Mexico (National Football)

Paraguay and Mexico meet in an international friendly on Tuesday, with the match taking place at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

The South American side are in preparation for the 2019 Copa America, but El Tri have not been invited to participate by CONMEBOL.

Mexico have been two-time finalists at the tournament, but they will remain busy under new manager Gerardo Martino with the CONCACAF Gold Cup scheduled for this summer.

                                           

Date: Tuesday, March 26

Time: 10 p.m. ET./2 a.m. GMT (Wednesday)

TV Info: Univision (U.S.)

Live Stream: Univision NOW (U.S.)

Odds: Paraguay 7-2, Mexico 5-6, draw 23-10 (via Oddschecker)

                    

Preview

Mexico might have been left out of the party set for Brazil at the next Copa, but Paraguay will be huge outsiders for the tournament.

Both teams have experienced unenviable form in recent times. El Tri had won only one of their last six games since the 2018 FIFA World Cup before the weekend triumph over Chile, while Paraguay have not claimed a victory since October 2017.

Mexico produced signs of a recovery in their 3-1 victory over La Roja in San Diego, California, on Saturday.

Former Barcelona head coach Martino took control of the team in January, and the new boss is set to face the team he managed from 2007 to 2011.

Martino has Raul Jimenez to call upon as he rebuilds, and the striker has had a sensational campaign with Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League this season.

The 27-year-old, who is on loan from Benfica, has 12 goals and six assists in his first year in England.

Jimenez opened the scoring with a penalty against Chile, and he gives Mexico potency in attack along with a measure of experience.

Speaking after the win in San Diego, Martinez said he is confident with his plans moving forward, per Rory Carroll of Reuters (via MailOnline):

"I'm hopeful, hopeful for what I see in the field. As coaches, we have two or three trainings before playing a match. When you see the training sessions and have that go into what you're doing that weekend, or FIFA date, it makes me hopeful."

Paraguay also played in California at the weekend, losing 1-0 to Peru on Saturday. The team have a distinct lack of firepower that will give confidence to Mexico.

Los Guaranies trailed for 86 minutes of the game and could find no way of grabbing an equaliser to deny the Peruvians.

Martino's arrival has steadied the Mexico ship in recent months. His squad is blessed with plenty of talent but the addition of a knowledgeable coach could piece together the quality available.

Paraguay are unlikely to test Mexico, and the contest could develop into a one-sided affair.

Sweden shocked Mexico during Wednesday's 2018 FIFA World Cup, turning Group F on its head with a 3-0 win. Germany's loss against South Korea meant Mexico escaped by the skin of their teeth, however, advancing as the runner-up.

Ludwig Augustinsson and Andreas Granqvist scored for the Europeans, while Edson Alvarez also added to the total with an own goal.

Here are the key takeaways from this match.

       

High-Flying Swedes Should Be Feared in Knockout Stages

Sweden beat France in qualifying and were responsible for the absence of European giants Italy and the Netherlands, knocking them out in the play-offs and finishing ahead of them in the group stages, respectively.

Somehow, they still came into the tournament under the radar, but with a win over the on-fire Mexicans and a last-kick defeat against the defending champions, it's no longer possible to overlook Sweden.

This team is disciplined, rarely makes mistakes and has a number of options on the counter-attack. Sweden do a great job defending set pieces and enter the knockout stages with all kinds of momentum after this impressive win.

Top contenders would want to avoid them in the knockout stages, as their compact style of play is the stuff of nightmares for more technical sides.

   

Ochoa's Heroics Vital to Mexico's Knockout Stage Hopes

Out of all of Mexico's top stars, there was only one player who stood out on Wednesday, and that was goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa. He may have conceded three goals, but the Swedes could have scored a lot more if not for his first-half heroics.

As noted by Eurosport UK, the 32-year-old lives for this stage:

What a save!!! ⛔️

Ochoa lives for the #WorldCup#MEX pic.twitter.com/s7zvjRkZh0

— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) June 27, 2018

El Tri should bounce back from this flat performance, which can in part be explained by the fact they entered the match with six points already, and teams rarely fail to qualify with such a total:

If Germany score, we could see #Mex go out in third place despite winning their first two games.

The last time that happened was Algeria in 1982. #WorldCup #MEXSWE

— Ryan Bailey (@RyanJayBailey) June 27, 2018

But even at their best, Mexico have weaknesses, especially on the defensive end. Sweden also highlighted some issues with set pieces, overcrowding the box and nearly taking advantage of the resulting confusion.

Ochoa was there to deny them time and time again. While he could have done better on Sweden's first goal, there was nothing he could do about the other two.

The veteran stopper will be key in the knockout stages, where El Tri have failed to win a match in the last six editions of the tournament.

    

Despite Loss, No Tweaks Needed for El Tri

Mexico were horrendous on Wednesday, but in part, it came down to simple tactics and playing style. Their counter has been an enormous weapon so far in the tournament, and the Swedes happen to sit further back and gun for the counter themselves―they never gave El Tri the space they need.

Other teams may see this and opt for a similar approach, but with a likely date with Brazil in the next round, Mexico won't have to worry about that just yet. The South Americans love to make the play themselves and should provide El Tri with all the space they need.

Things could get tricky against Switzerland or Serbia, but both sides have very aggressive full-backs―Ricardo Rodriguez and Aleksandar Kolarov, respectively―who will leave space for the counter behind them. Either way, it's a solid tactical matchup for Mexico, who don't need to panic after the loss against Sweden.

           

What's Next?

The round of 16 will start on June 30. Mexico will play on July 2 and Sweden a day later.

Mexico and Sweden meet at the 2018 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday with both teams still able to qualify for the knockout stages of the competition.

Group F leaders Mexico are in a strong position with six points from two games and only need a point to confirm their place in the last 16.

Sweden can qualify if they beat Mexico and Germany lose to South Korea. If Sweden and Germany both win, the group will be decided on goal difference.

        

Date: Wednesday, June 27

Time: 7 p.m. local time, 3 p.m. BST, 10 a.m. ET

TV Info: Live on BBC Two (UK), Fox (U.S.)

Live Stream: BBC Sport Live (UK), Fox Sports Go (U.S.)

        

Team News

Both Mexico and Sweden have no injury problems or suspensions ahead of the game and are expected to field their strongest teams with qualification still up for grabs.

        

Mexico Still Have Work To Do

Mexico may have beaten Germany and South Korea already, but they still have work to do to guarantee their place in the last 16.

El Tri know a point will be enough, and they should be confident against a Sweden side who suffered a demoralising late defeat to Germany last time out.

Digital journalist Iain Strachan has been impressed with Mexico:

Mexico deservedly lead after Carlos Vela's penalty following a handball against Jang Hyun-soo.

It's been a flying start from Juan Carlos Osorio's team. They're coherent, aggressive, winning the ball back and using it well. The best team I've seen here yet, including Brazil

— Niki Strachan🌈 (@Niki_Strachan) June 23, 2018

Javier Hernandez, Hirving Lozano and Carlos Vela look as though they have the pace and skill to cause Sweden problems.

Goal showed Hernandez's impressive international goalscoring record:

Mexico all-time top-scorer Javier Hernandez nets a historic 50th goal against South Korea – and now makes it three consecutive World Cups that he has scored in. 🇲🇽🏆

Take a bow. 👏 pic.twitter.com/ooCZaO3YKg

— GOAL (@goal) June 23, 2018

Mexico have been one of the brightest teams in the tournament so far, and they look as though they have the ability to make a mark on this World Cup.

         

Sweden Must Bounce Back After Germany Loss

Sweden looked on course to knock Germany out of the World Cup after going 1-0 up against the defending champions last time out. However, Joachim Low's side hit back and secured a 2-1 win with virtually the last kick of the game.

Midfielder Jimmy Durmaz conceded the free-kick from which Toni Kroos netted the winner, and he has since received racial abuse on social media, per Reuters (h/t ESPN).

The Sweden squad have shown their support for Durmaz:

Sweden’s squad join @JimmyDurmaz21 to give a powerful statement against racist abuse following their defeat to Germany pic.twitter.com/Yb1sRY7Xx2

— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 25, 2018

That unity will be needed on Wednesday as Sweden bid to make it through to the knockout stages. Beating Mexico looks a tough ask for Sweden who have been defensively solid but lacking in ideas going forward.

FIFA issued a $10,000 fine to the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) after Mexican supporters engaged in "discriminatory and insulting chants" during El Tri's 1-0 2018 World Cup victory over Germany, ESPN's Rene Tovar reported.

According to Tovar, security personnel will consider removing any supporters who continue to engage in the chants during future matches.

The Guardian's Victor Balta explained the chant in question is "homophobic slang for a male sex worker" and that the insult dates back to potentially the mid-2000s.

Mexico national team striker Javier Hernandez spoke to supporters on social media, asking them to cease with the chant.

"To all Mexican fans in the stadiums, don't shout 'p--o'" Hernandez said on Instagram, per Reuters' Andrew Downie. "Let's not risk another sanction."

El Tri's next match is Saturday against South Korea. They sit tied atop Group F with Sweden, which defeated South Korea 1-0 on Monday.

Downie reported FIFA has three designated observers at each match of the World Cup to any identify discriminatory acts or chants during the action.

What do you do if your friend can't make it to the World Cup?

Bring a cardboard cutout of him, of course!

FIFA has launched disciplinary proceedings against Mexico after it was alleged some of their fans chanted the anti-gay slur "p--o" during their 1-0 win over Group F rivals Germany at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Reuters (h/t ESPN) reported the chants were heard when Die Mannschaft goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was preparing to take a free-kick in the first half, although some El Tri supporters have said there's no homophobic intent.

Henry Bushnell of Yahoo explained the word "p--o" translates into English as "coward" or "man whore," but it can also be interpreted as a derogatory term towards gay people.

The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) previously warned their fans against using the term in question (tweet in Spanish) after FIFA said those found using the chant could be restricted access to stadiums.

The report noted Mexico's history in chanting "Ehh p--o!" as goalkeepers make their run-up for goal-kicks, touching on their and other Latin American team's past fines from FIFA for the slur.

Most recently, Mexico had two fines against them cancelled by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in November while other fines remained, with gay rights groups arguing the chant is homophobic.

FootballvHomophobia is a Twitter account aimed at raising awareness in gay rights issues in the sport, and they commented on FIFA's need to levy more severe punishments to stop the infractions:

“25’: Mexico Begins ‘Puto’ Chant
There’s our first ‘Puto’ chant of the day. Mexico surely can expect yet another fine for that. Maybe, just maybe, FIFA needs to raise the number, because it isn’t going away” @FIFA what action are you taking on this? #WorldCup https://t.co/6COr5xRMPI

— FootballvHomophobia (@FvHtweets) June 17, 2018

Hirving Lozano was the hero for El Tri as they edged title-holders Germany to ascend to the top of Group F, though the chant controversy has tinged the result.

An earthquake was detected in Mexico City after El Tri opened the scoring in their 2018 FIFA World Cup match against Germany on Sunday.

Hirving Lozano scored the only goal of the game on 35 minutes as Mexico pulled off the surprise of the tournament so far by beating the defending champions.

Kirk Semple of the New York Times showed the reaction in Mexico City:

A small artificial earthquake detected in Mexico City “possibly due to mass jumping” when Mexico scored against Germany https://t.co/9arKFZHORU

— Kirk Semple (@KirkSemple) June 17, 2018

Mexico started the game strongly, and it was little surprise when they went ahead with a goal on the counter-attack.

Javier Hernandez raced clear from the halfway line before picking out Lozano on the left. The PSV Eindhoven winger then cut inside Mesut Ozil before firing a shot past goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

Mexico had further chances to extend their lead but were let down by some poor finishing. Germany hit back late on in search of an equaliser, but El Tri held firm to record the upset.

Mexico beat reigning champions Germany 1-0 in their Group F opener at the 2018 FIFA World Cup at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium on Sunday, thanks to a goal from Hirving Lozano.  

The PSV Eindhoven forward stunned the holders in the 35th minute as El Tri more than deserved their win against a sluggish Germany side. Die Mannschaft lost their opening game at a World Cup for the first time since 1982.

Germany will be in action next against Sweden at the Fisht Stadium in Sochi on Saturday, June 23, while Mexico will face South Korea in Rostov earlier the same day.

   

Lozano Arrives

Lozano came into the tournament as a breakout candidate in the eyes of many, and the PSV Eindhoven ace exceeded expectations against Germany.

The winger's well-taken goal on 35 minutes was merely the icing for an exhilarating first-half display from the 22-year-old burgeoning star. It was a finish good enough to announce Lozano as a player big clubs should be watching:

Chucky Lozano. Remember the name 🔥🇲🇽 pic.twitter.com/ZjJSyZfe2i

— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 17, 2018

Lozano has been generating buzz throughout 2018 after powering Rood-witten to the Eredivisie title:

Hirving Lozano enters the World Cup today as Mexico face Germany:

29 Eredivisie games for PSV
17 goals
11 assists

The 22-year-old is one to watch! pic.twitter.com/k3BjoW8JTw

— Dutch Football 🇳🇱 (@FootballOranje_) June 17, 2018

He's also been proving his worth at international level:

A whirlwind couple of years for #MEX's Hirving Lozano:

🇲🇽 Top scorer for Mexico during qualifying
🇳🇱 Top scorer for PSV in 2017-18 Eredivisie season
🇲🇽 First #WorldCup goal comes against the reigning champions

And he's only 22. 😳 pic.twitter.com/8zwsuyoYfd

— Squawka (@Squawka) June 17, 2018

Inevitably, Lozano's price will have risen after this star turn. The player also has the representation to guarantee a lucrative deal should the big boys come calling during or after the tournament:

https://twitter.com/Priya8Ramesh/status/1008376382676721664

Based on this showing, Mino Raiola will surely be fielding calls about his precocious client.

   

Joachim Low Needs a Tactical Rethink

A trip back to the drawing board beckons for coach Joachim Low after the way the holders were routinely exposed on the break. Mexico committed numbers high up the pitch and exploited space behind Germany's raiding full-backs.

Both Joshua Kimmich and Hertha Berlin's Marvin Plattenhardt left too much room for runners from wide areas:

Here's the average position maps from the @SofaScore app

Chucky, Vela and even Cheech have been finding joy in behind the usually advanced Kimmich. Clearly something Osorio's been trying to exploit.#WorldCup pic.twitter.com/C7SEHkZDOw

— Tom Harrison (@tomh_36) June 17, 2018

Kimmich was caught out of position for Mexico's goal, leaving Arsenal No. 10 Mesut Ozil to do an uncomfortable and unconvincing impression of a defender.

It was part of a pattern for Kimmich, who regularly drifted into no-man's land trying to track Lozano's varied movement. Kimmich also struggled to account for Carlos Vela's willingness to peel onto the flank.

The pattern continued in the second half:

Mexico continues to exploit the space left behind by an attacking minded Kimmjch, made possible by their well executed counters. can work if centre-backs are aggressive in their marking while the team is in possession but especially Hummels has been poor

— Markus Fjørtoft (@MarkusFjortoft) June 17, 2018

As much as Germany's full-backs struggled, there was a lack of cover from the central areas of midfield:

No German midfielder within 40 metres of defence when they lose the ball. Forces CBs into high-risk one vs ones high up the pitch. crazy stuff.

— Raphael Honigstein💙 (@honigstein) June 17, 2018

In particular, Juventus man Sami Khedira couldn't keep up with the pace of the game. Meanwhile, Ozil and Toni Kroos were too forward-thinking.

The absence of a natural anchor at the base of midfield left Low's defenders exposed to El Tri's densely populated breaks. While Low struggled to get the balance right, Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio deserves plaudits for his boldness in committing numbers into attacking areas:

#MEX have been 💨 on the counter-attack.@PatNevin is loving it!

⚽️ 📱 https://t.co/is1X9HdiXn#GERMEX #bbcworldcup #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/hMcpYUVafb

— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) June 17, 2018

By contrast, Low left Die Mannschaft devoid of a recognisable shape defensively, and there was a similar lack of coherence in how they went forward. Low's decision not to introduce Manchester City playmaker Ilkay Gundogan to improve passing in the middle was particularly curious.

Unless the 58-year-old underpins his midfield with more destructive tendencies as well as getting his wide players to double up defensively, Germany will be too open to qualify.

   

No Need to Panic for Germany

An opening-game defeat at this tournament for the first time in 36 years needn't be cause for panic stations for the defending champions. For one thing, Mexico are an excellent side loaded with quality, not just in the form of Lozano and Vela, but also thanks to striker Javier Hernandez and midfielders Andres Guardado and Hector Herrera—both outstanding on the day.

While there is no shame in losing to El Tri, Germany also know how their own ranks are loaded with match-winners. A quick look at some of the players who didn't make the starting XI in Moscow proved as much:

Not a bad pair to bring off the bench...#GERMEX https://t.co/aylEtZLDBB pic.twitter.com/A02bfq0V9W

— Mirror Football (@MirrorFootball) June 17, 2018

Wide forwards Marco Reus and Julian Brandt came off the bench against Mexico, but Gundogan and Bayern Munich's Leon Goretzka were unused substitutes. Goretzka's Bayern team-mate Sebastian Rudy is another cultured central midfielder in the squad.

Low has too much talent at this disposal for Germany not to qualify. Tweaks are needed to the shape, but one defeat isn't cause for an overhaul of a squad this experienced.

With games against Sweden and South Korea next, the holders should recover from this early blip to still qualify with room to spare.

Javier Hernández ya debería estar en el campo. Es una mañana inusualmente soleada a principios de mayo y Hernández lleva una hora de retraso al oscuro estadio al este de Londres porque su conductor confundió las locaciones de destino y la de salida. A Hernández le molestan las demoras. La impuntualidad siempre ha sido molesta para él. Pero su tardanza en llegar es una metáfora apta para su carrera en el fútbol europeo, en la que frecuentemente se ha encontrado fuera del campo sin culpa propia. 

(Editor's note: This story was originally written in English and translated into Spanish. See the original article here. Haz clic aquí para ver el artículo original en inglés.)

Su agenda para la tarde está más apretada que las multitudes en Old Trafford durante sus primeros días con el Manchester United. Debe filmar un comercial para Adidas, hacer dos entrevistas en español y una en inglés, y posar en sesiones fotográficas para dos sitios web; todo en el transcurso de tres horas. Ahora, se espera que lo haga todo en dos. Pero Hernández, quien es mejor conocido como Chicharito, es un maestro cuando se trata de sacar el mayor provecho de una cantidad limitada de minutos. Durante gran parte de su carrera, ha sido un sustituto, saliendo de la banca en el segundo tiempo para desmoralizar a los defensores con piernas moribundas. Hasta esta temporada lenta con el West Ham, había sido uno de los delanteros más eficientes de toda Europa.

Si la demora lo ha irritado, lo esconde bien para cuando entra a una oficina de gerencia que se ha convertido en un estudio de maquillaje y peinado. Saluda a todos los que se encuentra y le da la mano a media docena de personas. Hernández sonríe amablemente mientras las personas a su alrededor comentan sobre el clima. Está a solo unas semanas de cumplir 30, y no necesita mucho tiempo en esta silla. Las arrugas apenas se han empezado a formar en su frente y su cabello va de acuerdo al estereotipo de los jugadores europeos: Cada pelo ya había sido rociada y cortada lo suficiente para convencerte de que rara vez deja pasar más de 72 horas entre cortes de cabello. Hernández sale de la habitación con sus zapatos de fútbol naranjados, shorts negros y la camiseta verde de México.

El 17 de junio se pondrá el mismo uniforme en Rusia para representar a México por tercera ocasión en la Copa Mundial. En su carrera europea, Hernández rara vez se ha quejado de los reveses y ha celebrado el éxito con una humildad poco común. Aunque ha sido un goleador letal en las tres ligas europeas, y por ende el resto del mundo, rara vez ha sido un regular en los once iniciales. Lo mismo es cierto para su carrera internacional, donde es el máximo anotador del Tri, pero luchará una vez más para estar en el campo cuando suene el primer silbatazo este verano. Es posiblemente el hombre mexicano más famoso en el mundo, pero es esa combinación de estrellato y esfuerzo lo que lo hacen indiscutiblemente el atleta más querido del país. 

“Nunca se ha dejado caer ante los problemas”, dice Fernando Schwartz, un periodista mexicano en Fox Sports quien conoce a Hernández desde hace más de una década. “Siempre está peleando, y cuando gana, comparte el éxito. Es un símbolo para los mexicanos, especialmente para los inmigrantes mexicanos, que trabajan duro alrededor del mundo”. 

Hernández desciende las escaleras del estadio con 6,000 asientos. El espectáculo del Chicharito está por comenzar. Y por fin, pone los pies en el campo.

---

Cuando está en la cancha, Hernández se mueve con propósito. Este campo, en el Chigwell Construction Stadium, hogar del club Dagenham & Redbridge –de quinta planta y con problemas de liquidez–, es mantenido monásticamente pero sigue sufriendo de una cantidad vergonzosa de manchas cafés. Dos docenas de personas rodean a Hernández mientras lo atraviesa, y sin embargo se desliza a su alrededor en un parpadeo, una serie de pasos aparentemente silenciosos que han confundido a decenas de defensores de la Liga Premier, La Liga y Bundesliga durante la última década.

Cuando alcanza el borde del otro lado de la cancha, hace una pausa y posa. Midiendo 1.70 es más o menos un pie más pequeño que el delantero prototípico, pero aun así puede tener una presencia imponente. Arquea sus hombros hacia atrás, saca el pecho y da una mirada fría a la cámara. Esos ojos, verdes con café en las orillas, son parte del linaje que ha ayudado a hacerlo mundialmente famoso.

El abuelo materno de Hernández, Tomás Balcázar, fue delantero en el club mexicano Chivas a finales de los 40s y principios de los 50s. El grupo sería conocido más tarde como Campeonísimo gracias a sus ocho campeonatos. Balcázar también anotó para el Tri en una derrota ante Francia en la Copa Mundial de 1954. El padre de Hernández, de quien es tocayo, fue parte del equipo nacional que llegó a los cuartos de final en la Copa Mundial de 1986 en su propia tierra, aunque no jugó… Su carrera a nivel de clubes duró casi dos décadas. Fue apodado Chícharo por sus ojos verdes, y le dio tanto su nombre como su apodo a su hijo.

De su padre y abuelo, Chicharito heredó no solo una obsesión por la perfección en el terreno de juego, sino también la comprensión de que las cosas que más importan en la vida suceden fuera de él. Cuando caminaba por la ciudad con su padre, Chicharito escuchaba los gritos de “Chícharo” y veía a mujeres sacando cámaras de sus bolsas y a chicos rogando por autógrafos. En los periódicos y en la televisión, veía el rostro de su padre. Ahora, cuando Chicharito sube a las gradas y se acomoda en un asiento rígido para una entrevista, reflexiona sobre cómo su padre le enseñó de humildad sin palabras. “Esos fueron los primeros momentos en que me di cuenta de que eran personas importantes”, Chicharito dice sobre su padre y abuelo. “Dentro de la casa, no vivían así. Eran humildes. Eso era una parte de la vida. No era todo en la vida”.

Algunos domingos, cuando todos estaban en casa, la familia hacía un picnic y jugaba un partido en un campo cerca del aeropuerto. Cuando Chicharito tenía 9 años, se unió al C.D. Guadalajara. A los 15, firmó su primer contrato profesional. Su futuro parecía una conclusión inevitable. Pero en 2005, quedó fuera del equipo mexicano sub-17 que llegó a ganar la Copa Mundial de la FIFA. Con su club, Chivas, logró solo un gol en 23 partidos de 2006 hasta la primera mitad de la temporada de 2008. (En la Liga MX, el año se divide en dos torneros, el Apertura y el Clausura). Consideró retirarse del juego para siempre. “Sí, casi renuncié”, dice Chicharito, pero sus padres y agente lo convencieron de darle al club seis meses más.

“Hablé con mis padres y les pregunté si este era en verdad mi camino”, dice Chicharito, “y me dijeron que fuera paciente, que siguiera luchando, que siguiera trabajando y que nunca perdiera la fe en mí mismo. Dijeron que en el futuro vendrían cosas muy buenas. Y obviamente, tenían razón”: 

Dos años más tarde, estaba trotando en el campo de Old Trafford. Cuando el Manchester United anunció su contrato en 2010, el sitio web del club recibió 50,000 registros de México en 24 horas. En México, el suministro de un año de camisetas de Chicharito del Manchester United se agotó en dos meses. Después de una temporada de debut dominante –en la cual anotó 20 goles y fue nombrado “Goleador Mundial 2011” por la Federación Internacional de Historia y Estadísticas de Fútbol–, se convirtió también en la sensación europea. Las biografías fueron empujadas apresuradamente a las prensas, y canciones fueron escritas también. Un fan escribió una oda al Chicharito, ambientada con la canción “Let it Be” de The Beatles.

Cuando me encuentro en tiempos de problemas,

Chicharito anota para mí

Javier Hernández, Chicharito

Y cuando necesitamos un delantero

Sir Alex se vuelve hacia él

Sal y haz el trabajo,

Chicharito Chicharito,

Chicharito Chicharito,

Javier Hernández, Chicharito

Hernández parecía destinado al estrellato, pero en cambio su carrera ha sido definida por sus aciertos y arranques. Sir Alex Ferguson, el legendario manager del Manchester United, amaba a Chicharito como a un hijo. Pero él no iniciaba con él regularmente. Y cuando David Moyes remplazó al retirado Ferguson en 2013, los minutos de Hernández se redujeron a nada. Con el club, Chicharito anotó 37 goles en 49 aperturas y 103 apariciones. De acuerdo a Opta, un sitio web de análisis avanzado, su relación de minutos por gol (130.2), es el quinto mejor en la historia de la Premier League entre los jugadores que han anotado al menos 20 goles. José Mourinho, el ahora manager del Manchester United, dijo el año pasado que nunca hubiera permitido que Hernández se fuera. Pero, por supuesto, para entonces ya era demasiado tarde.

Hernández pasó la temporada 2014-15 prestado al Real Madrid, donde su estilo resbaladizo lo ayudó a lograr un equipo  perfecto con la valentía de Cristiano Ronaldo. En lo que fue quizás su momento más memorable en el fútbol europeo, convirtió un pase de Ronaldo para romper el punto muerto en el minuto 88 contra el Atlético Madrid en la Champions League. La siguiente temporada, con el club alemán Bayer Leverkusen, comenzó su mejor racha en Europa, metiendo 28 goles en 45 inicios y ganando el Jugador del Mes Bundesliga en cinco ocasiones. Esta temporada comenzó con un regreso prometedor a la Premier League con West Ham United. Pero Moyes reemplazó a Slaven Bilic como gerente en noviembre, y Hernández vio reducido su rol una vez más.

“Yo no soy el manager, así que yo no voy a armar el once inicial”, dice Hernández, “pero mi trabajo, mi trabajo duro, mi trabajo extra, mi buen humor, la manera en que veo las cosas positivamente, todo eso está en mis manos. Aun así sufro y siento dolor con algunas decisiones, porque en esta vida y en este deporte, esperas recompensas por trabajar duro. Pero la vida me ha enseñado a ser paciente”.

En entrevistas, Chicharito habla como juega. A ratos parece casi pensativo. Cuando habla español dice “gracias a Dios” con tanta frecuencia como la mayoría de la gente murmura “um”. Pero haz una pregunta que toque una fibra sensible, sobre estrategias de fútbol, por ejemplo, y exclamará “¡Exacto!” y se lanzará a la respuesta por varios minutos o más. Lo que más le apasiona en estos días es vivir en el momento. Aún en medio de una temporada decepcionante, no se detiene en cuestiones hipotéticas. Pregúntale cómo cree que su permanencia en Europa pudo haber resultado, y te contestará honestamente, pero no con amargura.

“Sí, mi carrera probablemente pudo haber sido diferente si las cosas hubieran sido de otra manera, si Sir Alex se hubiera quedado unos años más”, cuenta, “pero la cosa es que el hubiera no existe. Estamos hablando de algo que nunca va a pasar. Nos gusta complicarnos la vida. A veces sientes que nada es suficiente, siempre quieres más, más, más. En tu trabajo. En el dinero. En las relaciones. Por eso es que vivo en el presente.”

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En el estadio al este de Londres, Hernández está posado en un asiento blanco en medio de un mar de asientos rojos. Con la playera verde que trae puesta, está proporcionando el color que falta de la bandera mexicana, y el simbolismo no le pasa por alto. En sus seis apariciones anteriores en la Copa Mundial, México ha logrado emerger de las fases grupales para ser eliminado en la ronda 16. Quizás la misión más importante en la carrera de Chicharito es ver cuánto más lejos puede llevar esos colores.

Su experiencia con el fútbol nacional en México lo ayudó a prepararse para los retos que enfrentaría en Europa. En 2005, fue omitido del equipo ganador de la Copa Mundial Sub-17, un momento que fortaleció su resolución. “Ese fue un momento que definió su carrera. Fue un golpe en la cara. Cayó”, relata Miguel Pardo, un periodista mexicano que ha cubierto a la selección nacional por dos décadas, “y cuando cayó, su primer pensamiento fue pararse y seguir luchando. Fue al Manchester United y luchó, al Real [Madrid] y luchó, al Bayer [Leverkusen] y luchó. Creo que ese momento definió su espíritu futbolero para siempre.”

Pero aunque Chicharito ha estado en Europa por una década, su conexión con sus compatriotas sigue fuerte. Después de su primera temporada con el Manchester United, aceptó con lágrimas en los ojos ser embajador de turismo para su ciudad natal en Jalisco, Guadalajara. Y en 2012, se convirtió en el tercer embajador de México ante el Fondo de Emergencia Infantil de las Naciones Unidas. En eventos en todo el país, los oficiales y voluntarios de UNICEF se maravillaron por la manera en que se conecta con los niños. En vez de guiarlos en ejercicios en los campos de fútbol, los guiará en tontos juegos donde zigzaguea a su alrededor, para que ningún niño se sienta excluido. Cuando visita aulas, evita sentarse en sillas o pararse y opta por deslizarse directo al piso para que los niños puedan treparse encima de él.

“Muchas veces en México, los jugadores de fútbol tienen un estilo de vida muy lujoso”, dice el oficial de comunicaciones de UNICEF Daniel Gonzáles. “Chicharito no es así. Él se conecta con la gente a un nivel más personal. No lo ven como un icono, sino como alguien cercano a ellos, casi uno de ellos.”

Para Hernández, el trabajo de caridad es una anécdota de la cultura de celebridades de la cual no puede escapar. Él vive una vida tranquila la mayoría de las veces. No disfruta beber, fiestear o incluso ir al cine. Prefiere pasar tiempo en casa con su familia, quienes se han mudado alrededor del mundo con él. En una entrevista a principios de su carrera, declaró que su comida favorita es el plátano y su bebida favorita es agua. Pero a pesar de su aparente desinterés en ofrecerles algo emocionante, los tabloides aun rastrean cada uno de sus movimientos, obsesionándose particularmente con sus relaciones románticas.

Tampoco es inmune a la ponzoñosa obsesión que algunos fans sienten por la selección nacional. “Estoy muy agradecido por mi vida”, dice, “pero mi vida no es mejor o peor que la de otro ser humano. El valor de todos los seres humanos es el mismo. Somos iguales y somos diferentes. Cultura, religión, lo que sea, somos diferentes pero iguales. A veces en mi país, en muchos lugares alrededor del mundo, ponen su vida y todos sus placeres en el equipo nacional. Y no estoy criticando eso. Pero siempre debemos seguir adelante.”

Aun así, admite que nada en el fútbol le da tanta satisfacción como jugar por el Tri. En el pasado, ha referido a Chivas, su primer club, como el amor de su vida. Ha dicho que cada equipo desde entonces es como una novia: quizás él la deja, quizás ella lo deja. Pero la única excepción es el Tri. “La selección nacional es como mi madre”, dice. “Siempre estará ahí. Siempre voy a apoyar a mi país. No siempre estoy con ellos, pero siempre nos queremos. Ese amor y esa conexión son para siempre.” 

Hace año, en un partido amistoso contra Croacia, con sus padres y abuelos mirando, se convirtió en el máximo goleador en la historia de México. Para muchos observadores internacionales, sus logros vienen con un asterisco. Se refieren a su estilo de juego como “caza-goles.” Pero en un juego en el que los goles son escasos, criticar la fuente de alguno parece contradictorio. "La gente dice que técnicamente no es bueno", dice Pardo. "Me importa un bledo eso. Marca goles, que es lo que le pagan por hacer. La gente reevaluará lo que significa para el fútbol mexicano y para el equipo nacional cuando se retire. La gente dirá ‘Dios mío, era tan bueno’. El fútbol le pagará a Javier. Su gran premio se acerca, el respeto, la historia, el legado.”

A medida que transcurre el día, Hernández se levanta y regresa al campo. Sus obligaciones han terminado, y un asistente lo sigue con una serie de camisas para que se pueda cambiar. Pero opta por permanecer en su uniforme por un rato más. Él está en el campo. Él lleva los colores de su país. Está a 5.500 millas de donde nació, pero nunca parece estar lejos de casa.

Javier Hernandez should have been on the field by now. It's an unseasonably sunny morning in early May, and Hernandez is an hour late at the obscure east London stadium because his driver confused both the pickup and dropoff locations. Hernandez dislikes delays. Poor punctuality has always been among his pet peeves. But this late arrival is an apt metaphor for his European football career, during which he's frequently been held off the field through no fault of his own.

(Editor's note: This story was originally written in English and translated into Spanish. See the translated article here. Haz clic aquí para ver el artículo en español.)

His schedule for the afternoon had already been packed tighter than the crowds at Old Trafford during his early days with Manchester United. He was supposed to shoot a commercial for Adidas, conduct two interviews in Spanish and one in English and pose for photo shoots for two websites—all in the course of three hours. Now he's expected to do it all in two. But Hernandez, who's better known as Chicharito, "The Little Pea," is a master of making the most of limited minutes. For much of his career he's been a "super sub," coming off the bench in the second half to demoralize dead-legged defenders. Until this sluggish season with West Ham, he'd been one of Europe's most efficient strikers.

If the delay has irked him, he's hidden it well by the time he strides into a manager's office that's been converted into a hair and makeup studio. He says hello to everyone he encounters and shakes a half-dozen hands. Hernandez smiles politely as people around him exchange pleasantries about the weather. He's just a few weeks from 30, and he doesn't need long in this chair. Wrinkles have barely begun to form fault lines in his forehead, and his hair holds up the stereotype of European footballers: Every piece had already been sprayed into submission, and it's cropped closely enough to convince you that he rarely lets 72 hours lapse between haircuts. Hernandez emerges from the room donning orange cleats, black shorts and a green Mexico jersey.

On June 17, he'll put on the same kit in Russia to represent Mexico for the third time in the World Cup. In his European career, Hernandez has seldom complained about setbacks; and he's celebrated success with an uncommon humility. Although he's been a lethal scorer in the three best leagues in Europe, and therefore the world, he's rarely been a regular in the starting 11. The same is true for his international career, where he is El Tri's leading scorer but will once again battle to be on the field at the first whistle this summer. He's arguably the most famous Mexican man in the world, and it's that combination of stardom and striving that makes him inarguably the nation's most beloved athlete.

"He's never dropped off in the face of trouble," says Fernando Schwartz, a Mexican journalist for Fox Sports who has known Hernandez for more than a decade. "He's fighting all the time, and when he wins, he shares that success. He's a symbol for Mexicans, and especially Mexican immigrants, who work hard all around the world."

Hernandez descends the stairs of the 6,000-seat stadium. The Chicharito show is ready to start. At long last, he places his feet on the pitch.

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When he is on the pitch, Hernandez moves with purpose. This field, at Chigwell Construction Stadium, which is home to cash-strapped fifth-tier club Dagenham & Redbridge, is monastically maintained but still suffering from an embarrassing number of brown blemishes. Two dozen people surround Hernandez as he moves across it, and yet he slips around them in a blink, a seemingly silent series of steps that has confounded scores of Premier League, La Liga and Bundesliga defenders for the past decade.

When he reaches the top of the box on the opposite side, he pauses and poses. At 5'7", he's about a half-foot shorter than the prototypical striker, but he can still strike an imposing presence. He shoots his shoulders back, puffs out his chest and sets a stone-cold stare toward the camera. Those eyes, green with brown at their borders, are part of the lineage that has helped make him world-famous.

Hernandez's maternal grandfather, Tomas Balcazar, was a forward with the Mexican club Chivas in the late 1940s and 1950s. The group would later be known as the Campeonisimo, "the ultimate champion," for its eight championships. Balcazar also scored for El Tri in a loss to France in the 1954 World Cup. Hernandez's father, Javier Sr., was part of the 1986 national side that reached the World Cup quarterfinals on its home turf, though he did not play. His career at club level lasted nearly two decades. He was given the nickname Chicharo, "The Pea," because of his green eyes, and he passed both his birth name and his nickname to his boy.

From his father and grandfather, Chicharito inherited not only an obsession with perfection on the pitch but also an understanding that most of what matters in life happens off it. When he'd walk through town with his father, Chicharito would hear the cries of "Chicharo" and witness women fishing cameras out of purses and boys begging for autographs. In newspapers and on TV, he'd see his father's face. Now, as Chicharito climbs the bleachers and eases into a stiff seat for an interview, he reflects on how his father taught him humility without words. "Those were the first moments when I realized that they were important people," Chicharito says of his father and grandfather. "Inside my house, they didn't live like that. They were humble. That was a part of life. It wasn't the whole of life."

On some Sundays, when everyone was home, the family would have a picnic and play a match at a field near the airport. When Chicharito was nine, he joined C.D. Guadalajara. At 15, he inked his first professional contract. His future seemed a foregone conclusion. But in 2005, he was left out of the Mexican U17 team that went on to win the FIFA World Cup. With his club, Chivas, he managed just one goal in 23 appearances from 2006 to the first half of the 2008 season. (In Liga MX, the year is divided into two tournaments, the Apertura and the Clausura.) He considered walking away from the game for good—"Yeah, I almost quit," Chicharito says—but his agent and his parents convinced him to give the club six more months.

"I spoke to my parents and I asked them if this is really my path," Chicharito says. "And they told me to be patient, to keep fighting, to keep working and to never lose the faith in myself. They said that in the future very good things were coming. And obviously, they were right."

Two years later, he was trotting onto the field at Old Trafford. When Manchester United announced his signing in 2010, the club website received 50,000 registrations from Mexico within 24 hours. In Mexico, a year's supply of Manchester United Chicharito shirts sold out in two months. After a dominant debut season—in which he scored 20 goals and was named the International Federation of Football History & Statistics' "World Goalgetter 2011"—he became a European sensation, too. Biographies were hurriedly pushed off to presses, and songs were written too. One fan penned an ode to the Little Pea, set to the tune of the Beatles' "Let it Be."

When I find myself in times of trouble

Chicharito scores for me

Javier Hernandez, Little Pea

And when we need a striker

Sir Alex turns to him

Get out and get the job done,

Little Pea, Little Pea,

Little Pea, Little Pea,

Javier Hernandez, Little Pea

Hernandez seemed destined for stardom, but instead his career has been defined by fits and starts. Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United's legendary manager, loved Hernandez like a son. But he never started him regularly. And when David Moyes replaced a retiring Ferguson in 2013, Hernandez's minutes whittled to nothing. With the club, Chicharito scored 37 league goals in 49 starts and 103 appearances. According to Opta, an advanced analytics website, his minutes-per-goal ratio (130.2) is the fifth-best in Premier League history among players who have scored at least 20 goals. Jose Mourinho, who is now Manchester United's manager, said last year that he never would have let Hernandez get away. But of course, by then it was too late.

Hernandez spent the 2014-15 season on loan to Real Madrid, where his slippery style helped form a perfect partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo's flashiness up front. In perhaps his most memorable moment in European football, he converted a pass from Ronaldo to break the deadlock in the 88th minute against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final. The next season, with the German club Bayer Leverkusen, he began his best stretch in Europe, scoring 28 goals in 45 starts and earning Bundesliga Player of the Month five times. This season started with a promising return to the the Premier League with West Ham United. But Moyes replaced Slaven Bilic as manager in November, and Hernandez has once again seen his role reduced.

"I'm not the manager, so I'm not going to put the starting 11 up," Hernandez says. "But my work, my hard work, my extra work, my good mood, the way I see things positively—all of that is in my hands. I still suffer and feel pain with some decisions, though, because in this life and in this sport, you expect rewards for working hard. But life has taught me to be very patient."

In interviews, Chicharito speaks like he plays. At times, he appears almost pensive.

When he speaks Spanish, he says "gracias a Dios"—"thank God"—as frequently as most people mutter "um." But ask a question that strikes a chord, about football strategy, for example, and he'll exclaim "Exactly!" and launch into a response for several minutes or more. What he's most passionate about these days is living in the moment. Even in the midst of a disappointing season, he doesn't dwell on hypotheticals. Ask him about how else his tenure in Europe could have turned out, and he'll answer honestly but not bitterly.

"Yes, my career would probably have been different if things had gone another way, if Sir Alex had stayed on a few more years," he says. "But the thing is, the if doesn't exist. We're speaking about something that is never going to happen. We like to complicate our lives. Sometimes you feel like nothing is enough; you always want more, more, more. In your job. In money. In relationships. That's why I'm living in the present." 

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At the stadium in east London, Hernandez is perched in a white seat among a sea of red ones. With his green shirt on, he is providing the missing color of the Mexican flag—and the symbolism isn't lost on him. In its past six appearances in the World Cup, Mexico has managed to emerge from the group stages only to be eliminated in the round of 16. Perhaps the most important mission of Chicharito's career is to see how much further he can carry those colors.

His experience with national futbol in Mexico helped prepare him for the challenges he'd confront in Europe. In 2005, he was omitted from the 2005 U-17 World Cup-winning team—a moment that strengthened his resolve. "That was a moment that defined his career. He received a punch in the face. He went down," says Miguel Pardo, a Mexican journalist who has covered the national team for two decades. "And when he went down, his first thought was to get up and keep fighting. He went to Manchester United and fought; to Real [Madrid] and fought; to Bayer [Leverkusen] and fought. I think that moment defined his football spirit forever."

But even though Hernandez has been in Europe for a decade, his connection with his countrymen remains strong. After his first season with Manchester United, he tearfully accepted an ambassadorship for tourism in his hometown of Jalisco, Guadalajara. And in 2012, he became Mexico's third ambassador to the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund. At events across the country, UNICEF officials and volunteers have marveled at the way he connects with kids. Instead of leading them in drills on the football fields, he'll lead them in silly games where he zigzags around them so that no child feels left out. When he visits classrooms, he eschews standing or sitting in chairs and instead slides right down onto the floor so that the kids can climb all over him.

"Many times in Mexico, soccer players have a very jet-setting lifestyle," says UNICEF communications officer Daniel Gonzalez. "Chicharito is not that way. He connects to the people in a more personal level. They don't see him as an icon but as someone close to them, almost one of them."

For Hernandez, charitable work is an anecdote to the celebrity culture he can't quite escape. He mostly lives a quiet life. He doesn't enjoy drinking, partying or even going to the movies, preferring to spend time at home with his family, who have moved around the world with him. In an interview early in his career, he declared his favorite food was a banana and his favorite drink was water. But despite his seeming disinterest in offering anything exciting to them, the tabloids have still tracked his every move, especially obsessing over his romantic relationships.

He is also not immune from the obsession some fans feel for the national team. "I'm very grateful for my life," he says, "but my life is not better or worse than another human being's. The value of all human beings is the same. We are equal, and we are different. Culture, religion, anything—we are different, but equal. Sometimes in my country, and in many places around the world, they put their lives and all their pleasures on the national team. And I'm not criticizing that. But we must always move forward."

Still, he admits that nothing in football gives him as much satisfaction as playing for El Tri. In the past, he's referred to Chivas, his first club, as the love of his life. He's said that every team since is like a girlfriend—maybe he leaves her; maybe she leaves him. But the one exception is El Tri. "The national team is like my mother," he says. "It's always going to be there. I'm always going to cheer for my country. I'm not always with them, but we always care for each other. That love and that connection are forever."

A year ago, in a friendly against Croatia, with his parents and grandparents looking on, he became Mexico's all-time leading scorer. To many international observers, his accomplishments come with an asterisk. They refer to his style of play as "goal poaching." But in a game in which goals are at a premium, criticizing the source of any seems counterintuitive. "People say he's not technically good," Pardo says. "I don't give a damn about that. He scores goals, which is what he's paid to do. People will re-evaluate what he means to Mexican soccer and to the national team when he retires. People will say, 'Oh my God, he was so good.' Soccer will pay Javier. His big prize is coming—the respect, the history, the legacy."

As the day winds down, Hernandez rises and returns to the field. His obligations are over, and an assistant trails him with an array of shirts he can change into. But he opts to remain in his uniform for a little while longer. He's on the pitch. He's wearing his country's colors. He's 5,500 miles from where he was born, but he never seems that far from home.