fee of €3 million, with a buyout clause of €38 million. On 29 June, it was reported that he had extended his contract with Benfica until June 2021 before being loaned out.