Why is September 9 so special for 'Chicharito' Hernández? | OneFootball

On this day in 2006, the Estadio Jalisco witnessed the emergence of a Mexican soccer icon: Javier Hernández Balcázar. That day, 'Chicharito' stepped onto a pitch as a professional for the first time, taking the first step in an admirable career that made him an icon who played for the best teams in the world and still holds the top spot on the Mexican national team's all-time scoring list. For this reason, today we remember the most important moments of his career.

Debut with Chivas

On September 9, 2006, in Chivas' 3-0 victory over Necaxa, the local announcer announced the change: Omar Bravo, with two goals under his belt, gave way to the young striker. The setting was perfect, as that night, Hernández scored a spectacular goal, cutting inside the area and clearing the way to finish with his right foot, thus marking a dream debut in the top flight.

Hernández was part of the squad that won the 2006 Apertura league title, defeating Toluca.

Top scorer with the Rebaño

In the 2010 Bicentennial, Javier shone with performances that led him to win the scoring championship, despite playing six games less than other contenders. With 21 goals, he was the Mexican with the most goals in the soccer year, arousing the interest of several European clubs.

Move to Europe

On April 8, 2010, accompanied by Jorge Vergara, his signing with Manchester United was announced. With the confidence of Sir Alex Ferguson, 'Chicharito' had several outstanding performances since his debut, scoring a total of 59 goals during his time in England.

He was a key player in winning two Premier League titles and one English Super Cup, as well as winning the affection of English fans, who recognized him with the Sir Matt Busby Award for best player on the team.

In 2014, he joined Real Madrid under the management of Carlo Ancelotti. His debut was a big challenge, as he made his debut in the Madrid derby, coming on as a substitute for Karim Benzema in the 63rd minute at the Santiago Bernabéu. That same year, he was part of the Club World Cup-winning squad.

One of his most memorable nights was in the quarter-final second leg of the 2015 Champions League, when Los Merengues faced Atlético Madrid. That night, Javier scored the winning goal after an assist from Cristiano Ronaldo in the 87th minute, securing Los Blancos' place in the semi-finals.

At Real Madrid, he shared a dressing room with other stars such as Sergio Ramos and Gareth Bale.

In 2015, he signed for Bayer Leverkusen, where he enjoyed one of his most productive spells, scoring 39 goals and providing nine assists. In 2017, he moved to West Ham, where he played for two years before moving to Sevilla, his last club in Europe.

LA Galaxy

After his unforgettable spell in Europe, he joined LA Galaxy in 2020, where he played 83 games, scoring 39 goals and providing 7 assists. His dedication quickly made him a favorite with the Los Angeles fans, before he ended his international career and returned home.

Mexican National Team

His first call-up to the Mexican national team came in the 2009 Apertura, under Javier Aguirre, thanks to his great form with Chivas. That was just the beginning of a historic career, in which he never stopped scoring until he became the Mexican national team's top scorer with 52 goals.

One of his most memorable moments with the Tricolor was his first goal in a World Cup, which he scored against France in South Africa 2010 in the 63rd minute. Curiously, his grandfather Tomás Balcázar had also scored against the French in a World Cup, which made that goal even more special and meaningful for Javier.

Chicharito has played in three World Cups with El Tri, and in each one he scored at least one goal. In South Africa 2010, he scored two goals (one against Argentina and one against France), in Brazil 2014 he scored one against Croatia, and in Russia 2018 he scored one against South Korea.