Former Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez couldn't hold back the tears during an emotional interview in which he addressed criticism that he'd been a "bad father."
The 33-year-old, who left the Red Devils in 2015 after five memorable years at Old Trafford and now plays for LA Galaxy, says he hasn't seen his two children, Nala and Noah, for more than a year after separating from his partner, Sarah Kohan. Opening up on his heartache to Mexican network ViX, Hernandez burst into tears while discussing fatherhood amid his battle with depression.
"I have not wanted them to know and to know that, but yes, they are the two beings I love the most in my life," the United fan favourite, who also had spells with Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, West Ham United and Sevilla, began. "I would love for things to be different, they are not being and there is nothing left but to juice it up, to learn.
"It is very hard [to be away from them]. I haven't shown it, but these two years people have said and talked about me being a bad father when they have no idea because I haven't posted [on social media] anything, so how are they going to know if I'm a good father or not. But yes I have experienced a lot of pain, a lot.
"I haven't wanted them to know about it, but they are the two people I love the most in my life. I wasn't the best partner I needed to be, I wasn't the best father I wanted to be. I wasn't a great friend. I wasn't the great human being I wanted to be."
Before scoring five goals in 13 MLS games for the Galaxy this season, Hernandez bravely detailed his struggles with depression, telling US outlet The Ringer : "I wasn't the best partner I needed to be, I wasn't the greatest dad that I wanted to be. I wasn't a great friend. I wasn't the great human being I wanted to be."
The Mexico superstar's sister, Ana Silvia, has spoken about how the death of their grandfather, Tomas Balcazar - who was also professional footballer - took a toll on her brother, who married Australian travel blogger Kohan in 2019. "It kind of broke him," she revealed. "I don't know how he managed to get through that season. It was like all his world collapsed in a minute."
'Chicharito' described his late grandad as his "second father" and admitted that he would often cry while alone during the Covid-19 pandemic, fighting his demons to just wake up and eat. "I had to learn how to accept myself. People always identified me not by me, but something else," Hernandez added in reference to his cheery persona which helped the Old Trafford faithful take to him instantly.
"I've always been very sensitive. A lot of times I tried to hide it. I realised I had to… I'm not the tallest. I'm not very big. I'm not very stereotypically masculine. We see a man cry, we think he's weak, but we are all human."
