What Happened to Raul Jimenez? From “Code Red” Horror to a Football Miracle

Raúl Jiménez always looked fearless on the field. The way he attacked every cross, every loose ball — it felt like nothing could stop him. Even the toughest striker, however, can’t plan for what no one sees coming.

People still ask what happened to Raúl Jiménez that night in London in November 2020, and the truth is as chilling as it is inspiring. His story isn’t just about a horrific injury. It’s about survival, trust in doctors, and a comeback that even he admits felt like a miracle.

It was November 2020 when Raúl collided headfirst with Arsenal’s David Luiz. The crack of bone meeting bone was so loud that players froze in shock. Wolves’ manager at the time, Nuno Espírito Santo, described what followed in raw, unforgettable words.

“You start hearing ‘code red,'” Nuno told reporters, per Fox Sports. “It was a bad moment. What was the reaction? Panic, panic, panic. You could see the faces on the teammates. It was a serious situation. It’s awful and terrible.”

The collision fractured Raúl’s skull. He was knocked out cold on the pitch and rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery. Doctors found the bone had broken and was pressing into his brain. He later admitted he couldn’t even remember the match — a small mercy, given how violent the impact was.

“They told me it was like a miracle to be there,” Raúl later recalled per Fox Sports. “The bone broke, and there was a little bit of bleeding inside the brain. It was pushing my brain to the inside, and that is why the surgery had to be quick.”

After surgery, Raúl spent 10 days in the hospital. The recovery wasn’t just physical; it was psychological. He missed over 200 days of football and more than 40 matches while healing, per BeIN Sports. Teammates and fans wondered if he would ever play again.

Even when he returned to training, he was cautious. Doctors made it clear — another blow to the head could be catastrophic. So, he wore a protective headband, a stark reminder of how close he’d come to tragedy.

Raúl, however, didn’t shy away from playing. He worked quietly to rebuild strength and confidence, learning to head the ball carefully, testing his limits with medical clearance.

He wasn’t just trying to return — he wanted to be the player he was before.

In 2023, per Wikipedia, Raúl signed with Fulham in the Premier League. It was a fresh start but also a gamble. At first, some doubted he’d ever be the same striker who had terrified defenses at Wolves.

But Raúl didn’t want pity. He wanted goals. He gradually found form, scored important league goals, and even broke the record for most Premier League goals by a Mexican player.

By 2024 and 2025, he was a reliable scorer again, earning respect not because of the headband, but because he was once more delivering on the field.

If there was ever proof his story was more than survival, it came with the national team. Raúl was selected for Mexico’s Gold Cup squad in 2025. In the semifinal against Honduras, it was his calm, precise penalty that sent ElTri to yet another final.

According to Goal.com, it was the perfect arc for a man once told he might not even live, let alone play. No one on the field doubted who would take that penalty. Raúl delivered, his expression cool and focused, the headband still in place — a symbol not of fragility but of survival.

Ask anyone who watched that horror in 2020, and they’ll tell you they feared the worst. Doctors told him it was a miracle he survived. Teammates heard “code red” and panicked.

But Raúl chose to come back. He chose the surgery, the rehab, and the slow return. He chose to trust his body again. In the end, Raúl returned to the field with the same hunger that defined him before the injury.

His story isn’t just about what happened to him on that awful night. It’s about everything he chose to do afterward.