In recent hours, the Rossoneri striker Santi Giménez opened up in a long interview given to GQ México, revealing interesting anecdotes and curiosities about his recent arrival at Milan.
Here are his words:
"Obviously, I don’t set limits for myself, and I have no limits. I’ve always said it and I stand by it: I believe there is no ceiling for anyone. If you want to keep growing, you will keep growing until death. And even when you die, you go to eternal life and continue to grow. You simply must not look back. And if you do look back, it's only to gain momentum, because in this life there are no limits. The meeting with Ibra? Yes, he came in wearing the Milan jersey and gave it to me. It had ‘Giménez’ written on it, with the number 7. It was a beautiful experience.”
Pressure and difficulties, but always with courage and never with fear
“Milan is a club that has won seven Champions Leagues and I don’t know how many other cups, a lot. It's one of the most important clubs in history, and the fans are used to winning. They don’t settle for second place. Last season they finished second, and (Christian) Pulisic told me that people still crucified them. Imagine now... it's a very complicated situation for Milan. But that’s the standard by which Milan fans judge you. To be a champion or to be a champion—and this responsibility makes you a winner. It’s contagious, the people are contagious. Next season is simply about this: thinking about winning the Scudetto.”
Milan mentality and the thrombosis at 17 years old...
“In Milan, they explained every single rule to me. They want us to be professionals on and off the pitch. I believe I always had the talent to play, but if I hadn't had the thrombosis at 17, I wouldn't be here today. That’s when I found God, and it made me appreciate football even more. God uses us on different platforms. He placed me in football, and I must make the best use of it. It was a miracle to be able to play again. From that moment on, I decided to walk with Him. When they told me I might never play again, I started crying with my father. I asked him: ‘Why me?’ And he answered: ‘I don’t know, only God knows.’ That phrase changed my life. I knelt in the shower, in the dark, and that’s where I felt His presence. From that day on, I decided to walk with God. It’s the key to my life.”
On dealing with injuries... Gimenez said:
“Being injured is horrible, it’s the worst thing that can happen to you, even if you have two options: see it as something negative or as an opportunity. Every time I get injured, I try to see it as a chance to become stronger, to grow. It’s like a ‘mental break’ to come back better. Normally, I don’t take medicine, I’m against chemical products, but sometimes, because of the desire to be well and to play without pain, you have to take something. That’s the passion of a footballer: even if you’re in pain—which happens in almost every match—you still have to play. You can ask any player: you play more often with pain than without.”
On playing as a striker:
“I have two ways of seeing things. Today in modern football, people only look at stats—if you scored or assisted. The only thing that matters to many is the match rating. And if you have few goals or assists, even if you played a great game, it doesn’t count. Not everyone is like that, but many people are. On the other hand, I think the pressure on strikers is fair, because in the end they’re the ones who earn the most, who generate the most, who have more responsibility with the fans. They’re the most loved. And when you give a lot, it’s right that much is expected in return. So I agree: the striker is the most judged.”
Criticism and social media...
“Yes, I see the criticism because it gets to me, I’m human and I see social media, but it doesn’t affect me. It doesn’t make me sad, or happy, or make me laugh. I simply continue on my path.
If your goal and long-term mission are clear, what happens around you doesn’t matter. If you know that the path is already laid out to become what you want to be—obviously with work, commitment, and sacrifices—then the rest doesn’t matter. I think it’s the same for someone like Vinícius, for example. He gets a lot of criticism, but he’s focused on his goal. Today people don’t judge based on behavior, but based on the team they support. All the hate toward Vinícius comes from Barça fans, and all the hate toward Lamine Yamal comes from Real Madrid fans.”
Mexican fans, the most loyal...
“Yes, I believe Mexican fans are the most loyal. At every World Cup, we are the country with the most fans in the stands. Even when we play in the USA, the stadium is full. We should also support young players, no matter where they come from or which club they play for.”
The goal and the dream with Mexico
“What I want to convey to everyone is that we must always think big. In football, you can win, draw, or lose—especially in the World Cup playoffs. But you must always think about becoming world champions. Why not? Thinking is free, dreaming is free. If you aim high, it’s better. If we only think about reaching the fifth match or the playoffs, we won’t even reach that. We must think beyond, about winning the World Cup. We have the perfect coach in Javier Aguirre and the perfect assistant in Rafa Márquez—everyone knows their authority, their love for Mexico, and they convey it to us every day. They make us feel the weight of the flag in every match.”
Mentors and lessons, Gimenez's respect for those who judge him
“One thing that matters to me is respect, because I believe the person comes before everything. The ideal coach is the one who can bring out the maximum in terms of confidence from every player, but who is also a winner. In the end, we all play to win. He must have the leadership to convey to his players what he wants.”
Regarding life in Milan, the striker said:
“Every time we can, we go out to explore a bit around the city. We did that in the Netherlands too. We really enjoy walking, having a coffee, and those kinds of things. And we realized that here, you need to step up your game when it comes to dressing, otherwise people stare at you from head to toe.”
The passion for fashion:
“Now that we’ve arrived in Milan, I’m trying to take more interest in fashion, and I must say I like it a lot. Speaking of personal taste, I usually buy a watch whenever something important happens in my life, like when I got married or when I won a title. And that watch represents that moment.”
On his relationship with his wife, Fer, Gimenez said:
“When I met her, I knew she would be the love of my life. We complement each other very well: I’m very calm, she’s a bit crazier, more free. Together we are one, together with God. We are in a beautiful relationship, and every day we play life together.”
