THE MANTLE RESTS ON JAVIER HERNANDEZ TO LIFT MEXICO AT COPA AMERICA

Javier Hernandez is set to lead the national team of Mexico to Copa America.

The former Red Devils forward who lacked opportunities at Old Trafford became the star at Bayern 04 Leverkusen last season while remaining a key figure for his national team. His well-timed runs and positioning skill have helped him retain his status as a top goal poacher.

The hope in Mexico now is that the player would be able to replicate his success at club level for his country at the continental tournament. The diminutive striker’s nickname should've been the "Little Bee" instead of the "Little Pea" that he is called. “Chicharito” actually means Little Pea but "Pequena Abeja" is unwieldy. It is two words that are not very short and and might not even be correct Spanish.

The player started his professional career in his home country before moving to England to join Manchester United in 2010. He played at the club until his loan to Spanish giant, Real Madrid four years later where he spent just a year. From the time Chicharito joined Los Blancos the summer of 2014 until the start of April 2015 he notched three goals but eventually bagged eight in 1,179 minutes of action, or about 13 regulation-length matches.

The club finally sold him to his current club Bayern Leverkusen in 2015 for 12 million Euros. Since joining the North Rhine-Westphalian club he has scored 17 goals in 26 league matches this past season and added two assists, making him the top Mexican striker in all of Bundesliga history. The club recently announced that they have no plans whatsoever to sell the player this summer in light of requests for his services.

For his international career, he made his debut in the Under 17 team in 2007 before breaking into the senior squad two years later. He has 80 caps to his name scoring 43 goals for his country. With the form he is in, the country can only hope the is at his best, so he could lift them at the tournament.