Luis Arturo Hernández Carreón (born 22 December 1968), commonly known as El Matador (English: The Bullfighter), is a Mexican former professional footballer. He is widely regarded as one of Mexico's most talented strikers, as well as one of the best North American players of all time.
On the international stage, Hernández made 85 appearances and scored 35 goals. He represented Mexico at the FIFA World Cup in 1998 and 2002. Along with Javier Hernández and Julián Quiñones, he is Mexico's all-time leading FIFA World Cup goalscorer.
Club career Born on 22 December 1968, in Poza Rica, Veracruz, Hernández began his professional career as a center forward with Cruz Azul, making his first-team debut on 22 August 1990, at the age of 21. He stayed with the club until 1992, splitting his playing time with affiliate side Querétaro. That year, he joined Monterrey, and two seasons later moved to Necaxa. His arrival coincided with a remarkable era of success for the club, during which they captured two consecutive Primera División titles, the Copa México, the CONCACAF Cup Winners Cup, and the Campeón de Campeones.
His prolific scoring and dynamic play earned him a call from Boca Juniors in 1997, personally recommended by Diego Maradona and Julio César Toresani after his standout performance in the Copa América that year. In Argentina, his resemblance to Claudio Caniggia earned him the nickname El Pájaro (“The Bird”), but his time there was short-lived. With Boca's foreign player quota already filled, Hernández saw limited action, featuring only in three Supercopa Sudamericana matches before returning to Mexico a month later.
Back with Necaxa, he rediscovered his form, scoring 9 goals in just 12 matches, before moving to Tigres UANL. With Tigres, he netted 38 goals in 64 games and achieved the rare feat of scoring in the Clásico Regiomontano for both Monterrey clubs, Monterrey and Tigres.
In 2000, Hernández took his talents to the United States, signing with the Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer. Over two seasons, he scored 15 goals in 40 appearances across league and playoff matches. He returned to Mexico in 2002, playing for Club América, Veracruz, Chiapas, and Lobos BUAP before bringing his playing career to a close in 2005.
International career Hernández earned his first international cap for Mexico on 1 February 1995, in a match against Uruguay. Later that year, he netted his first international goal against Yugoslavia.
Hernández rose to prominence during the 1997 Copa América, where he struck six times to finish as the tournament's top scorer. His momentum carried into the 1998 FIFA World Cup, where he scored four goals—making him one of the competition's leading scorers and the first Mexican player to record more than two goals in a single World Cup.
On January 31, 2001, Hernández netted his 35th international goal, surpassing Carlos Hermosillo’s record to become Mexico’s all-time leading scorer
He also featured in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, appearing as a substitute in three matches but failing to find the net. His final appearance for the national team came on 17 June 2002, in a match against the United States.
He retired from the national team as its all-time leading goalscorer, a record he held until Jared Borgetti surpassed it three years later.
Career statistics Club + Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueDivisionAppsGoalsCruz Azul1990–91Mexican Primera División181Querétaro1991–92Mexican Primera División2811Monterrey1992–93Mexican Primera División2661993–94328Total5814Necaxa1994–95Mexican Primera División3081995–9631101996–9739141997–98129Total11241Boca Juniors (loan)1997–98Argentine Primera División42Tigres UANL1998–99Mexican Primera División33191999–20003119Total6438LA Galaxy2000Major League Soccer1652001148Total3013América (loan)2001–02Mexican Primera División1422002–0320Total162Veracruz2002–03Mexican Primera División185Chiapas2003–04Mexican Primera División51Lobos BUAP2004–05Primera División A94Career total362132
International + Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsMexico19955219966019972110199816141999186200092200141200260Total8535
Scores and results list Mexico's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Hernández goal.
+ List of international goals scored by Luis HernándezNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition1Estadio Tecnológico, Monterrey, Mexico1–21–4Friendly2Estadio Héroe de Nacozari, Hermosillo, Mexico1–01–2Friendly3Rose Bowl, Pasadena, United States2–03–1Friendly4Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico6–06–01998 FIFA World Cup qualification5Foxboro Stadium, Foxborough, United States2–12–21998 FIFA World Cup qualification6Estadio Ramón Tahuichi Aguilera, Santa Cruz, Bolivia1–02–11997 Copa America72–08Estadio Ramón Tahuichi Aguilera, Santa Cruz, Bolivia1–02–31997 Copa America92–010Estadio Ramón Tahuichi Aguilera, Santa Cruz, Bolivia1–01–11997 Copa America11Estadio Jesús Bermúdez, Oruro, Bolivia1–01–01997 Copa America12King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia1–21–31997 FIFA Confederations Cup13Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, United States2–14–21998 CONCACAF Gold Cup144–215Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, United States1–01–01998 CONCACAF Gold Cup16Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, United States1–01–01998 CONCACAF Gold Cup17Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, United States1–01–0Friendly18Montecatini Terme, Italy2–06–0Friendly194–0206–021Stade de Gerland, Lyon, France2–13–11998 FIFA World Cup223–123Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne, France2–22–21998 FIFA World Cup24Stade de la Mosson, Montpellier, France1–01–21998 FIFA World Cup25Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, United States1–02–0Friendly26Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, United States1–02–2Friendly27Hong Kong Stadium, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong3–03–0Friendly28Soldier Field, Chicago, United States1–02–2Friendly29Dongdaemun Stadium, Seoul, South Korea1–01–2Friendly30Estadio Antonio Aranda, Ciudad del Este, Paraguay1–01–01999 Copa America31Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asunción, Paraguay1–23–31999 Copa America322–233Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, United States1–02–1Friendly34San Diego Stadium, San Diego, United States2–04–02000 CONCACAF Gold Cup35Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, United States2–02–3Friendly
Honours Monterrey Mexican Primera División runner-up: 1992–93 CONCACAF Cup Winners Cup: 1993
Necaxa Mexican Primera División: 1994–95, 1995–96 Copa México: 1994–95 Campeón de Campeones: 1995 CONCACAF Cup Winners Cup: 1994
Boca Juniors Argentine Primera División runner-up: Apertura 1997
LA Galaxy MLS Cup runner-up: 2001 Western Conference Regular Season: 2001 U.S. Open Cup: 2001 CONCACAF Champions Cup: 2000
América Mexican Primera División: Verano 2002 CONCACAF Giants Cup: 2001 Selectivo Pre Pre Libertadores: 2001 Copa Pre Libertadores: 2001
Mexico FIFA Confederation Cup: 1999 Copa América runner-up: 2001; third place: 1997, 1999 CONCACAF Gold Cup: 1996, 1998 Pan American Games Silver Medal: 1995
Individual Copa América 2000th Goal Award: 1997 Copa América Golden Boot: 1997 FIFA World Player of the Year Nomination: 1997 FIFA World XI: 1998 FIFA World Cup Third Top Scorer: 1998 South American Team of the Year: 1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup Golden Boot: 1998 IFFHS World's Best Top Goal Scorer third place: 1998 South American Player of the Year Nomination: 1998 RSSSF Player of the Year Nomination: 1998, 1999 Copa América Third Top Scorer: 1999 Lunar New Year Cup Third Top Scorer: 1999 MLS All-Star: 2000, 2001 LA Galaxy All-time Roster FIFA International Football Hall of Fame: 2012 FIFA Legend Maratón de Monterrey: 2023 FIFA Juego de Leyendas: 2024
Records Mexico's all-time leading FIFA World Cup goalscorer
References
External links International statistics at rsssf
Official Website - Luis Hernandez