Chicharito’s tearful Man Utd farewell resurfaces as Jimenez chases his record

Javier Hernandez broke down in tears when he realised his European football career was finally over, in emotional footage that has resurfaced as Mexico prepare to face England at the 2026 World Cup. The Mirror reports that the striker, who spent five years at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson, wept while announcing his move to LA Galaxy in January 2020.

Hernandez, affectionately known as Chicharito, remains Mexico’s all-time leading goalscorer with 52 goals in 109 appearances. That record is now under threat from Wolves forward Raul Jimenez, who sits second on the all-time list with 47 goals in 128 caps and leads the line for Mexico against Thomas Tuchel’s England side on Sunday at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.

From Old Trafford glory to a difficult exit

Hernandez joined Manchester United in the summer of 2010, the same year he announced himself on the international stage at the World Cup in South Africa. He scored 20 goals in all competitions during his debut campaign at Old Trafford, helping Ferguson’s side win the Premier League and reach the Champions League final, where Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona proved too strong at Wembley.

The Mexican forward followed that up with two more seasons of double-figure goal returns in the league, cementing his status as an important squad player under Ferguson. However, his fortunes changed dramatically once David Moyes took charge, with Hernandez struggling for regular football.

According to the Mirror, Louis van Gaal appeared to offer Hernandez a lifeline by starting him in his first league match as manager, only to substitute him at half-time in a decision that signalled his time at the club was drawing to a close. He was loaned out a fortnight later and left United permanently in the summer of 2015 to join Bayer Leverkusen.

Tears as the European dream ended

Hernandez continued to find the net regularly in Germany before returning to the Premier League with West Ham in 2017, scoring 16 goals during a turbulent spell that saw him play under three different managers. A brief stint at Sevilla followed, but his European adventure officially ended in January 2020 when he signed for MLS side LA Galaxy.

It was during the announcement of that move that Hernandez was overcome with emotion. “I wanted to speak to you guys because the thing is about to get done, it’s almost certain that I’m going to LA,” he said in the video, before breaking down in tears. “It’s okay, everything is perfect, it’s only that, well it’s like the beginning of my retirement.”

He added: “We’re saying goodbye to a career that we put a lot of effort on. We’re going to look at the bright side, but whether we like it or not we are retiring from the European dream.”

Jimenez eyes the record versus England

Despite the emotional farewell, Hernandez went on to enjoy further success in the United States, scoring 39 goals in 82 appearances for LA Galaxy before eventually returning to his boyhood club CD Guadalajara. He has not featured for a club side since last year and has been a free agent since, without having formally confirmed his retirement.

Jimenez, meanwhile, has already scored twice at the 2026 World Cup, including in Mexico’s round of 32 win over Ecuador. The 35-year-old will be aiming to close the gap on Hernandez’s all-time tally when Mexico take on England on Sunday, in what promises to be one of the standout ties of the tournament for supporters back in Britain.