Making the move from the Americas to European soccer is not simple for most, but Santiago Giménez' adjustment to life in the Eredivisie has looked, at times, too easy.
The numbers prove it. Last season, he finished with 23 goals in 45 games in all competitions, a record for a Mexican striker playing their first season in European soccer. His performance this season has continued to show that he might be ready for the next big step in his career.
Giménez surpassed the 20 goals scored by Javier "Chicharito" Hernández for Manchester United during his initial 2010-11 season, as well as Luis García's 20-goal season with Atlético Madrid during the 1992-93 campaign.
His 14 league goals last year helped Feyenoord break a 4-year drought without a league title and, so far this season, 'Santi' leads the Dutch league with 16 goals. He has also made some childhood dreams come true by playing and scoring in a UEFA Champions League game.
Dreams come true… 🧠🫀#FEYLAZ #UCL pic.twitter.com/zMF2Eq33hN
— Santiago Gimenez (@Santigim11) October 26, 2023
If he can maintain his current form, 'Santi' could have a realistic push for the European Golden Boot. Across all European leagues, only Harry Kane (18) has scored more league goals than the Mexican striker.
It has been more than 20 years since a player from outside the top 5 European leagues (England, Spain, France, Germany and Italy) has wom the European Golden Boot, when Mário Jardel from Sporting CP won his 2nd award thanks to 42 goals in Portugal's Primeira Liga in 2002.
Only one Mexican has been crowned as the best striker in Europe. It was in the 1989-90 season, when Hugo Sánchez scored a total of 38 goals in LaLiga for Real Madrid.
Even though a push to a more competitive league might sound too soon for some, Gimenez' has attracted a lot of interest from top clubs around Europe. With more than half the season left, he has a chance to break even more records set by past Mexican strikers.
At a distant 43 goals in all comps during the 1986-87 campaign, Real Madrid legend Hugo Sánchez holds the record for most goals in a single season by a Mexican. 'Santi' might need would need a spectacular second-half of the season to match Hugo's numbers, but he still has a shot at chasing some marks set by modern Mexican icons in Europe.
Mexico's all-time leading scorer, Javier Hernández, had his most prolific season in Europe with Bayer Leverkusen during 2015-16, scoring 26 goals including 5 in the UEFA Champions League. Raúl Jiménez also had a 25-goal season when in 2018-19, he contributed to 27 of his team's goals including 17 in the Premier League.
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