Jonathan Zuniga has long admired soccer star Javier “Chicharito” Hernández, Mexico’s all-time leading goal scorer.
Ten-year old Jonathan plays soccer almost daily and can be found on the soccer field in his Pleasant Grove neighborhood with his family most evenings.
"I would say that it has always been a dream to meet him, because in my soccer team, they also call me Chicharito because I play like him,” Zuniga told KERA in Spanish. “Ever since they started calling me Chicharito I have always wanted to meet him.”
The dream seems closer to coming true these days: Hernández, affectionately called Chicharito by fans, has signed as Atlético Dallas’ first player. The expansion club will play at the Cotton Bowl beginning in 2027 as part of the USL Championship league.
Fresh off his stint as a FIFA World Cup commentator for Fox Sports, Hernández formally introduced himself at a news conference Wednesday morning at the Cotton Bowl. A few weeks ago, he hinted about the possibility of staying in Dallas.
Hernández said the city has always made him feel at home.
“And now I can call Dallas my home,” he said.
Generations of Chicharito fans
Jonathan, his two brothers, Giovanni and Carlos, and parents, Alma and Juan Carlos, have all been Chicharito fans since he played with the Chivas de Guadalajara. Jonathan has been wearing a Chivas jersey since he was an infant.
Jonathan said he hopes to play professional soccer like Hernández someday. He has studied Hernandez’s playing style and can cite his favorite goals.
“I like the goals he scored in the World Cups, like in 2010 against France and then in 2014 against Croatia and then 2018 against Korea,” Jonathan said. "In his first game with Real Madrid, I liked his two goals that he scored. When he played against Manchester United, who were losing 2-0 against Aston Villa, I liked the three goals he scored too.”
Hernández has been posting about his journey to Dallas on social media — and there have been sightings of him in North Texas, including at popular taqueria Chilangos Tacos. That has the Zuniga family intrigued.
“We usually go to that taqueria,” said Alma Perez, Jonathan’s mom. “But we didn’t go that day. We missed him.”
Perez said when she heard the news of Chicharito signing with a Dallas team, she couldn’t believe it.
“Now that he's in Dallas, there's a chance that my children and my husband will get to know him,” she said. “We were all happy because there are more possibilities of meeting a player from the Chivas, from the Mexican national team who has played in several foreign teams.”
Hernández played in three World Cups with the Mexican national team. Throughout his decades-long career he also played with Manchester United, Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, West Ham United, Sevilla and the LA Galaxy.
Jacob Huerta, director of the nonprofit Dallas Youth Sports, said Hernández coming to Dallas is important for generations who grew up watching Chicharito play, and for younger generations, “especially with the hype” from the FIFA World Cup in North Texas.
“We saw that with our league, the amount of kids who wanted to play soccer joining the sport,” Huerta said. “And this right here with Chicharito playing with Atlético Dallas at the Cotton Bowl close to our communities here in southern Dallas, I think this is a great opportunity for families and kids to come see play and get inspired by him and continue to play soccer.”
Huerta and his father, Dallas Park Board member JR Huerta, are looking forward to seeing young players inspired by Chicharito playing in Dallas.
“What this means for Dallas and for ... the young athletes here is phenomenal,” JR Huerta said. “Because when you have a star, a superstar like this come to your city to play in your city of Dallas, it just elevates us to another level.
"And just imagining the kids come here and get to see him in person. And also the dads—because the dads grew up watching him.”
Priscilla Rice is KERA’s communities reporter. Got a tip? Email her at price@kera.org.
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