Chicharito breaks silence on retirement rumors after six months away from soccer

Javier Hernández, who has not played since November, clarified his future on Monday, one month before this summer’s World Cup gets underway.

Chicharito, the all-time leading scorer in the history of the Mexican national team, spoke exclusively with TUDN’s Línea de Cuatro about what comes next in his career after leaving Chivas.

“There’s still a medium- and long-term project ahead that we’ll be able to talk about later on, and one where I’ll still be able to keep playing. I’m excited. I think I could have retired after what happened with Chivas. But my story is like everyone else’s. We all think everything is going to be perfect, and it isn’t.

“There have always been people telling me no. Regardless of whether things worked out or not, I started feeling something I had never felt before. It’s not about scoring a goal and suddenly feeling good. It’s about enjoying what I do,” the Mexican striker said.

Hernández recently denied rumors linking him with a move to Atlante, the Potros de Hierro, who will return to Liga MX beginning with the Apertura 2026 tournament after spending several years in Liga de Expansión.

Among other things, Hernández made clear that he plans to return to the field after rediscovering his desire to play soccer, something he says he lost amid the controversies surrounding his life off the field.

“I rediscovered why I’ve always wanted to play soccer, and I had lost that. I lost the love for playing soccer. I lost it for many reasons. I always take responsibility, and during that period I was the person most responsible for what happened, but there were also things collectively that didn’t work out. The situation there was very tough.

“There were a lot of factors: my mom almost died, the whole ‘canceling’ situation. But if it hadn’t been for my teammates, I would have left or retired. I would have thought, ‘I’m not a soccer player anymore,’” Chicharito said.

Hormiga as Mexico’s next idol

Hernández also spoke about what he sees in the future for Armando “La Hormiga” González. The former Real Madrid player reacted with irony to doubts surrounding the young striker’s ability to move to Europe.

“No, it’s not just little flashes. He’s scored 12 goals in each of the last two tournaments. That’s not just little flashes. This is where I stop understanding people. Some players come along, have three good games, score a great goal, and if they’re left-footed we compare them to Messi, if they’re tall we compare them to Ibrahimović.

“Now we have a Mexican player from Chivas who’s scored 24 goals in two tournaments, and people still don’t want to send him to Europe. That’s crazy,” Javier said.

He also believes González has what it takes to leave a lasting mark on Mexican soccer history.

“If he can stay focused and simply enjoy what he does, I think we’re going to have another Mexican idol, without any doubt, because that kid has a level of commitment you only see in people who do extraordinary things.”

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that of this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.