The former Manchester United favourite has been without a club since leaving his previous employers in December
Manchester United's Mexican striker Javier Hernandez (L) and Manchester United's Japanese midfielder Shinji Kagawa (C) celebrates after Manchester United's Spanish midfielder Juan Mata scored during the English Premier League football match between Newcastle United and Manchester United at St James' Park in Newcastle Upon Tyne, northeast England on April 5, 2014. Manchester United won 4-0. AFP PHOTO / IAN MACNICOL RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or live services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo credit should read Ian MacNicol/AFP via Getty Images)
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Former Manchester United fan favourite Javier Hernandez has taken supporters by surprise with an apparent career change. The Mexico international, 37, has been pursuing a fresh path as a TikTok chef.
Hernandez, also known as Chicharito, left United in 2015 and ended his decade-long spell in Europe in 2020. He returned to boyhood club C.D. Guadalajara (Chivas) in 2024 but left in December last year and has not secured a new club since.
The forward now looks to have gone down a different path. Those who recall his United days did a double-take when he showed up on their social media feeds demonstrating how to make his own take on the Milanese sandwich.
In the TikTok clip, the veteran displays his culinary skills as he fries some beef, chops vegetables, and creates his own pesto. The footage, which has attracted over 300,000 likes, saw supporters rushing to the comments section voicing their amazement and one simply writing "*scratches eyes* Chicharito???".
"Chicharito is doing side quests now," was the light-hearted response from another. A third said: "Now that is something that I didn't expect today!
"I saw this man in his prime, now bro is a chef.. before GTA 6," joked a fourth. Another questioned whether the clip was real or AI-generated.
Hernandez signed for United from hometown side Chivas back in 2010 and netted on his debut in the Community Shield. He became a Premier League champion at the first time of asking and was part of the squad which reached the Champions League final only to lose to Barcelona.
Javier Hernandez in a cooking video
Fans were surprised to see Chicharito on TikTok
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Javier Hernandez in a cooking video
The Mexico international showed off his sandwich recipe
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He secured another Premier League title with the Red Devils in 2013 before finding opportunities harder to come by under David Moyes and Louis van Gaal. A loan switch to Real Madrid followed, alongside a period at Bayer Leverkusen, before he returned to the Premier League with West Ham.
The Guadalajara-born forward left the Hammers in 2019, the same year in which he earned his 109th and last Mexico cap. His European journey finished with a short stay at Sevilla before he headed back to North America for spells with LA Galaxy and Chivas.
During an emotional video around the time of his MLS switch, Hernandez broke down in tears after acknowledging his European chapter was finished. He described it as "the beginning of my retirement," before explaining to his father what was going through his mind.
"Don't worry, look, what I mean is that we're saying goodbye to a career that we put a lot of effort on and we worked, and I know you guys also feel it," he continued. "We're going to look at the bright side, but whether we like it or not we are retiring from the European dream."