He’s famously known as “El Matador”.
To every soccer fan in Mexico, he’s a legend.
He’s played in two FIFA World Cups for the Mexican national team in a career that spanned almost two decades.
His name is Luis Hernandez and for the next few days, he’ll be at the Permian Basin International Soccer Camp at UTPB, teaching and coaching the next generations of superstars.
Hernandez will be the guest of honor at the camp which will last from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. July 26-28.
The camp is put on by the Peace Academy of West Texas.
Last year’s inaugural camp featured another World Cup legend with former Turkish soccer player Hakan Sukur who was famous for scoring the quickest goal in tournament history against co-host South Korea in 2002.
The camp will bring together over 360 young soccer enthusiasts, 50 local coaches and 70 volunteers.
“I’m really happy to be here,” Hernandez said. “I’m thankful for the amazing welcome that I’ve had in West Texas.”
Hernandez’s professional career lasted from 1990-2005.
He played for Mexico at the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups.
Hernandez is excited to be able to coach and give playing tips to the children at this weekend’s camp.
“More than just teaching them anything, I want to have a good time with them,” Hernandez said. “I’m planning on giving the children a few tips here and there but overall, I’m just looking forward to having a good time.”
His international career with Mexico lasted from 1995-2002.
He scored his first international goal on Nov. 16, 1995 against Yugoslavia and gained notability during the 1997 Copa America tournament where he scored six goals and became the tournament’s leading goal scorer.
At the 1998 FIFA World Cup (which was held in France), he finished among the competition’s top scorers with four goals, becoming the first Mexican player to score more than two goals in World Cup history.
At the ’98 World Cup, Hernandez helped his team to a victory and two draws, finishing second in Group E behind the Netherlands and qualifying for the last 16.
Mexico would lose to Germany 2-1 in the Round of 16 that year.
“Overall, it was really prideful to be able to represent my country,” Hernandez said. “Overall, I’m super happy to be a part of that. One thing that I’m going to have my entire life, is the support and love that I gained from everyone in Mexico. To this day, I have the support of everyone.”
Four years later, he would be back at the FIFA World Cup as Mexico once again advanced to the knockout stages before being knocked out by the United States.
Mexico’s 2-0 loss to the Americans would be his last international game for his home country.
It wasn’t the first time that Hernandez had been a part of the Mexico-United States rivalry as he had played in many other contests against the U.S. during the 90s.
“That rivalry was really good,” Hernandez said. “It was really intense. Overall, I’m glad to be a part of that rivalry with those major players from both the United States and Mexico.”
The story of how he got the nickname “El Matador” is one that by happened by mistake when a sports announcer got Hernandez mixed up with someone else during a broadcast.
“There was a sports announcer who was not just an announcer of soccer but also of bull fighting and I guess he got it mixed up and incorporated the two sports,” Hernandez said while laughing.
The nickname would stick with him throughout his career.
He’s played for many different club teams in Mexico and in the United States (spending a few years playing for the Los Angeles Galaxy in the MLS).
He’s thankful for all the friends he’s made along the way.
“One of my main experiences was to get all the amazing friends that I’ve made from other teams and different stages,” Hernandez said. “That’s been my favorite. Obviously, my second favorite is playing in two world cups. Third would be being one of the players in an era that people love the most.”
