Chicharito: The Javier Hernandez story - Tapa dura

Totally Unofficial

Javier Hernandez, El Chicharito ('The Little Pea', so named for his green eyes), is rapidly becoming one of the most idolised young football stars on the planet. After an amazing World Cup debut for Mexico, he left Guadalajara and started his dream career at Manchester United. He was initially expected to be a bit part player learning his apprenticeship, but instead instantly became a hit on and off the field with the fans and cementing his place with 20 goals and lightening pace as the club's leading striker alongside Wayne Rooney.

This is a story of the little boy with footballing stardom in his family (his father played for Mexico), who the coaches thought would be too small for the rigours of the professional game. The story of how he proved everyone wrong to reach the pinnacle of the game with World Cups, Premiership titles and Champions League finals.

Using sources from Guadalajara to Old Trafford, this totally unofficial book gets closer to the real Chicharito than any other source so far.

Javier Hernández Balcázar is a Mexican footballer who plays as a forward for Manchester United, being the first Mexican to do so. Hernández is commonly known as Chicharito, meaning little pea, in reference to being the son of former footballer Javier Hernández Gutiérrez, who was nicknamed Chicharo (pea) because of his green eyes. Hernández was born in Guadalajara, which was also his first club. He made his début for the Mexico national football team in September 2009 and represented them at the 2010 FIFA World Cup scoring two goals. He helped Mexico win the Gold Cup in 2011 and was named top scorer and 'Player of the Tournament'.

Charles Samuel has written widely about Manchester United for broadsheets, websites and fanzines for over a decade.