Javier Hernandez Balcazar

Javier Hernandez at a Press Conference

Stats

Birthdate: June 1, 1988

Age: 23

Nationality: Mexico

Height: 5'9" (1.75m)

Weight: 136 lbs. (62 kg)

Position: Striker

EPL Club: Manchester United

Number: 14

Born Javier Hernandez Balcazar in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico on June 1, 1988. He started playing football at the age of seven in a recreation league. His father thought at the time that his young son would never make it as a professional footballer. He should know, he was a member of three different clubs in Mexico, as well as a member of the 1986 national squad at the 1986 World Cup. His father, Tomas Balcazar, was a member of the 1954 World Cup Mexican team. Perhaps young Javier's father underestimated the power of his own genes. The third-generation footballer's career may have started out modestly, but it would gain momentum soon enough.

Hernandez's former club, Chivas

At the age of nine, Javier joined C.D. Guadalajara. Subsequently, at the age of 15 he signed his first professional contract. The club, also known as Chivas, fielded young Hernandez on their lower division team, Chivas Coras, intitially in the 2005-06 season. He made his Chivas debut a year later and after coming in as a substitute late in the game scored his first goal after only five minutes. The following year was difficult for Javier as he only made six appearances and scored no goals. Though he did not score in the 2008 Apertura tournament, he did score four goals in 15 appearances in the 2009 Clausura tournament. In the 2009 Apertura Chicharito finished with 11 goals in 17 appearances, making him joint top-third top scorer. In the 2010 Torneo Bicentenario he scored 10 times in 11 matches, making him joint top goal scorer and may have had more, as he did not play five games due to injury.

Sir Alex Ferguson instructing
his young star

Chicharito was first scouted by Manchester United in December of 2009 and reported back positive things about the undersized Mexican playmaker. The club had planned to wait to sign him, due to age, but his involvement with the national side forced their hand. In 2010 Manchester United sent over their chief scout and after he too reported positively on Hernandez the club agreed to a deal on April 8, 2010. No one, not even Hernandez's grandfather or his agent knew of the deal. The secrecy was so complete that Tomas Balcazar thought his grandson was traveling to Atlanta in the U.S. After the work permit came through, Javier Hernandez Balcazar was officially announced a Red Devil on July 1 of the same year. The whirlwind ride from obscurity to primetime was complete. Young Javier had made his way in the world and summed it up by stating the following, "I have signed a contract with the best club in the world, and I hope I can help improve the name of Mexico here, I hope my transfer is just the beginning and other Mexican players can live the kind of dream that I am living today by following me here." While that dream is not yet complete he surely has given the world reason to take notice of Mexico as a footballing nation. Hopefully his star will help raise the country's perception and cause other top clubs to take note.

Chicharito, Spanish for 'little pea', was nicknamed so because his father was called 'chicharo', meaning 'pea' due to his green eyes. While at Guadalajara Hernandez took business administration classes at the University del Valle de Atemajac while living with his parents. It is also reported that Hernandez's entire family now reside with him in England.