CARSON, Calif. — LA Galaxy captain, Javier “Chicharito” Hernández, will be sidelined for the remainder of the MLS season after suffering a torn ACL in his right knee and will undergo surgery on a future date to be determined, the team announced Friday. The injury occurred during the first half of the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal against Real Salt Lake, on Wednesday.
Recovery from a torn ligament typically takes six to nine months. However, considering Hernández’s age of 35 and his contract expiring at the end of the season, he may have played his final game in a Galaxy uniform.
Over the past two seasons, Hernández has been the leading scorer for the Galaxy, scoring 35 goals. He faced a minor setback at the start of this season, missing the first five games due to a hamstring injury. In his nine appearances for the Galaxy (3-9-3) this season, he has scored just one goal and provided a single assist. Consequently, the team currently holds the last position in the league standings among the 29 teams.
Hernández, Mexico’s all-time top goal scorer with 52 international goals, joined the Galaxy before the 2020 season after signing a three-year contract worth over $19.4 million. Including the $9.4-million transfer fee paid to the Spanish club Sevilla for his signing rights.
