Santiago Gimenez: From Feyenoord Star to Milan's Struggles
Santiago Gimenez arrived at San Siro carrying numbers that usually bend transfer meetings in an instant. Sixty-five goals in 105 games for Feyenoord. More than 20 in each of his two full seasons at De Kuip. A penalty-box predator with a left foot that had lit up the Eredivisie and drawn scouts from every major league in Europe.
Premier League clubs circled. They called, they pushed, they waited. He said no.
The Mexican forward chose Milan, chose the Rossoneri he had followed as a boy on television, chose the club whose shirt he used to dream about. For a striker with that scoring record and that conviction, it felt like a move that made perfect sense.
The reality has been harsher.
From Rotterdam rhythm to Milan turbulence
Gimenez did find the net after landing in Italy. Six goals in his first months at San Siro hinted at a smooth transition, the kind of early return that calms nerves in the directors’ box and in the curva. Yet the performances never quite matched the promise. Runs were mistimed, combinations broke down, the penalty area that once looked huge in Rotterdam suddenly felt crowded and unforgiving.
The explanation seemed simple at first: adaptation. New league, new language, new expectations. A player stepping out of his comfort zone is allowed a few missteps.
Then the injuries arrived and stripped away any margin for error.
In his first full season in Serie A, Gimenez spent five months on the sidelines. For a striker who lives on rhythm and repetition, that is an eternity. Match sharpness vanished. Confidence followed. By the end of the campaign, his only goal of note came in the Coppa Italia, a lonely statistic in a year that was supposed to announce him to Italy.
Around him, Milan wobbled. The club is braced for another reset, with head coach Massimiliano Allegri leaving and senior figures facing scrutiny. In that kind of storm, a new centre-forward can either become a saviour or another name on the list of problems.
Right now, Gimenez sits somewhere in between.
Borgetti’s verdict: a shared responsibility
In Mexico, where every step of his European adventure is watched closely, the conversation has already started: does he need a fresh start?
Jared Borgetti, the country’s second-highest goalscorer of all time, did not hide from the complexity when asked about Gimenez’s situation by GOAL, speaking on behalf of 10bet.
“Unfortunately, the move to Italy hasn't been a good year for Santiago, but it's not solely due to the player or his problems,” Borgetti said. “I think his injury has also played a significant role in preventing him from achieving consistency, competing for a starting position, and reaching the level he showed in the Netherlands.”
He did not spare Milan either.
“I believe Milan as a whole hasn't been performing well, and when a team isn't playing well, no player can truly stand out. To say that any player stood out at Milan this season, I think we'd be exaggerating or just saying it for the sake of it, so, I don't think the team helped much either.
“He's a player who needs the team to be playing well, for the system of play to suit his style, so that he can have scoring opportunities and create plenty of chances for the team to capitalise on. I do think the dip in form is partly due to him, partly due to the team, and obviously, the atmosphere also ends up affecting his individual performances.”
It is a blunt assessment, but a fair one. Gimenez has not hit his level. Milan have not either. Both have suffered for it.
A bond with San Siro that refuses to break
For all the frustration, one thing has not cracked: the relationship between Gimenez and the stands. San Siro can be unforgiving, yet the Mexican has not been targeted with the kind of hostility that has engulfed others. His story, his honesty, and his effort have bought him time.
He understands exactly what this club means to him.
“I have supported Milan since I was a child, so finding myself playing in that stadium that I could only see on television means a great deal to me,” he told Billboard Italia. “The fans welcomed me with so much affection and, despite the fact I have not yet performed as I would have liked, they continue to push me and trust me. Like a family.”
That word matters. Family. It explains why, despite whispers of another move, Gimenez still talks about Milan as a destination rather than a stopover. His contract runs until the summer of 2029. There is time, if he can seize it.
To do that, he may need a different stage first.
A World Cup to reset everything
The 2026 World Cup will not just be any tournament for Gimenez. It will be played on Mexican soil, under the weight and warmth of a country that expects, demands and embraces its number nine in equal measure.
“When you wear the national team jersey, you represent an entire country, so you have a huge responsibility, but at the same time, it’s a wonderful thing,” he said. “I know that Mexico, with its people, is very strong at home. I’m convinced it will be a great World Cup. Mexico will win, and I’ll be the top scorer!”
It is an audacious statement, the kind that can sound reckless from the wrong mouth. From Gimenez, it reads as a declaration of intent. He wants the pressure. He wants the spotlight. He wants the chance to remind everyone why Milan fought for his signature in the first place.
Mexico will open the tournament at the Azteca Stadium, facing South Africa in a fixture loaded with symbolism. The eyes of the world, the roar of the crowd, the first ball of a World Cup kicked in a stadium that breathes football history.
From there, El Tri will meet South Korea and Czechia in Group A. On paper, it is a group that offers opportunity. In reality, it will test Mexico’s ability to turn home advantage into something more substantial than noise.
For Gimenez, the mission is clear: lead the line, drag his country into the knockout rounds, and use that surge of momentum as a springboard back to Milan.
Because once the World Cup ends, the questions in Italy will return. Can he finally translate Feyenoord’s numbers to Serie A? Can he become the forward he promised to be, not just the one he used to be?
By the time he walks back into San Siro, either as a World Cup star or a man still searching for answers, the margin for doubt will be smaller. The expectations will not.
