Luis Antonio Jiménez

For baseball player, see Luis Antonio Jiménez (baseball).

Luis Jiménez

Personal information
Full name	Luis Antonio Jiménez Garcés
Date of birth	17 June 1984 (1984-06-17)
Place of birth	Santiago, Chile
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position	Attacking Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Al-Ahli Dubai
Number	20
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2001–2002	Palestino	9	(0)
2002–2011	Ternana	88	(25)
2006	→ Fiorentina (loan)	19	(3)
2007	→ Lazio (loan)	16	(2)
2007–2009	→ Internazionale (loan)	15	(3)
2009–2010	→ West Ham United (loan)	11	(1)
2010	→ Parma (loan)	12	(1)
2010–2011	→ Cesena (loan)	31	(9)
2011–	Al-Ahli Dubai	7	(2)
National team‡
2004–	Chile	26	(2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 6 December 2011. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 24 June 2009

This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Jiménez and the second or maternal family name is Garcés.

Luis Antonio Jiménez Garcés (born 17 June 1984), more commonly known as Luis Jiménez, is a Chilean footballer. He plays for Al-Ahli Dubai as an attacking midfielder. He was also a member of the Chilean national team.

Club career

Early career

Born in Santiago, Chile, Jiménez started his Italian footballing career in 2002 at Ternana Calcio. During the January 2006 transfer window, Jimenez completed a move to Serie A side ACF Fiorentina while remaining under joint ownership with his former club, for €3 million. For Fiorentina, the Chilean generally played as a right sided winger, striker or occasionally a centre forward. His right foot is his strongest but he can also make good use of his left. He made 19 appearances during the 2005–06 season for Fiorentina, scoring 3 goals in the process.

In late June 2006, Ternana purchased back half of the rights to the player from Fiorentina. Since Ternana were to play in Italian Serie C1 in the 2006–07 season, it was highly unlikely that Jimenez would remain with them. However, although a loan deal was reached with Serie A Lazio, with an option to make the deal permanent at the end of the loan, Ternana changed the terms and made extortionate demands, which included Lazio paying the salary for four of Ternana's players. The deal fell through and Jiménez remained in Ternana. The unhappy player stated that he would not play for Ternana again and has asked FIFA to intervene and annul his contract with Ternana because of their unfair treatment.

Lazio

On 15 January 2007, Lazio finally agreed a move for Jimenez with the first season on loan, and on January 27 he played his first match for Lazio against Palermo.

Internazionale

On 15 July 2007, Internazionale signed him on loan from Ternana, for €1 million. He scored his first Inter goal in extra time in the Champions League against Fenerbache. He was rewarded with his first Inter start on the 2 December against Fiorentina, where he scored the opening goal. He also started the subsequent match against Lazio on 5 December, where he set up Maicon's goal and had a goal disallowed for offside, and set up another disallowed goal.

At the end of the 07/08 season, Inter officially signed him on a co-ownership deal., for €6.3 million. He signed a 3-year contract. Under coach Jose Mourinho, he played his first game against A.S. Roma coming on as a second half substitute and scored a penalty in Inter's Italian Supercup win. Jimenez played his first game of the 2008–09 Serie A year against Sampdoria on 30 August 2008, but unfortunately picked up an injury later in a practice session. He returned from injury on 30 November 2008 when he was subbed in Inter Milan's Serie A game against Napoli. A subsequent long-term injury limited Jiménez to a total of 6 appearances for the 08/09 Serie A season.

The co-ownership deal with Ternana was renewed on 23 June 2009.

Jiménez (1st West Ham player on right) at the end of his debut game against Wolves. Other West Ham players are Frank Nouble, Junior Stanislas, Mark Noble and Jonathan Spector

West Ham United

Jiménez signed for West Ham United on the 23 June 2009. Although a work permit had been granted a couple of weeks before, the deal was only announced after personal terms were agreed. West Ham signed Jiménez for a one year loan initially, with an option to purchase at the end of the loan period. He made his full debut for West Ham in their 2–0 away win against Wolves on 15 August 2009. He scored his only goal for West Ham, a penalty and West Ham's fifth, in a 5–3 home win against Burnley on 28 November 2009.

Parma

On 1 February 2010, Parma signed the Chilean attacking midfielder on loan from Internazionale until June, his previous loan with West Ham United having ended prematurely. He signed as part of the deal which saw McDonald Mariga move to Internazionale. Jiménez has been sent off three times since signing for Parma. At the end of season, Parma wanted to signed him outright, but collapsed after Ternana bought back Jiménez.

Ternana

On 26 June 2010, after Inter failed to agree a price with Ternana for the remain 50% registration rights, the rights was went to auction and Ternana won, for €3.177 million. made Inter profited €5.277 million in accounting (amortization approach). It is because Inter had over-amortized Jiménez's transfer fee (Inter amortized €8.4 million but only cost Inter €6.3 million only, €2.1M exceed) and €3.177 million. (Inter presented the profit as €2.154 million (market price €3.177 x 2 - contract residual value €4.2M) + €3.123 million financial income (value of Inter unpaid half €6.3 million - actual value €3.177M) ) Since Ternana would played at 2010–11 Lega Pro Prima Divisione, he did not attended the training of Ternana and Ternana seek a new buyer to sign him.

Cesena

On 31 August 2010 he was loaned to newly promoted Serie A team Cesena with option to buy, and entered the starting line-up after the poor form of the team. The coach put Ezequiel Schelotto into bench and Jiménez became the new second striker in the 4-3-3 formation, partnered with central forward Erjon Bogdani and wing forward Emanuele Giaccherini.

Al-Ahli Dubai

On 29 June 2011, Al-Ahli Dubai announced that Jiménez had joined the club in four-year contract.

International career

He made his international debut on 28 April 2004 in a match against Peru. On 4 June 2005, Jiménez assisted Marcelo Salas' historic 35th goal with the national team, which made Salas Chile's top scorer ever. The goal came in a qualification match against Bolivia which Chile went on to win 3–1. Four days later, he scored twice against Venezuela in another qualification match.

Jiménez became captain of Chile during 2006 and also won the 2005–06 Chile Player of the Year award. However, he has seen little national team activity under the direction of Marcelo Bielsa and also affected by club performance. On 19 June 2011 he returned to Chile national team against Estonia.

Personal life

Jiménez married Chilean model María José López in 2006. They have triplets together, all girls, Rebeca, Isidora and Rafaela, born on 15 June 2010.

External links

• Luis Antonio Jiménez at National-Football-Teams.com
• Luis Antonio Jiménez – FIFA competition record
• Luis Antonio Jiménez career stats at Soccerbase
• Luis Jiménez looks to escape ‘Hotel Ternana’ - article by Paolo Bandini on the player's career (April 2011)