Javier Hernandez Balcazar is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a striker for English club West Ham United and the Mexico national team. Hernandez is commonly known by his nickname, Chicharito, which he wears on his shirt.
A clinical goalscorer, Hernandez has been described as a "goal-poacher", due to a number of his goals being scored from close-range. His movement off the ball, pace, and ability to find space inside the box has also been praised. He has been described as one of the few players who seem capable of appearing behind a defender's back to knock in the ball from two yards, with his playing style being compared to that of German striker Miroslav Klose.
He began his career in 2006, playing for the Mexican club Guadalajara, before becoming the first Mexican player to join Manchester United in July 2010. After falling out of favour under managers David Moyes and Louis van Gaal, he spent the 2014–15 season on loan to Real Madrid, then moved permanently to Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen in August 2015. His minutes-per-goal ratio during his time with Manchester United is among the most prolific in the history of the Premier League.
A Mexican international, Hernandez is his country's all-time leading goalscorer. He made his debut for Mexico in September 2009 in a match against Colombia. He has represented Mexico at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the Copa America Centenario and the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. He was the 2011 Gold Cup's top scorer with seven goals and was named the most valuable player of the tournament. |
