Jesús Imaz

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Imaz and the second or maternal family name is Ballesté.
Jesús Imaz
Imaz with Jagiellonia Białystok in 2024
Personal information
Full name Jesús Imaz Ballesté[1]
Date of birth (1990-09-26) 26 September 1990[1]
Place of birth Lleida, Spain
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 8+1⁄2 in)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Jagiellonia Białystok
Number 11
Youth career
Lleida
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2011 Lleida 27 (4)
2011–2014 Lleida Esportiu 87 (21)
2014–2016 Llagostera 61 (12)
2016–2017 UCAM Murcia 14 (5)
2017 Cádiz 6 (1)
2017–2019 Wisła Kraków 47 (14)
2019– Jagiellonia Białystok 193 (86)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 18 August 2025

Jesús Imaz Ballesté (born 26 September 1990) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Ekstraklasa club Jagiellonia Białystok.

After spending the first years of his career in Spanish lower divisions, Imaz moved to the Polish top tier to join Wisła Kraków in 2017. In 2019, he signed with Jagiellonia Białystok. Imaz was an integral part of the Jagiellonia teams that won the club's first league title in 2024, and reached the UEFA Conference League quarter-finals the following year. With 86 goals, he is Jagiellonia's all-time best Ekstraklasa goalscorer. In August 2025, he became the second foreign player to score 100 goals in the Polish top-flight.

Club career

Spain

Born in Lleida, Catalonia,[2] Imaz was a UE Lleida youth graduate.[3] He made his senior debut on 30 August 2009, as a second-half substitute in a 1–1 home draw against Sant Andreu in the Segunda División B.[4]

In the summer of 2011, after Lleida's dissolution, Imaz joined the newly formed Lleida Esportiu, also in the third division.[5] He was first choice in the following seasons, as the club missed out on promotion twice in the play-offs.

On 12 July 2014, Imaz signed a two-year deal with Llagostera, recently promoted to Segunda División.[6] He played his first match as a professional on 23 August, replacing Vallho in the 78th minute of a 2–0 away loss to Las Palmas.[7]

Imaz scored his first second-tier goal on 19 October 2014, but in a 1–4 home defeat against Mallorca.[8] On 11 July 2016, having suffered relegation,[9] he agreed to a one-year contract at UCAM Murcia in the same league.[10]

On 27 January 2017, Imaz moved to fellow second division side Cádiz, signing until June 2018.[11]

Poland

On 31 August 2017, Imaz joined a host of compatriots at Polish club Wisła Kraków.[12][13] He remained in the Ekstraklasa in January 2019, signing a three-and-a-half-year deal with Jagiellonia Białystok.[14]

During the 2022–23 season, Imaz had netted a career-best 14 times but his team narrowly avoided relegation.[15] With 12 goals in the following campaign, he was Jagiellonia's joint-top scorer as they won the first league title in their 104-year history.[16]

On 17 August 2025, Imaz became the second non-Polish player in Ekstraklasa's history to reach the 100 goal milestone, after scoring his 99th and 100th goals in a 2–1 victory over Radomiak Radom.[17]

Career statistics

As of the match played on 24 May 2025[18][1]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Lleida 2009–10 Segunda División B 1 0 0 0 — — 1 0
2010–11 Segunda División B 26 4 0 0 — — 26 4
Total 27 4 0 0 — — 27 4
Lleida Esportiu 2011–12 Segunda División B 34 6 1 0 — — 35 6
2012–13 Segunda División B 32 7 1 0 — 4[b] 1 37 8
2013–14 Segunda División B 21 8 3 3 — 2[b] 0 26 11
Total 87 21 5 3 — 6 1 98 25
Llagostera 2014–15 Segunda División 29 6 0 0 — — 29 6
2015–16 Segunda División 32 6 3 0 — — 35 6
Total 61 12 3 0 — — 64 12
UCAM Murcia 2016–17 Segunda División 14 5 2 1 — — 16 6
Cádiz 2016–17 Segunda División 6 1 0 0 — 0 0 6 1
2017–18 Segunda División 0 0 0 0 — — 0 0
Total 6 1 0 0 — 0 0 6 1
Wisła Kraków 2017–18 Ekstraklasa 30 8 1 0 — — 31 8
2018–19 Ekstraklasa 17 6 1 0 — — 18 6
Total 47 14 2 0 — — 49 14
Jagiellonia Białystok 2018–19 Ekstraklasa 14 10 2 0 — — 16 10
2019–20 Ekstraklasa 35 11 1 0 — — 36 11
2020–21 Ekstraklasa 27 11 1 0 — — 28 11
2021–22 Ekstraklasa 16 9 1 0 — — 17 9
2022–23 Ekstraklasa 33 14 2 0 — — 35 14
2023–24 Ekstraklasa 30 12 5 2 — — 35 14
2024–25 Ekstraklasa 34 16 3 1 18[c] 7 1 0 56 24
Total 189 83 15 3 18 7 1 0 223 93
Career total 431 140 27 7 18 7 7 1 483 155
  1. ^ Includes Copa del Rey, Polish Cup
  2. ^ a b Appearances in Segunda División B play-offs
  3. ^ Four appearances and three goals in UEFA Champions League, two appearances in UEFA Europa League, twelve appearances and four goals in UEFA Conference League

Honours

Jagiellonia Białystok

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b c d Jesús Imaz at WorldFootball.net
  2. ^ Osorio Farell, Pau (10 April 2025). "La amenaza para el Betis es de Lleida y se llama Jesús Imaz" [The threat to Betis comes from Lleida and his name is Jesús Imaz]. Sport (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 April 2025.
  3. ^ Monge, José Carlos (7 June 2024). "El leridano Jesús Imaz, campeón de Liga en Polonia" [Lleida's own Jesús Imaz, League champion in Poland]. Diari Segre (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 April 2025.
  4. ^ Pérez, Sergi (31 August 2009). "Keko rescata el Sant Andreu al Camp d'Esports" [Keko rescues Sant Andreu at Camp d'Esports]. El Punt (in Catalan). Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  5. ^ Felis, Josep (26 July 2011). "El Lleida Esportiu empieza a trabajar" [Lleida Esportiu start working]. Sport (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 April 2025.
  6. ^ "Jesús Imaz y Sergio León, nuevos refuerzos de la UE Llagostera" [Jesús Imaz and Sergio León, new UE Llagostera additions]. Marca (in Spanish). 12 July 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
  7. ^ "Aráujo [sic] brilla con un golazo en el estreno de Las Palmas" [Araujo shines with a wonder goal in Las Palmas' debut]. Marca (in Spanish). 23 August 2014. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  8. ^ "Primera victoria como visitante del Mallorca" [First away win for Mallorca]. Marca (in Spanish). 19 October 2014. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  9. ^ Martín, Kiko (29 May 2016). "El Leganés baja a la Llagostera y aplaza su ascenso a Miranda" [Leganés relegate Llagostera and postpone their promotion to Miranda]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 April 2025.
  10. ^ "Jesús Imaz llega al UCAM Murcia" [Jesús Imaz arrives at UCAM Murcia] (in Spanish). UCAM Murcia. 11 July 2016. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  11. ^ "Jesús Imaz, primer refuerzo invernal" [Jesús Imaz, first winter addition] (in Spanish). Cádiz CF. 27 January 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  12. ^ "Acuerdo con el Wisla de Cracovia para el traspaso de Jesús Imaz" [Agreement with Wisla Kraków for the transfer of Jesús Imaz] (in Polish). Cádiz CF. 31 August 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  13. ^ "Wisła uzgodniła transfer Jesúsa Imaza" [Wisła agreed to transfer of Jesús Imaz] (in Polish). 90 Minut. 31 August 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  14. ^ "Jesus Imaz w Jagiellonii!" [Jesús Imaz to Jagiellonia!] (in Polish). Jagiellonia Białystok. 21 January 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  15. ^ Osorio Farell, Pau (5 March 2025). "Jesús Imaz, el catalán que hace historia en el fútbol polaco" [Jesús Imaz, Catalan making history in Polish football]. Sport (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 April 2025.
  16. ^ a b Kowalski, Jakub (25 May 2024). "Historyczny triumf! Jagiellonia Białystok mistrzem Polski" [Historic triumph! Jagiellonia Białystok are Polish champions] (in Polish). Sportowe Fakty. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  17. ^ Bajak, Wojciech (18 August 2025). "Jesus Imaz w Klubie 100. Drugi obcokrajowiec w historii!" [Jesus Imaz in The 100 Club. The second foreigner in history!] (in Polish). Ekstraklasa. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  18. ^ Jesús Imaz at Soccerway
  19. ^ Włosek, Mateusz (2 April 2025). "Superpuchar Polski dla Jagiellonii Białystok. Antyrekord na Stadionie Narodowym" [Polish Supercup to Jagiellonia Białystok. Anti-record at the National Stadium] (in Polish). TVP Sport. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
  20. ^ "Gala tygodnika "Piłka Nożna" 2025. Sprawdź, kto zwyciężył w tym roku! [LISTA]" [2025 Weekly "Piłka Nożna" Gala. Check out this year's winners! [LIST]] (in Polish). TVP Sport. 27 January 2025. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  21. ^ "Gala Ekstraklasy – nagrodzono najlepszych w sezonie 2020/21" [Ekstraklasa Gala – best of 2020/21 season honoured] (in Polish). Ekstraklasa. 17 May 2021. Archived from the original on 20 May 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  22. ^ Burtan, Adrian (8 November 2018). "Kolejne wyróżnienie dla Wisły Kraków. Jesus Imaz piłkarzem października w ekstraklasie" [Another accolade for Wisła Kraków. Jesús Imaz is the league's best player in October]. Gazeta Wyborcza (in Polish). Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  23. ^ "Piłkarz Sierpnia 2019: Jesus Imaz" [August 2019 Footballer of the Month: Jesús Imaz] (in Polish). Ekstraklasa. 11 September 2019. Archived from the original on 12 September 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  24. ^ "Piłkarz Września 2022: Jesus Imaz (Jagiellonia Białystok)" [September 2022 Footballer of the Month: Jesús Imaz (Jagiellonia Białystok)] (in Polish). Ekstraklasa. 28 September 2022. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  25. ^ "Piłkarz Października 2024: Jesus Imaz (Jagiellonia Białystok)" [October 2024 Footballer of the Month: Jesús Imaz (Jagiellonia Białystok)] (in Polish). Ekstraklasa. 6 November 2024. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
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