Wolves striker Raul Jimenez insists his struggles at Atletico Madrid had nothing to do with his age.

The Mexico international is now proving his potential for club and country, though struggled previously at Atletico under coach Diego Simeone.

He told Marca: "I was young? No. I was 23 years old. That was not it. Maybe it was more adaptation, coming from Mexico to a new football, faster, in which you have to think faster. I started playing some games, but then I stopped playing after scoring my only goal against Sevilla.

"I knew that if I kept training and doing things right, I could come to this moment that I live today."

On Simeone, Raul added: "I think he knows what each player can give him. There were several times that, after training, Cholo talked to me and told me that I was training well, that, although he had the team almost defined, my opportunity was going to come. And I really appreciated it, he was always very transparent."