Santiago Gimenez Faces Heavy Criticism After Scoreless Display in Mexico’s Defeat to the United States

Santiago Gimenez faced intense public backlash following a scoreless performance in Mexico’s 3–0 international friendly defeat against the United States at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The FC Porto forward, currently on loan from Milan, squandered two clear scoring opportunities during the first half before being substituted in the 72nd minute, extending his scoreless drought with the national team to over a year.

Early Misses and Tactical Breakdown in Glendale

The match marked Gimenez’s first start for Mexico since October 12, 2025, when Mexico fell 4–0 to Colombia. Operating at the front of the attack, the 25-year-old striker struggled to find his footing during a dismal opening half for the Mexican squad. In the fourth minute, following a rapid transition and combination with Roberto Alvarado, Gimenez found himself isolated in front of United States goalkeeper Diego Kochen but failed to make contact with the ball, letting it pass underneath his foot. Moments before halftime, with Mexico already trailing following a 28th-minute goal by Julian Hall, the U.S. goalkeeper spilled a cross directly into the path of the onrushing forward. Gimenez once again missed the target, firing wide from close range.

Capitalizing on Mexico’s defensive lapses, Pochettino’s side extended their lead in the second half. Sullivan and Tillman added goals in the 62nd and 84th minutes, respectively, sealing the 3–0 victory. Statistical records highlighted Gimenez’s ongoing struggles in international fixtures: across 52 or 53 appearances depending on the match sheet tally, the Buenos Aires-born striker has scored just six goals, averaging one every 392 minutes, and has now accumulated 225 minutes without a direct goal contribution for the national team.

Rafa Márquez Defends Striker Amid Public Outcry

The forward’s performance sparked an immediate wave of harsh reactions across social media and sports media platforms. Outlets such as Marca highlighted harsh supporter commentary, with critics labeling the missed chances as an absurdo and a falhanço que dá vergonha while calling for his exclusion from future squads. Tensions escalated further when the player’s father publicly criticized his display during a television program.

Despite the widespread outcry, Mexico manager Rafa Márquez defended his starting striker in post-match comments. To Santi, what he lacks is more minutes to be in better shape, Márquez stated, pointing out that the player had been managing a physical complaint that kept him out of prior fixtures. However, what we wanted here was to give him minutes so that he could regain form after a physical issue… We trust him and hopefully he can have more opportunities to achieve a better rhythm of play.

Intensifying Pressure at Club Level with FC Porto

The scrutiny follows a challenging transition at club level since joining FC Porto on loan from Milan. While Gimenez has converted a penalty kick in stoppage time against Casa Pia at the Municipal Stadium of Rio Maior, competition for places in manager Francesco Farioli’s starting lineup remains fierce. André Silva has established a firm hold on the central striker role with three goals and two assists across nine appearances, while Samu Aghehowa has returned from injury to rejoin the squad, further tightening the battle for minutes in the Dragão attacking line.

Next Fixture Against Chile in Los Angeles

Santiago Gimenez will have an immediate opportunity to respond to the criticism when Mexico faces Chile on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at 03:30 (Portugal Continental time) at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.