El Tri’s Tata Martino owes Chicharito a call

As El Tri visits the United States this weekend, coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino should visit with Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez. 

The Little Pea is on fire this season with the Los Angeles Galaxy. The Major League Soccer season is a little more than two months old, and Chicharito just picked up his third Player of the Week award for the year.

Mexico, which will make two stops on its MexTour of the U.S. this week, has plenty of offensive creativity at Martino’s disposal. El Tri needs a true finisher, though. They need Chicharito, who leads MLS with 10 goals so far.

Chicharito scored his last two goals this weekend in a 3-1 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes. Hernandez is now averaging an MLS Player of the Week almost every third week, considering MLS just finished Week 10. 

Chicharito open to El Tri return

Unlike his former El Tri teammate Carlos Vela of LAFC, Hernandez has never turned his back on the Mexican national team. Moreover, he’s adamant that he has never said he has retired from the Mexican national team.

He actually scoffs at the thought. Between friendlies, the recently concluded Nations Cup and the upcoming Gold Cup, Martino will get plenty of chances to evaluate Mexico’s talent. 

Chicharito, who just turned 33 on June 1, will be 34 during the next World Cup. Will that be too old to handle what is expected to be oppressive heat in Qatar?

Nobody knows the answer to that question. Nonetheless, there’s no denying Chicharito is having a great season. He’s the first MLS player to reach the double-digit goal mark this season. Even if he doesn’t win the Golden Boot as the league’s top goal scorer this year, he has earned consideration for the World Cup qualifiers.

Chicharito will be busy preparing for Sunday’s game against Sporting Kansas City, so he might not be able to attend El Tri’s game against Nigeria at the L.A. Coliseum on Saturday. The Coliseum is a short drive from the Galaxy’s stadium in Carson, Calif.

Once El Tri plays Panama in Nashville on Wednesday, Martino should get on the phone. He should find time to schedule a visit with Chicharito after he arrives in Los Angeles to prepare for Sunday’s match.