HOUSTON — The much-anticipated debut of Mexican superstar and new LA Galaxy striker Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez ended in a 1-1 draw against the Houston Dynamo in Week 1, and although he is content with getting a point on the road, Hernandez says he knows he can do better.
Shaking off the preseason rust, Hernandez made some good passes during his first MLS game, but he couldn't quite find his first league goal — something that he is sure will come soon enough.
“It's my first official game in this league," Hernandez said. "I don't want to use it as an excuse, but I have plenty to adapt myself to this league [and] to my teammates. Always the first game in the season is a little bit like a hangover of the preseason."
Hernandez is considered by some to be the biggest MLS signing since David Beckham, not just because of his high price tag, but also due to the great impact he stands to have on the league.
Great expectations have been placed on him, and his game will be closely scrutinized, yet the striker seems cool and measured as far as what he will do on the playing field for the Galaxy.
“I've always mentioned that the best thing about this life and this career is how you finish, not how you start,” Hernandez said. “I am calm, happy things will improve. I have a lot of confidence in this team, I have a lot of confidence in me, so [I’ll] continue working and enjoying it and hopefully the results can be reversed so that they are more positive than the negative side and [I can] be able to enjoy.”
Before wearing the Galaxy colors Hernandez was formed in the Liga MX with Chivas Guadalajara academy system and he scored 26 goals for the first team before he was transferred to the English Premier League's Manchester United.
In 2014, Chicharito had a short stint in La Liga as part of Real Madrid before heading to Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen, where he scored 39 goals. Most recently, he was part of West Ham in England (2017-19) and then Sevilla (2019) before arriving in MLS for the 2020 season.
“I am not going to go into comparisons [of leagues he has played in] anymore, the [MLS] league has already started for almost two months now,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez is a fan-favorite on the Mexican national team, not only for his personality but also thanks to his goals. The striker has the most goals in El Tri history, with 52 in 109 appearances, surpassing goals scored by other Mexican superstars like Jared Borgetti (46 goals), Cuauhtémoc Blanco (39) and former Galaxy players Luis Hernández (35) and Carlos Hermosillo (35).
So it comes as no surprise that he has a large fan following, even when his team is playing on the road like at BBVA Stadium, where there fans held Dynamo scarves while wearing Mexican jerseys in homage to Hernandez.
“I only have words of appreciation (to them) if they travel or not, buy or not or are if nothing else following my career in positive or not so positive way," Hernandez said. "Thank you very much for paying close attention and I hope you can enjoy this career as much as I do."
