Leeds United icon Pablo Hernandez confirmed his retirement from football on Friday evening.
The 38-year-old released a statement onto his official Instagram confirming the decision to hang up his boots, in which he expressed his gratitude to former clubs including Leeds.
Hernandez is widely regarded as the best to don the white shirt of the modern era for the role he played in Leeds’ promotion to the Premier League in 2020.
During the two years in which Hernandez played in the Championship under Marcelo Bielsa, there was nobody better, with his overall record Leeds reading 36 goals and 41 assists in 175 appearances.
Among so many great moments during his time at Leeds, here is an attempt at trying to narrow down the best five.
Swansea (a) – goal
There really is no where else to start. This was the goal which effectively sealed Leeds’ promotion back to the Premier League, and what better way to do it than with a last minute winner.
It was a typical Leeds goal under Bielsa which spanned from a blistering counter-attack from one end to the other, but there was no one else in the squad you would have wanted that Luke Ayling cut-back to fall to.
He placed the ball in arguably the only place that could’ve beaten the ‘keeper, sparking wild scenes among the players and staff. The only shame was it was in an empty stadium.
West Brom (h) – goal
One of the best games and performances during the Bielsa era started with Hernandez netting an incredible strike inside just 15 seconds.
Leeds’ season had been toiling in the build-up to this game and a big performance was needed to get back on track, which could not have started any better.
Hernandez picked up the ball around 25 yards out from a Jack Harrison pass, and with very little back lift, found the top corner with a wonder gall. Leeds went onto win 4-0.
Bristol City (a) – goal
After the heart break of Leeds’ play-off semi-final a couple of months earlier, many were unsure whether the Whites would be able to again the following season.
A trip to Bristol City was Leeds’ first task and they showed absolutely no signs of any hangover as they produced an impressive display, with Hernandez inevitably kicking it all off.
On his weaker left foot, Hernandez swivelled on the edge of the area before firing into the top corner to set up a 3-1 win.
Fulham (h) – assist
Another magnificent moment Leeds fans were unfortunately unable to witness came in a vital 3-0 win over Fulham in the second game after lockdown.
Hernandez had missed Leeds’ 2-0 defeat to Cardiff City a week earlier and was nursing a hamstring injury heading into the game, which meant he started on the bench.
Despite leading 1-0 at the break, Leeds were poor in the first half and as such, Hernandez was introduced at the break and changed the game almost instantly.
He then helped put the icing on the cake of a vital three points with a majestic first-time assist for Harrison, cutting open the Fulham defence with a raking through ball in behind.
Millwall (h) – goals
Hernandez was often the man for clutch moments and this 3-2 victory in March of Bielsa’s first season was certainly one of them.
After the Spaniard had got Leeds back on level terms, the Whites were again trailing with 20 minutes to play before Ayling’s equaliser.
With automatic promotion rivals Sheffield United losing, three points was vital for Leeds and so who else but to step up than Hernandez, who cleverly turned home a Tyler Roberts cut-back to earn a 3-2 win.
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