Chicharito has scored 16 Bundesliga goals this season for Leverkusen. - © © gettyimages / Mika Volkmann/Bongarts
Chicharito has scored 16 Bundesliga goals this season for Leverkusen. - © © gettyimages / Mika Volkmann/Bongarts

Chicharito to represent Mexico at Copa America this summer

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Bayer 04 Leverkusen striker Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez has announced that he will represent the Mexico national team at the Copa America Centenario in the USA this summer, but not at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Hernandez, 27, has found the net 25 times in all competitions for Die Werkself this season and will look to transfer his fine club form onto the international stage when El Tri face Uruguay, Jamaica and Venezuela in Group C of the centenary edition of the tournament.

"The Mexican federation want me to go to the Copa America," Chicharito said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. "It's not only my decision, it’s a 50-50 decision. The federation wants me to go to the Copa America and I decided to go. It's not because I don't want to go to the Olympics, it's because it's the best for my club, for me and for the federation. The most important thing here is what my club wanted as well."

Chicharito has made 78 appearances for his country since his international debut on October 1 2009, scoring 48 goals in the process.