Mexico Coach Defends FC Porto’s Santiago Gimenez After Missed Chances Against USA
- FC Porto forward Santiago Gimenez faced intense criticism across Mexican media following two glaring misses in a 3-0 friendly defeat to the United States on October 4, 2026,...
- The heavy loss left Gimenez without an international goal for over a year, with his last strike for the national team coming on September 10, 2025, in a...
- Despite criticism from his own father during a television program, Mexico coach Rafa Márquez publicly backed the player after the match.
FC Porto forward Santiago Gimenez faced intense criticism across Mexican media following two glaring misses in a 3-0 friendly defeat to the United States on October 4, 2026, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The 25-year-old striker, currently on loan from Milan, squandered a close-range chance in the third minute and missed another opportunity before halftime as the United States capitalized on defensive errors to secure the win through goals from Julian Hall, Sullivan, and Tillman.
The heavy loss left Gimenez without an international goal for over a year, with his last strike for the national team coming on September 10, 2025, in a 2-2 draw against South Korea. Across 53 appearances for Mexico, the forward has scored six goals. The striker’s performance sparked a wave of backlash online, with outlets such as Marca describing the misses as absurd and shameful, while supporters called for his exclusion from future squads.
Rafa Márquez Defends Gimenez After Heavy Defeat
Despite criticism from his own father during a television program, Mexico coach Rafa Márquez publicly backed the player after the match. Márquez explained that the forward required playing time to regain full fitness following a physical complaint that kept him out of the team’s opening fixtures.
Al Santi faz-lhe falta ter mais minutos para estar numa melhor forma. No entanto, o que queríamos aqui era dar-lhe minutos para que voltasse a ganhar forma depois de uma queixa física que vinha a ter e que o impediu de participar nos dois primeiros jogos. Confiamos nele e oxalá possa ter mais oportunidades para conseguir um melhor ritmo de jogo
Rafa Márquez
The forward’s scoring drought extends to 225 minutes without a direct goal contribution for the national team. While Gimenez has converted a penalty in added time against Casa Pia during his club campaign with FC Porto, he faces mounting pressure in Portugal. Manager Francesco Farioli has regularly favored André Silva, who has netted three goals and provided two assists across nine matches, while Samu Aghehowa has also returned from injury to contest a spot in the blue-and-white attack.
Upcoming fixture against Chile at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Santiago Gimenez will have an immediate opportunity to respond to the criticism when Mexico faces Chile on Wednesday, at 03:30 Continental Portugal time at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.