Hernandez to Start in MLS Debut
It didn’t take long for the question to be posed--would newly signed Luis Hernandez start for the Galaxy in its match tonight against Washington D.C. United?
“I feel good and my timing is good, even though I haven’t trained in a week,” Hernandez said. “I think I could do it but it’s a decision for the head coach to make.”
It didn’t take long for Galaxy Coach Sigi Schmid to answer.
“OK,” a convinced Schmid said.
You didn’t think Hernandez came all this way to sit, did you?
The signing of Mexico’s biggest star drew a crush of media, both mainstream and Spanish-language, to a news conference at Staples Center Friday. And while Major League Soccer does not disclose contracts, it is believed that MLS paid Tigres, Hernandez’s Mexican first-division club, a league-record $4 million to acquire him and that he signed a three-year deal to play with the Galaxy.
Hernandez, whose flight from Mexico City landed at Los Angeles International Airport less than two hours before the conference, was presented with his new No. 15 jersey by Galaxy President Tim Leiweke.
“This is the most dynamic player and, possibly, the player who will have the largest impact on this sport and Southern California,” Leiweke said. “And when you add Luis to the nucleus that Sigi has already built, not only do we have a chance to become a major sport, [we have a chance to become] the major sport in this marketplace in the next few years.”
Hernandez, 31, spoke solely in Spanish, and said that his immediate goal was to simply fit in.
“I just want to come in here and give my all,” he said, “and help my teammates.”
His presence has already been felt.
According to Sergio del Prado, the Galaxy’s vice president of business operations, the signing of Hernandez has already had an effect on ticket sales for tonight’s match at the Rose Bowl; the Galaxy is expecting a crowd approaching 50,000.
Hernandez, who is known as El Matador, is a two-time player of the year in Mexico.
The 5-foot-7, 160-pound striker has played professionally in Mexico for Cruz Azul, Santos Laguna, Monterrey, Necaxa and Tigres.
In international play, Hernandez has scored 35 goals in 73 matches, which ties him with former Galaxy forward Carlos Hermosillo as Mexico’s all-time leading scorer.
