SANTIAGO GIMENEZ: FOCUS AND FUN FACTS | OneFootball

We wanted him, and he wanted to join. Santiago Gimenez is a new face up front for AC Milan. A mobile forward with a powerful shot, he is primarily left-footed but also poses a threat with his right, and he possesses a remarkable goalscoring instinct and the ability to make the most of every opportunity. Santiago was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 18 April 2001 but proudly represents the Mexico national team. He developed as a player at Cruz Azul, where he made his first-team debut on 2 August 2017 at the age of just 16. He then became a permanent member of the first team in the 2019/20 season and would make a significant contribution as La Máquina won their ninth league championship, ending a 23-year drought. At Cruz Azul, he ended up winning six trophies, including the 2022 Supercopa de la Liga MX, a match he scored in. Then, in the summer of 2022, he moved to Europe, signing for Feyenoord. It didn’t take long for him to start finding the net: he bagged his first goal as Slot’s side beat Emmen on 27 August. In early September, he netted his first goals at European level; they came against Lazio at the Olimpico in the Europa League. His first season in the Netherlands was hugely successful: Gimenez bagged 15 goals (23 in all competitions) as the club based in Rotterdam won the Eredivisie title.

The following season - 2023/24 - saw him increase his goal tally in the league (23 goals) and make his debut in the Champions League. His first goal in Europe’s elite competition came against Lazio, one of the high points of 2023, a hugely successful year for him. Indeed, he set a record for the number of goals scored in the Eredivisie in a calendar year (31), surpassing previous record-holder Luis Suárez. In his second season in the Netherlands, he won the KNVB Cup, and this was followed by a Super Cup triumph after victory over PSV in August 2024. In his final months at Feyenoord, he scored a further five goals in the Champions League, and, in general, he found the net 65 times in 105 appearances in two and a half seasons in Rotterdam. It’s impossible to talk about Gimenez’s career without mentioning his journey with Mexico, who he opted to play for instead of Argentina. After progressing through Mexico's youth ranks, his senior debut arrived in October 2021. To date, his biggest highlight at international level has been winning the 2023 Gold Cup, where he scored in the final against Panama, and he also impressed in the most recent Copa América. Now, a long-awaited experience with Milan begins.

Here are some fun facts about Gimenez:

FOLLOWING IN HIS FATHER'S FOOTSTEPS AND A SPECIAL DEBUT Football has always been part of his life, especially thanks to his father, Christian, also known as "Chaco." At a very young age, Santi moved to Mexico with his family. His father was part of his debut at Cruz Azul: when the new Rossoneri player made his first appearance, he did so alongside his father in a friendly against Pumas. In addition to his Argentine and Mexican citizenship, Santiago also holds an Italian passport due to his family's origins.

NICKNAMES AND THE ROSSONERI IN HIS DESTINY Recently, on social media, his father, Christian, shared photos of Santiago as a child wearing an AC Milan shirt. The new AC Milan man has himself emphasised how, from a young age, he had a passion for the Rossoneri colours. Speaking of his father, one of Santiago's two nicknames is linked to him: chaquito, from "Chaco". This is a nickname, or apodo, as it's called in Latin America, that Santiago doesn't particularly like, as he's eager to carve out his own path. The other nickname, which has been circulating widely on social media in recent days, is "Bebote", which was given to him due to his physical strength, something which has set him apart from his peers since his teenage years.

FAITH AND HIS WIFE, FERNANDA Today, Santiago Gimenez is one of the most promising strikers in European football, but his career almost came to an end at the age of 17. At that time, the new AC Milan man had to stop playing for six months due to thrombosis in his right shoulder, an episode from which he fully recovered and which strengthened his relationship with his faith. A lifelong Catholic, religion is very important to Santi, who raises his fingers and looks to the sky as a sign of gratitude whenever he scores. In recent months, our No.7 also married his beloved partner Fernanda, a Mexican singer and artist who he met in a rather unique way. Both are passionate about video games, and they first met when they competed against each other online.

THE FIRST MEXICAN, BUT NOT THE FIRST FROM FEYENOORD... In December, we celebrated our 125th anniversary. In our glorious history, we've had players of as many as 57 different nationalities play for us. Although Santiago Gimenez was born in Buenos Aires, he's the first Mexican player in AC Milan's history. However, he's not the first player to arrive from Feyenoord: Jon Dahl Tomasson joined from the Dutch club over 20 years ago. The Dane signed for the Rossoneri in the summer of 2002 prior to a particularly memorable season for us. The hope is that Santiago can bring more success to the Club.

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