Javier “Chicharito” Hernández, the Mexican national team’s all-time leading scorer, has signed with Atlético Dallas of the USL Championship.
Hernandez is the first player to sign with an expansion club that will begin playing next year in U.S. Professional Soccer’s second tier, which is below Major League Soccer. Hernandez, 38, has signed a two-year contract with a third-year option, Dallas announced Monday.
“I believe Dallas deserves a club that reflects its passion for soccer, its diversity, and its future,” Hernandez said in a statement. “I want to help create a winning culture, inspire young players across North Texas, and give our supporters a team they can trust from the get-go. I’m not here just to finish my career. I’m here to help build the future of football in Dallas.”
Striker Hernandez represented Mexico in three World Cups. He has a team-high 52 goals in 109 games, but has not played for the national team since 2019.
His club career also included playing in the Premier League and the German Bundesliga. He played for Manchester United from 2010 to 2014, scoring 37 goals in 103 appearances. He most recently played in MLS with Los Angeles Galaxy from 2020 to 2023, scoring 38 goals in 74 games, and spent the 2024-2025 season with Liga MX’s Guadalajara.
Hernandez served as an analyst as part of the FOX broadcast team for the recent World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Sporting Director Brian Corcoran said: “Javier brings us world-class quality on the field, but just as importantly, he brings professionalism, responsibility and an unwavering commitment to winning. Those qualities are contagious inside the dressing room and are exactly what we want this club to embody from day one.” “His leadership ambitions, combined with the qualities he will bring on the field, make this the perfect first signing for our club.”
Former La Liga and Ligue 1 midfielder Peter Rusin was appointed as the team’s first manager in February.
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