Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez Becomes Mexico's All-Time Leading Goalscorer
May 28, 2017Javier Hernandez scored in Saturday's friendly against Croatia to become the all-time leading goalscorer in Mexico national team history.
Chicharito found the back of the net in the 87th minute, bringing his career total to 47 goals for El Tri and moving him ahead of Jared Borgetti, per Fox Soccer:
ESPN FC's Tom Marshall tweeted how Hernandez's inclusion into the second half of Saturday's match reinvigorated the Mexican attack:
His substitution came too little too late for El Tri, who lost 2-1.
Chicharito's performance, along with the fact he scored 11 goals in 26 Bundesliga appearances for Bayer Leverkusen, will give fans some optimism heading into the 2017 Confederations Cup next month. The tournament is a nice barometer to see where things stand for a team ahead of the World Cup.
For instance, Mexico sacked Jose Manuel de la Torre a few months after finishing third in its group at the 2013 Confederations Cup. The team then reached the round of 16 at the 2014 World Cup.
Hernandez's form has often been a big decider in how far El Tri can advance at international tournaments. Mexico are grouped with hosts Russia, Portugal and New Zealand for the Confederations Cup.
If Chicharito poses a constant threat in front of goal, Mexico could potentially advance to the knockout stage. Should he struggle, it will likely be another group-stage exit.