Mexico will face England in the last 16 of the World Cup with one particular record in mind, with Raul Jimenez also aiming for more joy against Jordan Pickford.
Mexican striker Raul Jimenez loves playing against England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford
Mexico considers Raul Jimenez their own Harry Kane. And rather alarmingly, statistics show that Jordan Pickford is the favorite goalkeeper to play against.
The 35-year-old has six more shots than England’s No. 1 shot-stopper during his spell at Wolves and Fulham, where he recently re-signed. That’s more than any other shot stopper.
Five of those goals came for the Old Gold, including a goal for the Cottage against Everton in May 2025.
Łukasz Fabianski is second on Jimenez’s hit list with five goals conceded, and Pickford is now looking to avoid further damage.
Jimenez’s career came to an early end in November 2020 when he suffered a skull fracture in a sickening mid-air collision with Arsenal.
He underwent life-saving surgery and miraculously returned to light training just two weeks later, embodying the spirit of a warrior.
Now, he has already scored two goals for Mexico at this World Cup, proving that age is just a number – even if his game is now defined purely by goals.
If Jimenez can inspire them to an iconic victory over England, he could further cement his legacy as one of La Tri’s all-time greats.
Only Javier Hernández (52) has scored more goals for his national team than Mexico’s evergreen frontman. He is now six goals shy of Chicharito’s record (47).
Defensively, however, there is another milestone that Javier Aguirre’s ambitious side have their sights set on.
That’s because the co-hosts have kept a clean sheet in four games in a row at this World Cup, shutting out South Africa, South Korea, the Czech Republic and Ecuador en route to the Round of 16.
Mexico has yet to concede a goal in this World Cup.
In total, Raul Tara Rangel and 40-year-old veteran Guillermo Ochoa have not conceded a single goal in 360 minutes of play.
Rangel was solid for 348 of those minutes, while Ochoa, who will retire after the tournament, had a 12-minute cameo in the 3-0 win over the Czech Republic.
Mexico’s defense is currently driven by the prospect of breaking England’s 1966 record of not conceding a goal for nearly 442 minutes en route to World Cup glory (the second-longest scoreless streak in a World Cup).
Gordon was ultimately eclipsed by Eusebio that year – in the same tournament Mexican goalkeeper Antonio Carvajal set an unwelcome personal record for most goals conceded in multiple World Cups (25 goals) – but La Tri will surpass the Three Lions’ feat if he stops the likes of Harry Kane at the Estadio Azteca.
Mexico must prove they can silence England before they can dream of breaking the World Cup clean sheet record held by Italy’s Walter Zenga (517) in 1990.
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