Santiago Giménez responds to the ridicule about his Argentine nationality and criticized the Liga MX

Photo: RINGO CHIU/Getty Images

Santiago Giménez was Mexico's great hero in the Gold Cup final. When everything seemed that the Panamanians and Mexicans would go to an exhausting extra time, a genius of Bebote gave victory to the Mexican team who lifted the Concacaf trophy. On social networks they mocked El Tri for "depending on an Argentine". But the former Cruz Azul player responded categorically.

After the Gold Cup game, an Argentine media highlighted that El Tri had won the title with a goal by a soccer player born in Argentina. Santiago Giménez, son of Christian Giménez, was born in Buenos Aires. But at the age of two he had to go to Mexico with his father, since Chaco had signed with Veracruz.

Under these circumstances, Santiago Giménez developed his soccer career on Mexican soil and he was generating his sense of belonging with El Tri. After he debuted with Cruz Azul and was demonstrating his talent, the Bebote became an eligible piece for the Mexican national team.

“I chose Mexico because of what I felt inside of me, I didn't see anything else, I didn't see what was best for me, I didn't listen to what my family was telling me, I just put it in my mind that I feel Mexican or Argentinean and That's when I decided that I really feel Mexican. I have been in Mexico since I was two years old and that is why I have identified myself,” Giménez explained in an interview with TUDN.

Praise and criticism of Liga MX

Santiago Giménez is one of the strikers in the best shape that Mexico has. The former Cruz Azul player will play his second season with Feyenoord, club in which he contributed more than 20 goals in his first campaign and contributed to obtaining the Eredivisie. The Aztec left La Máquina to the Netherlands and continued with his great scoring pace. El Bebote explained that the level of both tournaments is similar.

“The level of European football is quite good, intense, the MX League has a very similar level, but the difference is that in Europe you lose one or two games and the championship is complicated for you, Every game you have to be 100 percent, focused”, explained.

However, the Bebote joined one of the criticisms of some analysts and even Mexican soccer coaches. Santiago Giménez does not see the benefit of the Liguilla phaseespecially with the number of teams advancing to this stage. This condition makes the level between the teams is lost a bit and the maximum is not delivered during the first stage of the Liga MX.

“Here in Mexico, since there is a Liguilla, as 12 play, you can relax a bit and nothing happens, that's the big difference, but the level is very similar", he concluded.

Santiago Giménez after the Gold Cup final

Keep reading:
· "Mexicans need an Argentine to win something": they mock El Tri for Santiago Giménez's goal in the Gold Cup
· Diego Lainez presumes to have won the Gold Cup and the memes humiliated him
· Will Jaime Lozano's path continue in the Mexican team?