Panama v Mexico: Final - CONCACAF Nations League
The Fulham striker dismissed the idea of a true football rivalry between El Tri and La Albiceleste.
Chile v Argentina - FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier
WHAT HAPPENED?
Raúl Jiménez, striker for Fulham and a regular with the Mexican national team, weighed in on recent remarks made by Lionel Messi regarding the supposed football rivalry between Mexico and Argentina—and he didn’t disagree.
Speaking in April on the podcast Simplemente Fútbol, Messi had dismissed the idea of a rivalry, saying he didn’t understand where it came from. He emphasized that, although he’s always felt respected by Mexican fans, the football gap between the two nations is too wide to call it a rivalry.
"I honestly don’t know where this rivalry started. I've always felt very appreciated in Mexico and never disrespected anyone. But people there seem to have built a rivalry with us that doesn’t exist. There’s really no comparison between Argentina and Mexico," said Messi, who currently plays for Inter Miami.
Asked about those comments in a recent interview, Jiménez echoed a similar sentiment. While acknowledging that some fans feel tension when the two sides meet, he admitted the results speak for themselves.
“There’s no real rivalry between Mexico and Argentina, there’s a bit, but mostly from the Mexican side. The truth is, Argentina has beaten us more often, they have a richer football history, they've gone deeper in major tournaments, and they just won the last World Cup,” said Jiménez. “So, in a way, Messi's right. I want to see Mexico up there, competing at that level, but it’s hard to argue against what he said.”
Jiménez also noted that social media tends to amplify these debates, turning them into confrontations between fan bases. “That’s just how social media works—everyone against everyone,” he added, choosing not to escalate the topic further.
FBL-WC2006-MATCH50-ARG-MEX
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Mexico and Argentina have met four times on the World Cup stage - in 1930, 2006, 2010, and 2022 - and all four matches ended in victories for La Albiceleste. For Mexican fans, those defeats - especially the knockout stage exits in 2006 and 2010 - still leave a painful mark.
The 2006 Round of 16 clash remains one of the most heartbreaking. Despite a strong performance from El Tri, Argentina edged out the win thanks to an unforgettable extra-time goal by Maxi Rodríguez. That match saw Mexico go toe-to-toe with a squad featuring Lionel Messi, holding their own and arguably outplaying their South American rivals for long stretches.
In South Africa 2010, the story repeated itself - Argentina again eliminated Mexico in the Round of 16, this time with a brace from Carlos Tévez and a goal by Gonzalo Higuaín. Javier 'Chicharito' Hernández found the net for Mexico, offering a glimmer of hope, but the team would ultimately lose 3-1.
Panama v Mexico: Final - CONCACAF Nations League
DID YOU KNOW?
Hernández remains Mexico's all-time leading scorer with 52 goals, followed by Jared Borgetti with 46, and Raúl Jiménez with 39 - though unofficially he has 40, as one goal has yet to be recognized by FIFA.
This summer, El Lobo has a real shot at closing the gap, especially with Mexico facing a packed schedule leading up to the 2026 World Cup, including several friendlies and the Gold Cup.
Panama v Mexico: Final - CONCACAF Nations League
WHAT NEXT FOR MEXICO NATIONAL TEAM?
Mexico will face Switzerland on Saturday in Utah, followed by a match against Turkey on June 10 in North Carolina. El Tri will then kick off their Gold Cup campaign on June 14 against the Dominican Republic at SoFi Stadium.
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