The opening match of the 23rd World Cup - the Mexico-South Africa encounter held on June 11 at Mexico's "Azteca" stadium ended with the hosts' victory.
The second goal of the game was scored by Mexican forward Raul Jimenez with a header against the South African team’s goal.
Medianews.az recalls that Raul Jimenez is a footballer who suffered a very serious injury on November 29, 2020, in the English Premier League (EPL) match between "Wolverhampton" and "Arsenal," resulting in a skull fracture and brain hemorrhage.
Raul Jimenez sustained that injury during a head-to-head collision in an aerial duel with "Arsenal" defender David Luiz.
The bone fragment pressed on the brain, so the player underwent emergency surgery. According to doctors, miraculously, he not only escaped paralysis but also the risk of death.
Raul Jimenez’s return to the green fields took approximately nine months.
Although the severe injury he suffered while playing for "Wolverhampton" put Raul Jimenez’s career at risk of ending, he was able to successfully return to football.
Currently, Raul Jimenez continues to perform at a high level at England's "Fulham" club and the Mexico national team.
But to prevent re-injuries, he wears a special protective headband (medical protective helmet-band) on his head for every game.
Video and photos taken at the time Raul Jimenez was injured on November 29, 2020:
Raul Jimenez in the 2026 World Cup:
