# Jesús Jiménez (footballer)

Jesús Jiménez Núñez (born 5 November 1993) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a striker for Indian Super League club Kerala Blasters.

## Early life

Jiménez began playing youth football with Lugo de Fuenlabrada, later attending the Atlético Madrid youth school. At age 16 or 17, he joined the academy of CD Leganés.

## Club career

After having spent two seasons with CD Leganés B, he went on to represent AD Unión Adarve, AD Alcorcón B, Atlético Pinto in Tercera División.
On 18 July 2015, Jiménez joined newly promoted club CD Illescas. He scored 15 goals in 36 matches that season.
In the summer of 2016, he moved to CF Talavera de la Reina. On 27 November, he scored four goals in a 5–0 victory against his former club Illescas. He scored 26 league goals in his first season with his club winning promotion to Segunda División B. On 6 September 2017, he scored twice in a 3–1 Copa del Rey victory against Antequera CF.
On 1 June 2018, Jiménez moved abroad and joined Polish club Górnik Zabrze on a three-year contract. On 12 July, he made his first team debut, starting in a 1–0 win against Moldovan club Zaria Bălți in the UEFA Europa League qualifiers. In his second season, he scored 12 goals and compatriot teammate Igor Angulo scored 16. He recorded the same figures in 2020–21, including a hat-trick on the opening day in a 4–2 home win over Podbeskidzie Bielsko-Biała.
On 7 February 2022, Jiménez signed with Major League Soccer club Toronto FC on an initial two-and-a-half-year deal. He made his debut on 26 February in the season opener against FC Dallas. He scored his first goal in the next match on 5 March, in a 4–1 loss against the New York Red Bulls.
In February 2023, ahead of the 2023 MLS season, he was traded to FC Dallas in exchange for Brandon Servania. After dealing with visa issues, he made his debut for the club on 18 March 2023, in a match against Sporting Kansas City. After the season, he agreed to mutually terminate the remainder of his contract.
In February 2024, he signed with Super League Greece club OFI Crete. In late August 2024, he agreed to mutually terminate his contract with the Greek club.
On 30 August 2024, following heavy media speculation, Jiménez left OFI Crete and joined the Indian Super League club Kerala Blasters FC on a two-year deal until 2026. He debuted for the Blasters on 15 September 2024 in a 2–1 loss against Punjab, in a substitute appearance, also scoring his first goal for the club in the match. His next two goals came against Odisha FC in October, along with a match winning goal against the Kolkata side, Mohammedan SC. After scoring the opening goal in a 3–0 win against Chennaiyin on 24 November, he became the first player in Kerala Blasters' history to score in six consecutive matches.

## Career statistics

    As of match played 30 January 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Alcorcón B | 2014–15 | Tercera División | 13 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 13 | 1 |
| Atlético Pinto | 2014–15 | Tercera División | 16 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 16 | 2 |
| Illescas | 2015–16 | Tercera División | 36 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 36 | 15 |
| Talavera | 2016–17 | Tercera División | 33 | 26 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 35 | 27 |
| Talavera | 2017–18 | Segunda División B | 35 | 10 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 37 | 12 |
| Talavera | Total | Total | 68 | 36 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 2 | 1 | 72 | 39 |
| Górnik Zabrze | 2018–19 | Ekstraklasa | 36 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 44 | 7 |
| Górnik Zabrze | 2019–20 | Ekstraklasa | 37 | 12 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 38 | 12 |
| Górnik Zabrze | 2020–21 | Ekstraklasa | 29 | 12 | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 31 | 15 |
| Górnik Zabrze | 2021–22 | Ekstraklasa | 19 | 8 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 21 | 9 |
| Górnik Zabrze | Total | Total | 121 | 37 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 134 | 43 |
| Toronto FC | 2022 | Major League Soccer | 33 | 9 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 37 | 10 |
| FC Dallas | 2023 | Major League Soccer | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| OFI Crete | 2023–24 | Super League Greece | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 1 |
| OFI Crete | 2024–25 | Super League Greece | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| OFI Crete | Total | Total | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 1 |
| Kerala Blasters | 2024–25 | Indian Super League | 16 | 11 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 16 | 11 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 332 | 112 | 14 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 354 | 122 |
* ↑ Includes Copa del Rey, Polish Cup, U.S. Open Cup
* ↑ Appearances in Tercera División play-offs
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Appearance in 2020 Canadian Championship final
* ↑ Appearance in the MLS Playoffs

## Honours

Toronto FC
* Canadian Championship: 2020
Individual
* Ekstraklasa Player of the Month: August 2020