Everything you need to know about France and AC Milan defender Theo Hernandez!

Theo Hernandez is a professional footballer who currently plays as a left-back for Italian club AC Milan and the French national team. Born on October 6, 1997, in Marseille, France, Hernandez comes from a family of footballers. His father, Jean-Francois Hernandez, was also a professional footballer, who played as a defender.

Hernandez began his youth career at Atletico Madrid in 2007. He spent many years at the club, honing his skills and developing his game. In 2016, he was promoted to Atletico's first team but did not make any appearances for them and was subsequently loaned out to Alaves in the summer of that year.

At Alaves, Hernandez made 38 appearances and was one of the season's standout performers. His impressive performances caught the attention of several top European clubs, including Real Madrid. In July 2017, Hernandez signed for Real Madrid for a reported fee of €24 million.

While Hernandez won many trophies with Real Madrid, including a Champions League and a Club World Cup, he could not replicate his performances from his time at Alaves and was mostly on the bench making occasional appearances off it. He was sent on loan to fellow La Liga club Real Sociedad, where he spent the entirety of the 2018-19 season, making 28 appearances and scoring one goal in the process.

In July 2019, he signed for AC Milan for a reported fee of €20 million. At AC Milan, Hernandez has been a revelation. He has established himself as one of the best left-backs in Europe, contributing both defensively and offensively. In his first season at the club, he made 36 appearances, scoring seven goals and providing five assists.

In the 2020-21 season, Hernandez continued his impressive form, making 45 appearances, scoring eight goals and providing eight assists. He helped AC Milan qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time since the 2013-14 season. He was also named in the Serie A Team of the Year.

It was the next season when Hernandez's career reached its highest point so far. During the 2022-23 season, the French left-back helped AC Milan win their first Serie A title in 11 years. He contributed with five goals and six assists in 32 league appearances. Hernandez's most notable contribution was his goal in the penultimate game of the season against Atalanta where he picked up the ball from his own half, dribbled through multiple players, and scored Milan's second goal to confirm the victory, bringing them one point away from clinching the title.

Hernandez has also represented the French national team. He made his debut in September 2021, in a World Cup qualifier against Finland, with his side getting a 2-0 victory. Since then he has been selected as a part of the 2022 World Cup squad, where he scored the opening goal in France's semi-final win against Morocco. He has made 15 appearances for them, scoring two goals in that time.

In conclusion, Theo Hernandez is a talented and versatile left-back who has established himself as one of the best in Europe. He has had a successful career so far, winning several major trophies and establishing himself as a key player for AC Milan. With his pace, dribbling ability, and defensive skills, he is a valuable asset to any team, and he is likely to continue his success in the coming years.

Here are 13 fun facts about Theo Hernandez you need to know.

Early beginnings at Atletico Madrid

Hernandez is mostly known as being a former Real Madrid player and now an AC Milan legend in the making. However, he began his career with Los Blancos' rival Atletico Madrid. However, he never broke through for them, failing to make an appearance for their senior side, before he finally left in 2017 after a season out on loan with Alaves.

AdvertisementA mother's boy

Theo and his brother Lucas had a tough childhood with their father abandoning them when they were both young children. It's their mother who brought up the two of them along with her parents and is someone both brothers are extremely close to even today.

When Theo joined AC Milan in 2019, the first person he told about the move was his mother. Then he informed Lucas that he is moving to Italy.

GettyFootballing heritage

Hernandez comes from a family of footballers. His father Jean-Francois, as already mentioned above was a defender who played for Atletico Madrid. Additionally, Hernandez's elder brother Lucas Hernandez is also a famous footballer, who plays for Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.

Both Theo and Lucas began their playing careers at Atletico Madrid before the former joined Real Madrid in 2017. In 2019, Lucas would join Bayern Munich for a club-record fee of €80m.

Lucky no.19

Since his loan move to Real Sociedad in 2018, Hernandez has donned the number 19 on his jersey. When asked in an interview why he chose this number, the AC Milan left-back said the number gives him good luck.

And Hernandez's words have come true as since he changed his jersey number his career has improved tenfold, with the French defender winning the league with AC Milan and representing France at the 2022 World Cup, on the way to becoming one of the best left-backs in football right now.