Pablo Hernandez Leeds United
LEEDS, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 2, 2023: Pablo Hernandez mural created by Adam Duffield is a famous Leeds United mural in Kirkgate, Leeds
Pablo Hernández spent four years at Leeds United between 2017 and 2021 and became a fan favourite at Elland Road.
The Spaniard left Leeds United to return to CD Castellón and ended his playing career with the latter in 2023.
A year later, Castellón appointed him as their reserve team manager and promoted him to first team coach in September 2025.
AS have a detailed report on Hernández’s journey, covering both his playing and managerial career.
Leeds United changed his career
The newspaper details the move to Leeds United had a huge impact on the 40-year-old’s career.
He started his career in Castellón’s academy and left them to join Valencia’s youth system in 2003. The former winger spent his career in his own country until Swansea City signed him in 2012.
Hernández managed five goals and 17 assists from 71 matches for the Welsh club and moved to Al-Arabi in 2014. The latter initially allowed him to join Leeds United on loan in 2016, allowing him to reunite with former Swansea City manager Garry Monk at Elland Road.
AS state his move to Leeds United ‘would change his career forever’. The former attacker scored 36 goals and contributed 41 assists from 175 matches in all competitions, and 94 matches were under Marcelo Bielsa.
Bielsa impact on Leeds United fan favourite
The Argentine coach was instrumental in helping Leeds United secure promotion to the Premier League after 16 years. He became a fan favourite and talked about the Whites supporters as recently as September 2025.
The newspaper explains how Bielsa’s methods left a lasting effect on the former Leeds United star.
AS state: ‘Pablo became a legendary figure at the club. This was especially true after the arrival of Marcelo Bielsa, from whom he absorbed much of his current footballing philosophy. The Argentine, with his inflexible methodology and extreme ideas, left a lasting mark on him.
‘It was there that he experienced practices he now applies as a coach, such as collecting trash at the training ground to understand the fans’ sacrifices.
‘His goal against Swansea in the 89th minute, crucial for promotion to the Premier League, is still remembered at Elland Road. Even today, fans still sing his chant and a mural in his honour decorates the city.’
Despite the affection from Leeds United supporters, he left them to help Castellón and AS detail the reasons.
The newspaper adds: ‘… he suffered [while at Leeds] watching Castellón bleed from debt and disastrous management. From afar, he joined Ángel Dealbert and Vicente Montesinos to wrest the club from the hands of David Cruz and Castellnou and bring it back to life.’