"Chicharito loves Los Angeles and MLS" - Don Garber
Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernández is having a breakout season in his second year with the Los Angeles Galaxy, with seven goals in seven games.
During the announcement of the 2021 MLS All-Star game the commissioner of the league, Don Garber, spoke about the importance a player like Javier Hernández has when he is having a breakout season in his sophomore year in MLS. The Mexican international has scored seven goals in seven games with the Los Angeles Galaxy.
“I don’t talk to a lot of players, but I have spent a lot of time talking to Javier when we were in the bubble [MLS is Back tournament in Orlando in 2020]. And he [Javier] is a very smart guy, he’s very passionate about Los Angeles and he loves our league [MLS]. At the end of the day he is a very competitive footballer and the fact that he was not delivering on his own expectations was breaking his heart. Now you can see the joy in his eyes when he scores,” Garber told AS USA.
Hernández arrived in Major League Soccer in 2020, but failed to make an impact with the Los Angeles Galaxy in his first year. The Mexican international only scored two goals in 12 games played and only started seven.
The LA Galaxy failed to qualify for the 2020 MLS playoffs and ended up having their worst season in franchise history. Hernández admitted publicly that he was frustrated with his performances and promised to come back stronger next year.
The 33-year-old has shown his commitment the Galaxy and the league since game one of the 2021 MLS regular season. ‘Chicharito’ has scored seven goals in the first seven games of the campaign and right now he is the top scorer in the league. He wants to win titles and demonstrate why the Galaxy decided to bet on him when they paid almost $10 million to Sevilla in 2020.
Garber on Carlos Vela
The LAFC captain has broken all the individual records in Major League Soccer and in 2019 he was named the MVP and won the golden boot. Carlos Vela arrived in the league in 2018 and Garber expects him to stay for many more years with the Los Angeles FC.
“Carlos has been a great MLS player and I hope we can have him as long as he wants to play for LAFC in Major League Soccer. We have so many great Mexican players in the league in their prime.”