Why does Raul Jimenez have a scar on his head?

Raul Jiménez’s head scar is the result of emergency surgery after he suffered a life‑threatening skull fracture in a 2020 Premier League match. The scar has never gone away, and it is now a permanent reminder of the collision that差点 ended not just his career but also his life.

The incident that caused the scar

When and where it happened

  • Date: 29 November 2020
  • Match: Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Arsenal (Premier League)
  • Situation: A corner kick in Wolves’ area.

What actually occurred

During the aerial challenge for the ball:

  • Jiménez and Arsenal’s David Luiz both tried to head the ball.
  • Their heads collided violently, with the impact landing heavily on Jiménez.
  • Jiménez was knocked unconscious , stayed on the ground for more than 10 minutes, and was taken off on a stretcher with oxygen support.

Medical diagnosis

  • Doctors on the pitch and later at the hospital diagnosed a fractured skull.
  • There was also bleeding inside the brain , with the broken bone pressing on his brain.
  • The situation was so serious that Jiménez’s life was at risk.

The surgery and the scar

Emergency operation

  • Jiménez underwent emergency surgery to repair the skull fracture and relieve pressure on his brain.
  • He described it as a miracle that he survived:

“The skull fracture, 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.”

The scar itself

  • The surgery left Jiménez with a 15 cm scar on the side/top of his head.
  • He has shown the scar publicly, for example when watching Wolves from the stands, making clear how dramatic it is.
  • The scar is permanent: “Jimenez does still have a scar that will never go away”.

Why he wears a headband/headguard now

Because of the severity of the injury:

  • Doctors told him he must wear protective headgear for the rest of his playing career.
  • He now uses a custom‑made, medically approved headguard that looks like a padded headband, covering the area around the scar.
  • The device is designed to:
    • Cushion future impacts,
    • Protect the surgically treated area,
    • Provide stability and a compressive effect over the scar.

The scar and the headguard are directly linked: the scar is from the surgery that saved his life, and the headguard is there to protect that same vulnerable spot from being hit again.

Timeline in brief

  • Nov 2020: Head clash with David Luiz → skull fracture + brain bleeding → emergency surgery → scar formed.
  • Early 2021: Jiménez begins recovery, still with visible scar.
  • Summer 2021: Returns to professional football, now always wearing a protective headband.
  • 2026 World Cup: Jiménez features for Mexico, still wearing the headguard and with the scar clearly visible when his headband is off or shifted.

A personal note from another player

Man United’s Alex Telles, who also suffered a similar head injury (a depressed facial fracture from a head clash while playing for Grêmio), sent a message of solidarity to Jiménez, saying:

“The scar is now part of my identity, a reminder of my story for the rest of my life.”

This mirrors Jiménez’s own experience: the scar remains, but it also symbolizes his recovery and return to the pitch. Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.