Chicharito’s majestic return is here!
After recently heading home to his boyhood club of Chivas de Guadalajara, legendary 36-year-old Mexican striker Javier “Chicharito” Hernández will face his former club where he spent the last four seasons of his illustrious career, LA Galaxy, for the first time since moving back south of the border.
The man who would eventually become Mexico’s all-time leading goalscorer joined the Chivas academy at the age of nine, signed his first professional contract at fifteen, and made his debut at eighteen. By 21 years old, Chicharito had impressed international scouts so much that before his transfer fee expectedly increased significantly in his World Cup debut, Manchester United snatched him up in 2010. After five successful seasons in England, he toured Europe spending time at Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, West Ham United, Sevilla, and then of course, stateside with LA Galaxy.
“It is very emotional because in the four years that I was at this club, not only personally but professionally, I went through a lot of things but I am happy to be here again,” Chicharito shared his feelings on the LA homecoming.
Daniel Aguirre is also returning to his former home for the first time since making the summer move south, but with the defensive midfielder yet to make his Chivas debut the focus remains on Chicharito.
“Because we’ve worked with him for so long and he’s been a part of our group for the last several years, you have a sense of tendencies, what they like, what Javi wants to do, and where he wants to score his goals. You get a sense of it,” admitted Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney of his former striker. “But the thing about great players and great goalscorers is they actually adapt to the game. They don’t necessarily do the same thing all the time.
“That’s why I say Javi really understands the game inside the game. He’ll see whatever we’re doing defensively and he’ll adapt to that, and if we change he’ll adapt to that. That’s what makes him a guy who is always scoring goals is because he is able to find solutions, find pockets, and find space inside the game. That’s where we have to keep communicating and making sure that our awareness is really high and that we’re sharp in those areas because he’ll create and use spaces as good as anyone we’ll have seen over the course of the season.”
Fortunately for the Galaxy, they have a potent attack of their own. Coined the “Killa P’s”, Riqui Puig, Gabriel Pec, and Joseph Paintsil have torn MLS apart this season with each recording at least 17 goal contributions, often directly connecting with each other, en route to their top of the Western Conference position.
Courtesy of a jaw-dropping second assist from Puig to win LA’s Leagues Cup opener late on, the MLS side has already booked their ticket to the Round of 32 but still has seeding on the line against a Chivas side who will be fighting for their tournament lives.
To claim the final qualification spot in group West 2, El Rebaño Sagrado requires a victory (no matter whether in regulation or penalties) which Chicharito will hope to provide for them in his return to a Dignity Health Sports Park pitch that he knows like the back of his hand.
