One of the region’s most well-known stars could be matching up against Forge FC in February. Chivas Guadalajara announced on Wednesday the signing of Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernández, who is the Mexican national team’s all-time leading goalscorer. Chivas are set to take on the 2023 Canadian Premier League Final winners Forge FC in Round One of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup, starting on Wednesday, Feb. 7 in Hamilton (8 p.m. ET). The return leg will be played at the famed Estadio Akron on Tuesday, Feb. 13 in Mexico. Hernández, who turned 35 in June, returns to Chivas after spending four years with the Liga MX club between 2006 and 2010. He then moved to Manchester United in the English Premier League, where he won the title twice and was a UEFA Champions League runner-up in 2010-11. During that time, he went on loan to Real Madrid, with whom he won the FIFA Club World Cup in 2014. He most recently played with the LA Galaxy in MLS. However, he has not played since June 7, 2023, after tearing his ACL during a U.S. Open Cup quarter-final match against Real Salt Lake. What that means for his availability against Forge remains to be seen. Chicharito also played 109 times with the Mexican national team, scoring 52 goals. He won the Concacaf Gold Cup with El Tri in 2015, and also represented his country at the 2010, 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cup tournaments. Hernández isn’t the only notable roster move made by the opponent of a CPL side ahead of the competition. Orlando City SC, who will face Cavalry FC in round one, recently announced the signing of Nico Lodeiro. The 34-year-old Uruguay international spent the past eight seasons as a key member of the Seattle Sounders side that won two MLS Cups, as well as the Concacaf Champions Cup (then called the Champions League) in 2022. Cavalry will host Orlando on Wednesday, Feb. 21 at Starlight Stadium in Langford, B.C., before travelling to Orlando for the return leg on Tuesday, Feb. 27.
Written by:Mitchell Tierney