# Cucho Hernández

Juan Camilo Hernández Suárez (born 20 April 1999), known simply as Cucho Hernández, is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a striker or winger for La Liga club Real Betis and the Colombia national team.

## Club career
### Early career

Born in Pereira, Hernández played youth football for Indubolsas F.C. and was part of the Risaralda team that won the Pereira City Cup in 2014. He joined Deportivo Pereira in 2015 at the age of 15, catching the attention of the club after delivering impressive performances at the Pereira City Cup. He made his first team debut on 6 April 2015 at 15 years old, starting in a 2–1 home win against Deportes Quindío for the Categoría Primera B championship.
Hernández scored his first senior goal on 5 September 2015, netting his team's first in a 3–2 away win against Real Santander. After finishing his first season with three goals, he was named captain of the team the following year at just 17 years old. He would end up scoring 20 times during the regular season, being the tournament's top goalscorer; despite playing more as an attacking midfielder than a centre-forward. Highlights included a hat-trick in a 3–0 home victory over Tigres F.C. on 3 July 2016.

### Granada and loan to América de Cali

On 22 December 2016 Hernández joined América de Cali on loan from Granada CF, after signing for the latter side in September. He made his Categoría Primera A debut on 23 February 2017, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 2–0 home loss against Jaguares de Córdoba.
Hernández scored his first goal in the top flight of Colombian football on 3 June 2017, netting the game's only goal in an away win over Deportivo Pasto.

### Watford

After Granada was sold to Jiang Lizhang, former owner Gino Pozzo assigned his federative rights to Watford ahead of the 2017–18 season.

#### Loans to Huesca, Mallorca and Getafe

On 8 July 2017, Hernández moved to Segunda División side SD Huesca on loan for one year. During the 2017-2018 season, he scored 16 goals and was named the league's player of the month in November, while his team achieved their first-ever promotion to La Liga. On 4 June 2018, his loan was extended for a further season, and he made his top tier debut on 19 August by starting in a 2–1 away win against SD Eibar.
Hernández scored his first goal in the main category of Spanish football on 2 September 2018, netting the opener in an 8–2 loss at FC Barcelona. He finished 2018–19 with four goals in 34 appearances, as his side was immediately relegated back.
On 26 August 2019, Hernández signed a new long term contract with Watford and joined RCD Mallorca on a season-long loan. Having arrived at Mallorca with a hamstring injury, Hernández made his debut with the club on 7 December 2019, coming on as a substitute versus Barcelona. He scored his first goal for the club on 15 February 2020 in a 1–0 victory against Alavés. At the end of the 2019–20 season, Mallorca were relegated to the Segunda División.
On 14 August 2020, Hernández remained in Spain and its first division, after joining Getafe CF on a season-long loan. On 28 December 2020, Hernández was handed a four-match suspension for post-match statements that he made about the refereeing during the 25 October match against Granada. Hernandez would also miss two months of the season due to suffering a fifth metatarsal fracture during the match against Atletico Madrid on 13 March 2021. He would return to play the final two matches of the 2020–21 La Liga season.

#### Return to Watford

On 14 August 2021, Hernández scored on his Watford debut in their league opener against Aston Villa, where Watford won 3–2. On 9 April 2022, he suffered a hamstring injury; sidelining him for six weeks. He made his return to play in the final match of the season. At the conclusion of the season, Watford would be relegated.

### Columbus Crew
#### 2022

On 21 June 2022, Hernández agreed to join Major League Soccer club Columbus Crew for a club-record fee of USD $10 million, joining as a Young Designated Player when the secondary transfer window would open on 7 July 2022. Hernández made his debut on 9 July 2022, coming off the bench to score the game winning goal against Chicago Fire. In the following two matches, both as second half substitutions, Hernández added three additional goals, becoming the first player in MLS history to score four goals in under 90 minutes. On 29 September 2022, it was announced that Hernández had been suspended one match for the use of offensive language in Columbus' match against the Portland Timbers on 18 September. Hernández would end his first season in Major League Soccer with nine goals in 16 total appearances for his new club.

#### 2023

At the beginning of the 2023 season, Hernández started in his side's first three games. After missing the following six games with a knee injury, Hernández would make his return to the team in a U.S. Open Cup match against Indy Eleven, playing in the first half. He scored his first goal in the 2023 season the following league match against Inter Miami. On 2 September 2023, Hernández scored a hat-trick in a 4–2 victory over CF Montréal, his first since his time at Deportivo Pereira. Hernández scored his second hat-trick for Columbus in a 3–0 victory over Chicago Fire. just two matches later. On 9 December, he scored the first goal of the match as Columbus beat LAFC 2–1 in MLS Cup, with this title also being the Colombian's first in his career. He was later selected as the MLS Cup MVP and included in the Best XI.

#### 2024

Hernández started out the new season with four goals across the club's first six matches, including a goal in the Champions Cup. On 23 March, Hernández was substituted out of the game in the 88th minute during a 0–2 defeat to Charlotte FC, which led to a heated exchange with the assistant coaches. Following this altercation, Hernández was suspended for two games, with the head coach citing a violation of "team policy" as the reason for the suspension. Hernández received a direct red card in his first game back from suspension, and scored in his return against Portland on 20 April. After missing three games due to a back injury, Hernández made his return versus Pachuca in the Champions Cup final loss, and subsequently scored nine goals in nine games, including a hat-trick on 22 June versus Sporting Kansas City. The Crew won the 2024 Leagues Cup with a 3–1 victory in the final. Hernández contributed by scoring two goals and assisting on the third, earning him the Man of the Match title and the Leagues Cup Best Player award for the tournament.

### Betis

On 3 February 2025, Hernández joined La Liga club Real Betis on a permanent basis for an undisclosed fee with Columbus Crew entitled to a percentage of any future transfer fees for the player.

## International career

Hernández has represented Colombia at under-20 level, playing in the 2017 South American U-20 Championship, as well as the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup, where he scored a hat-trick against Tahiti. Hernández received his first call up to the senior side on 29 September 2018, and made his full international debut on 17 October, coming on in the 72nd minute, replacing Carlos Bacca and scoring a brace in a 3–1 friendly win over Costa Rica at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey.

## Personal life

Hernández acquired his nickname "Cucho" at a young age, when his father shaved his head, leading him to bear a resemblance to Esteban "Cuchu" Cambiasso, a prominent Argentine soccer player at the time.
He is a fan of Real Madrid.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 16 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | League cup | League cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Deportivo Pereira | 2015 | Categoría Primera B | 22 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 23 | 3 |
| Deportivo Pereira | 2016 | Categoría Primera B | 33 | 20 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 34 | 20 |
| Deportivo Pereira | Total | Total | 55 | 23 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 57 | 23 |
| América de Cali (loan) | 2017 | Categoría Primera A | 17 | 1 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 21 | 4 |
| Watford | 2017–18 | Premier League | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Watford | 2018–19 | Premier League | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Watford | 2019–20 | Premier League | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Watford | 2020–21 | Championship | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Watford | 2021–22 | Premier League | 25 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 28 | 5 |
| Watford | Total | Total | 25 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 28 | 5 |
| Huesca (loan) | 2017–18 | Segunda División | 35 | 16 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 36 | 16 |
| Huesca (loan) | 2018–19 | La Liga | 34 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 34 | 4 |
| Huesca (loan) | Total | Total | 69 | 20 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 70 | 20 |
| Mallorca (loan) | 2019–20 | La Liga | 22 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 24 | 5 |
| Getafe (loan) | 2020–21 | La Liga | 23 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 23 | 2 |
| Columbus Crew | 2022 | MLS | 16 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 16 | 9 |
| Columbus Crew | 2023 | MLS | 27 | 16 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 9 | 8 | 37 | 24 |
| Columbus Crew | 2024 | MLS | 27 | 19 | — | — | — | — | 6 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 41 | 25 |
| Columbus Crew | Total | Total | 70 | 44 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 2 | 17 | 12 | 94 | 58 |
| Betis | 2024–25 | La Liga | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 1 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 286 | 101 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 17 | 12 | 322 | 118 |
* ↑ Includes Copa Colombia, Copa del Rey, FA Cup, U.S. Open Cup
* ↑ Includes EFL Cup
* ↑ Three appearances and three goals in Leagues Cup, six appearances and five goals in MLS Cup playoffs
* ↑ Appearances in CONCACAF Champions Cup
* ↑ Five appearances and four goals in Leagues Cup, one appearance in Campeones Cup, two appearances in MLS Cup playoffs

### International

    As of match played 10 October 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Colombia | 2018 | 1 | 2 |
| Colombia | 2022 | 1 | 0 |
| Colombia | 2023 | 2 | 0 |
| Colombia | 2024 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 5 | 2 |
    Scores and results list Colombia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Hernández goal.
List of international goals scored by Cucho Hernández :
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 16 October 2018 | Red Bull Arena, Harrison, United States | Costa Rica | 2–1 | 3–1 | Friendly |
| 2 | 16 October 2018 | Red Bull Arena, Harrison, United States | Costa Rica | 3–1 | 3–1 | Friendly |

## Honours

Columbus Crew
* MLS Cup: 2023
* Leagues Cup: 2024
* CONCACAF Champions Cup runner-up: 2024
Individual
* MLS Player of the Month: September 2023, July 2024
* MLS Best XI: 2023, 2024
* MLS Cup MVP: 2023
* MLS All-Star: 2024
* Leagues Cup Best Player: 2024