Soccer fans in Houston have never looked forward to summertime more than this year. That anticipation is built around the arrival of a new fox in town. No, Dynamo Diesel isn’t going anywhere, but he is about to have a very interesting new partner in crime. That’s because ‘El Zorro’ – The Fox – is coming to H-Town as Houston Dynamo FC’s biggest and most anticipated signing in history.
Born in the heart of Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico, Hector Miguel Herrera had a somewhat untraditional journey to become one of the most decorated players and widely respected captains of the Mexican National Team. Known to most soccer fans as “HH,” Hector Herrera’s first nickname likened him to a fox.
The fox is, in many ways, the ideal representation of Herrera’s playing style. They are not flashy, but rather rely on cunning, creativity, and intelligence to get the better of their prey. While not the fastest predator, they cover surprisingly large territories and often strike seemingly out of nowhere to surprise unwitting opponents.
When you watch Herrera play, one of the first things that jumps out is that he is rarely at a full sprint, appearing rather to lope along for much of the game. But if you’re like most fans and follow the ball, you’ll inevitably see him pop up wherever the ball happens to be, no matter where that is on the pitch.
Possessing an incredibly high “soccer IQ,” Herrera’s understanding of the game and speed of thought allows him to play faster than his opponent, react a step or three quicker defensively or play an incisive pass into space to free up a teammate in the attack.
That playing style has helped him become one of the most successful players to come out of Mexico, having starred at clubs like Pachuca, Porto, and Atlético de Madrid and played in more UEFA Champions League matches than any Mexican in history.
To understand the El Zorro nickname, you have to understand the story that led to it. In the early stages of his career, a youth coach of his coined him “Zorrito” – some say it was because of a popular Mexican ‘Tin Tan’ movie while others say it was because of the highlights in his hair. The truth is, Hector stood out on the pitch and for the early years of his career he accepted ‘Zorrito’ as his nickname.
This all changed when at the youth level, Hector Herrera faced Chivas Rayadas de Guadalajara, who at the time was coached by Javier “Chicharo” Hernandez, the father of the all-time Mexican National Team scorer (and Hector’s eventual teammate on the national team), ‘Chicharito.’
In the final, Chivas won 4-1 thanks to a hat-trick and an assist by HH, a performance he and those around him would never forget, as he played a role in all four of the goals. After that world-class performance, it was decided that “Zorrito” fell short and that a performance like that could only be done by a “Señor Zorro” or Mr. Fox. A series of standout performances led HH to be moved up to the Pachuca first team, and as the saying goes, the rest is history.
This summer El Zorro is coming to his new home, la ciudad de HH. H-Town. Playing for a team whose mascot is tailor-made for its new star. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of history, don’t miss a single second of Hector Herrera in action, select your seat now HERE.
