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LA Galaxy striker Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez has told ESPN that he suffered depression last season following the death of his grandfather.
The Mexico international scored just two goals in his maiden season in Major League Soccer as Galaxy missed out on the playoffs. However, Hernandez enjoyed a prolific start to the 2021 season, scoring 10 goals in 10 games.
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“It would be very difficult to list the factors [to explain his poor first season at LA Galaxy] but the pandemic, the death of my grandfather and personal issues that came together; I fell into a very deep depression that I did not realise,” he said.
“My whole reality was my responsibility and it I had such a strong emptiness with myself that later I realized that it was only going to be filled with self-love.
“My grandfather was a real father figure — professional, personally and emotionally on my father’s side. People who have been near my family know it’s a team which is more important than love, that work for me. They have been my biggest supporters and biggest critics to date.
Hernandez has previously spoken about his efforts to become “move vulnerable” when approaching his mental health.