Jean-François Hernandez
Jean-François Hernandez | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 23, 1969 Tours, France |
| Occupation | Professional footballer (retired) |
| Years active | Until 2002 |
| Known for | Central defender for Toulouse FC, FC Sochaux-Montbéliard, Olympique de Marseille, SD Compostela, Rayo Vallecano, Atlético Madrid |
Jean-François Hernandez (; born 23 April 1969) is a retired French professional footballer who operated primarily as a central defender.
Club career
Hernandez, born in Tours and of Spanish heritage, represented several French clubs during his career. He amassed 177 appearances in Ligue 1 and scored three goals while playing for Toulouse FC and FC Sochaux-Montbéliard. Additionally, he played a role in Olympique de Marseille's promotion to the top flight by finishing as runners-up in the 1995–96 season of Ligue 2.
In January 1998, Hernandez transferred to Spain where he made his debut in La Liga with SD Compostela. Despite his contributions, the team suffered relegation that same season. Over the subsequent four years, he competed both in Spain’s premier division and the Segunda División, featuring for clubs such as Rayo Vallecano and Atlético Madrid. He ended his professional playing career in 2002 at age 33.
Personal life
Hernandez is the father of two professional footballers, Lucas and Théo. In October 2018, Lucas revealed that they had not been in contact with their father for twelve years.
According to a 2022 report by the French sports newspaper L'Équipe, Hernandez—who had been out of public view for eighteen years—was residing in Thailand. It was also reported that although he sought to reestablish ties with his sons, legal restrictions imposed by their mother prevented this.