'It’s a dream to play a World Cup in Mexico' – Chivas' Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez eyes Mexico return for 2026 tournament

Javier "Chicharito" Hernández, the all-time leading scorer for the Mexican national team with 52 goals, has confirmed that he has not retired from El Tri and still dreams of playing in the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Despite not being called up for Qatar 2022 and not featuring for Mexico since 2019, Hernández isn’t ruling out the possibility of fighting for a spot on Javier Aguirre’s roster next year.

"Yes, of course - it’s a dream to play a World Cup in Mexico," he told Récord. "Just like it’s a dream to win every tournament I play in, to do my best in every match - I’ll always aim for the highest. I’m not afraid of that. That’s why I was able to play for the clubs I played for and achieve what I’ve achieved, because I’ve never been afraid to aim high and put in the work to reach it."

"There’s a World Cup coming up, and as I’ve always said, as long as I’m an active player and I haven’t retired from the national team, it’s always on my mind. I’m a competitive person who isn’t afraid to dream big and work hard to make it happen."

The World Cup veteran - who represented Mexico in 2010, 2014, and 2018 - added: "I’m in a place in my career where I still have a lot to give to this profession, and when I don’t, I’ll be the first to step away out of respect for the game."

Chicharito has always stood out for his incredibly positive mindset. The former Manchester United striker broke barriers and became a historic figure, not only for the Mexican National Team but also for every club whose jersey he’s worn.

But the real question is: Can he still contribute to El Tri?

Since his return to Chivas, Hernández has only managed to score three goals in 34 matches, and rumors have already begun to circulate, linking him with a move back to MLS next season.

Sure, Mexico fans would love to see Chicharito play in his fourth World Cup, especially one partly hosted on home soil. His legacy and charisma are undeniable.

But can he provide competition to Raúl Jiménez or Santiago Giménez at this point in his career?

"First of all, the Javier Aguirre era has fortunately been improving, and they achieved what they did recently, like the Nations League. Now the World Cup is coming. I think things are going really well - they made a good choice by putting someone with so much knowledge and authority in charge," Hernandez said, with access provided by Enterprise Rent-A-Car. "And alongside him, the Kaiser, Rafa Márquez - they’re doing a great job, and I think they can improve a lot more, which is what we all want."

Chicharito has done several recent interviews as part of Enterprise’s ‘Rent-A-Player’ campaign, which launched an opportunity for a fan to travel to this season’s UEFA Europa League final in Bilbao.

El Tri will face Switzerland on June 7 at the University of Utah's stadium, and then take on Turkey on June 10 at Kenan Stadium in North Carolina. Both matches will serve as preparation for the Gold Cup.