Signing Info:
Transferred from: Club Deportivo Guadalajara, 15/07/2010, £7m
Previous Clubs:
Club Deportivo Guadalajara, Real Madrid (loan)
Debut:
08/08/2010 v Chelsea (Wembley) 3-1 (Charity Shield)
Farewell:
Transferred to Bayer Leverkusen, 31/08/2015, £12m
Passed Away:
Biography
Javier Hernández was a quick, instinctive and immensely popular striker who represented Manchester United between 2010 and 2015. Better known by his nickname “Chicharito,” meaning “Little Pea,” Hernández made 157 competitive appearances for United, scored 59 goals and helped the club win two Premier League championships.
Javier Hernández Balcázar was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, on 1 June 1988. He came from a distinguished footballing family: his father, Javier Hernández Gutiérrez, represented Mexico at the 1986 World Cup, while his maternal grandfather, Tomás Balcázar, played at the 1954 tournament. Hernández joined the youth system of his hometown club, Guadalajara, commonly known as Chivas, and made his senior debut in September 2006. He scored shortly after entering as a substitute in a 4–0 victory over Necaxa. After initially struggling to secure regular football, Hernández developed into one of the leading goalscorers in Mexico. He finished as the joint-leading scorer in the 2010 Bicentenario tournament, attracting the attention of Manchester United’s scouting department.
United moved quickly and discreetly to complete his signing before the 2010 World Cup. The agreement was announced in April 2010, making Hernández the first Mexican player to join Manchester United. His international performances soon confirmed why Sir Alex Ferguson had acted so decisively. Hernández scored against France and Argentina during the World Cup in South Africa and was recorded as one of the fastest players at the tournament. Hernández joined United following the World Cup and scored on his first unofficial appearance, lifting the ball over the goalkeeper during a pre-season victory against the MLS All-Stars. He then took part in an unusual friendly staged to open Guadalajara’s new stadium. Hernández played the first half for Chivas and scored against United before changing teams at half-time and completing the match in a Manchester United shirt.
His competitive debut came against Chelsea in the FA Community Shield at Wembley on 8 August 2010. Introduced as a substitute, Hernández scored United’s second goal in a 3–1 victory. His shot struck him in the face before crossing the line—an unconventional finish that perfectly introduced a striker capable of scoring by almost any means. Hernández made his Premier League debut against Newcastle United on 16 August. His first Champions League goal followed in September when he came off the bench to score a late winner against Valencia at the Mestalla. His first league goal arrived in a 2–2 draw with West Bromwich Albion at Old Trafford. Eight days later, Hernández scored twice in a 2–1 victory away to Stoke City, including a remarkable backwards header for his opening goal.
He then entered a League Cup tie against Wolves as a late substitute and scored the decisive goal in a 3–2 victory. His movement, pace and enthusiasm immediately made him a favourite with United supporters. Hernández possessed an exceptional ability to anticipate where the ball would arrive. He constantly moved across defenders, attacked space inside the penalty area and reacted quickly to rebounds and deflections. Although not physically imposing, he had an excellent leap and scored numerous headed goals. He was also naturally two-footed and could finish opportunities with either foot, often requiring only one touch.
Hernández’s goals became increasingly important as his first season progressed. He scored twice in a Champions League victory over Marseille and found the net in both legs of United’s quarter-final against Chelsea.
On 8 May 2011, United faced Chelsea at Old Trafford in a match carrying enormous significance for the Premier League championship. Hernández opened the scoring after approximately 36 seconds, racing onto Park Ji-sung’s pass and finishing beyond Petr Cech. United won 2–1 and moved to within one point of securing the title. The championship was confirmed six days later following a draw at Blackburn Rovers, giving United a record-breaking 19th English league crown.
Hernández completed his debut campaign with 20 goals in 45 appearances. He also started the Champions League final against Barcelona at Wembley, although United were beaten 3–1. His immediate impact earned him the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award, voted for by United supporters. He had progressed from being a relatively unknown signing to one of the most popular players at Old Trafford in less than a year.
Injuries and competition from Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck and Dimitar Berbatov made his second season more difficult. Nevertheless, Hernández still scored 12 goals in 36 appearances. United narrowly missed out on retaining the Premier League championship in 2011/2012, losing the title to Manchester City on goal difference in the final moments of the season. The arrival of Robin van Persie in 2012 further increased competition for attacking places, but Hernández continued to make important contributions. He scored 18 goals during the 2012/2013 campaign despite starting many matches on the substitutes’ bench.
In October 2012, he entered a match against Braga with United trailing 2–0 and scored twice to help complete a 3–2 Champions League victory. He also inspired another comeback against Aston Villa, scoring twice as United recovered from two goals behind to win 3–2.
Hernández developed a particularly impressive record against Chelsea. In October 2012, he scored the winning goal at Stamford Bridge as United recorded their first league victory there for a decade. He also scored decisive goals against Newcastle United, West Ham United and Reading during the championship campaign. His movement and finishing made him especially dangerous when introduced against tiring defenders. United secured the 2012/2013 Premier League title with four matches remaining. It was Hernández’s second championship medal and the final league title of Ferguson’s managerial career.
The departure of Ferguson in 2013 changed the direction of both United and Hernández’s career. He received fewer opportunities under David Moyes but continued to score when selected. One of his most celebrated goals that season came against Liverpool in the League Cup on 25 September 2013. Hernández escaped his marker at a corner and scored from close range shortly after half-time, giving United a 1–0 victory.
He finished the campaign with nine goals, taking his United total to 59. However, he struggled to establish himself as a regular starter and was allowed to leave on loan following Louis van Gaal’s appointment.
Hernández joined Real Madrid for the 2014/2015 season. Although frequently used as a substitute, he scored nine goals in all competitions and produced the decisive goal against Atlético Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals.
He returned to United in the summer of 2015 and made 3 appearances during the opening weeks of the season. His final match came against Club Brugge at Jan Breydel Stadium on 26 August 2015.
On 31 August, Hernández completed a permanent transfer to Bayer Leverkusen. His Manchester United career ended with 157 competitive appearances and 59 goals—an excellent strike rate considering how frequently he had been used as a substitute.
Hernández immediately became a prolific scorer in Germany, registering 39 goals in 76 appearances for Leverkusen. He was voted Bundesliga Player of the Month three times during his first season. He returned to the Premier League with West Ham United in 2017 and later represented Sevilla, helping the Spanish club win the 2019/2020 Europa League. Further spells followed with LA Galaxy and a return to Guadalajara.
At international level, Hernández became one of the greatest goalscorers in Mexico’s history. He scored 52 goals in 109 senior appearances, becoming his country’s record scorer. He represented Mexico at the 2010, 2014 and 2018 World Cups and scored four goals across the three tournaments. His international honours included the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, in which he finished as the competition’s leading scorer.
Hernández was not a conventional centre-forward who dominated possession or created opportunities through elaborate individual skill. His greatness rested upon movement, anticipation and finishing. He understood where scoring opportunities would develop and frequently reached those positions before defenders could react. That quality drew comparisons with former United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjær, another popular forward renowned for scoring important goals from the substitutes’ bench.
Chicharito’s infectious enthusiasm and visible delight whenever he scored strengthened his connection with United supporters. He was humble, hardworking and willing to accept whatever role Ferguson gave him.
His 59 goals included winners in the Premier League, Champions League and domestic cups. Most importantly, his goals contributed substantially to the 2011 and 2013 championship triumphs.
Javier Hernández remains one of Manchester United’s most successful modern signings from outside European football. He arrived as a relatively unknown young forward and departed as a two-time Premier League champion, a proven international goalscorer and a lasting Old Trafford favourite.
