Chivas on Thursday officially announced Javier "Chicharito" Hernández as the first player who will not be under contract for the club ahead of the Liga MX Clausura 2026 tournament.
The team said goodbye to the striker through its social media channels, following the conclusion of his second stint with the club after their participation in the league's Apertura 2025 tournament, in which Chivas finished sixth overall.
"Club Deportivo Guadalajara would like to inform that Javier Hernández Balcázar is concluding his second period as a Chivas player. The bond between 'Chicharito' and the club he loves, the one that nurtured him and propelled him to become a legend of Mexican football, will last forever. Javier is, without a doubt, one of the greatest figures in Mexican football. With the Rebaño Sagrado, he won the Apertura 2006 league title and the top scorer award in the Bicentenario 2010 tournament, before embarking on an international career that led him to triumph at several of the most important clubs in Europe," Chivas said in a statement on social media.
Hernández joined Chivas in January 2024 after playing in Europe and the United States. In all the competitions Hernández participated in, he played 41 matches, scoring four goals and providing one assist.
The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and LA Galaxy striker is Mexico's all-time leading goalscorer, although he has not represented El Tri since 2019.
This second stint at Club Deportivo Guadalajara was marked by numerous injuries.
Earlier this year, Hernández came under fire for sexist remarks he made online, which landed him a fine from the Mexico Football Federation (FMF) and criticism from the country's president. He later apologized, stating that he regretted "any confusion or discomfort my recent words have caused."