From Hate to Love to Hate to Love Again:The Chicharito Signing
As a USMNT supporter and a member of the American Outlaws, it has been ingrained in me to dislike all players from the Mexican National team. I’ve spent my life rooting against them; they are the enemy plain and simple. I cheered for them to lose on the national level, and I hoped they would perform poorly for club, that is until they played for my club.
The years 2010-2014 were a confusing time for me as a Manchester United supporter. The Red Devils were one of the best clubs in the world, and I was rooting for a Mexican National to succeed. A young Javier Hernandez, better known as Chicharito, is putting in goals as a super sub, and I’m excited? Yes, I’m excited! I want this kid to stay forever and destroy everyone, but the 2014-2015 season saw his loan to Real Madrid, and soon after his permanent departure from Manchester United.
What a relief, right? I no longer have to cheer for a Mexican footballer. Everything is back to normal. In October of 2015, the USMNT faced Mexico in the CONCACAF Cup final. This is my favorite rivalry. We have songs to lift up our players and songs to mock the Mexican players, specifically Chicharito. I don’t feel any allegiance to him anymore, and I sing the song loud and proud. Ten minutes into the game, he puts away the first goal, and there it is, the hate. I completely ignore his time at Manchester United. In this moment he is the Mexican player I hate the most. The US went on to lose 2-3 in 120 minutes of play. It was a heartbreaking day that all started with a Chicharito goal.
2015 also brought another Mexican National player into my club life with the signing of Giovani Dos Santos to LA Galaxy. Initially I groaned, but then I thought, hey, maybe this guy will win me over like Chicharito did at Manchester United. He did not. In fact, I disliked him even more than I did before. If you look at his numbers over his tenure, you would think he was good enough. He scored 26 goals in 77 appearances. But for a designated player making nearly $7million a year, missing close to half your games in four years is a joke. It really gave the fans the feeling that he was just there for the paycheck, no need to play because he’d get paid either way. In 2017 Gio’s brother Jonathan joined him at Galaxy. For me, and many others, there was an eye roll and low expectations, and for a while it held true. But 2019 changed everything. The LA Galaxy bought out Gio’s contract leaving Jonathan as the sole Dos Santos in LA. It quickly became evident that he had been living in his brother’s shadow as Jonathan displayed more heart and hustle and pure skill in one season than Gio did in four. Jonathan has changed my mind, not only am I cheering for a Mexican National once again, I love him. I want him to be our captain, I want him to finish his career in LA, I want to watch him play until he can’t play anymore, and then I want him to join the front office in one way or another. In my heart, he IS the LA Galaxy.
This brings us to the 2020 January transfer window in which the Galaxy are desperately seeking a striker. Rumors have bounced around about Cavani and Aguero, but one rumor came and stuck: Chicharito. Here we go again, I thought, I have to find a way to love this man again. I look at him and I see October 10, 2015, I feel that pain. I don’t want him, I can’t do this, don’t do this to me, Galaxy! I’m following everything closely on Twitter. Everyone has an opinion, some want him, some don’t, and the arguments begin. Then, I start to see non-Galaxy people chime in. And there it is, LAFC fans getting salty. That was enough for me. I am sold. Sign him, bring him here, let him own this league. By the end of January 15th we thought it was a done deal. But then, January 16th the reports come out that the Galaxy are worried about the deal falling through. Why?!?! What are the soccer gods doing to me? I even tweeted, “I will double down on hate so fast if this crumbles.” Yes, it was very reactionary, but deciding to love this man for a second time took a lot. January 17th, Grant Wahl of SI reports its done. Stu Holden posts a video about it. Other reports come out, ink is on paper: Chicharito is a G. While it’s still hard to fully celebrate until the Galaxy put out the announcement, today I feel relief. I am ready to embrace two Mexican Nationals for the 2020 season until they no longer play in LA. More than embrace, I am ready to love Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez the way I already love Jonathan Dos Santos. Vamos Galaxy!!!!
