Mexico's all-time leading goal scorer, Javier "Chicharito" Hernández, is signing with USL Championship expansion team Atletico Dallas.
Hernández, 38, will return to the pitch after last playing for boyhood club Chivas in November 2025.
"Hey Dallas, I'm here," Hernández posted on social media Monday. "Very excited to make history with you. See you soon guys."
The striker, who played in three World Cups for Mexico, is the first signing for Atletico Dallas ahead of the team making its debut in the USL's second division in 2027. In February, the club announced that former LaLiga and Ligue 1 player Peter Luccin would serve as the team's first manager.
The USL Championship is the in the second-tier of soccer in the United States, one below MLS. The league is preparing to launch a first-division competition in 2028 called USL Premier.
Dallas will mark the ninth team that the Mexican star has played for after making a name for himself abroad with clubs including Manchester United and Real Madrid. The move also puts off any notion that Hernandez is considering retirement.
After joining MLS' LA Galaxy in 2020, Hernández said that it was the "beginning of retirement." Though he has yet to officially end his international career, he last earned a call-up to Mexico's national team in 2019.
"I believe Dallas deserves a club that reflects its passion for football, its diversity, and its future," Hernández said in a statement. "I want to help create a winning culture, inspire young players across North Texas, and give our supporters a team they can believe in from the very beginning. I didn't come here simply to finish my career. I came here to help build the future of football in Dallas."
He served as an analyst for Fox during the 2026 World Cup in North America, where Mexico was eliminated in the round of 16 by England.
Hernández will now look to rekindle his goal-scoring form in the USL Championship after scoring just three times in all competitions for Chivas in 2025. Amid that run, he also made headlines for "sexist" comments that earned him a fine from the Mexican Football Federation.
"Javier gives us world-class quality on the field, but just as importantly he brings professionalism, accountability, and an unwavering commitment to winning. Those qualities become contagious inside a locker room, and they're exactly what we want this club to represent from day one," said sporting director Brian Corcoran. "His willingness to mentor, combined with the qualities he will bring on the field makes this a perfect first signing for our club."
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.