This is a profile of Javier Hernandez, who is part of ESPN's World Fame 100.
Soccer flows through his veins. His father and grandfather were professional soccer players, instilling the most popular sport in the world in him. He has followed their path to the point of becoming one of the most revered Mexican idols in recent years.
Javier Hernandez has penned his story with remarkable passages in the Mexican national team, where he already ranks as the all-time leading scorer with 49 goals in 100 appearances before heading into the Russia World Cup.
In 2006, "Chicharito" made his professional debut with Chivas de Guadalajara at 18, scoring his first goal after coming on as a substitute.
The striker became the first Mexican player to sign with Manchester United in 2010, the same year he played with Mexico in the World Cup. Hernandez scored twice in South Africa, including a goal in a 2-0 win against France, emulating his grandfather Tomas Balcazar, who scored against France in the 1954 World Cup.
From the early stages of his professional career with Chivas to his current spell in the Premier League with West Ham, with stops in La Liga with Real Madrid and the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen, Hernandez has established himself as one of the greatest players to wear Mexico's tricolor.