Mexico and West Ham United striker Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez has launched a staunch defense of his country's coach Juan Carlos Osorio in a bold statement.
The Colombian manager has come under criticism following a summer in which Mexico finished fourth in the Confederations Cup and fell out of the Gold Cup at the semifinal stage to Jamaica on Sunday.
On Monday the 56-year-old was met at Mexico City airport by supporters shouting "Osorio out!" A video even showed one telling him to "go back to your country."
Hernandez wrote on social media that he was "speechless" on seeing the video and wrote a statement supporting Osorio, indicating "I may regret what I'm about to say.
"It's incredible. I'm speechless on seeing the video of Profe Osorio arriving in Mexico. It made me embarrassed, angry and, even more than that, really sad," wrote Hernandez, adding later: "We honestly have to learn a lot, we have to improve, because it's not possible that a sport makes us behave and react like this ..."
Hernandez went on to write that there have been calls for him -- the all-time El Tri top scorer -- to be kicked out of the national team, that Rafa Marquez has also been criticized and even Hugo Sanchez, widely considered the greatest Mexican player in history, has had problems in the past.
"Head up, [Osorio]," wrote the former Manchester United striker. "They wanted our highest and, in my opinion, best reference point for Mexican football, Hugo Sanchez, out of the national team when he played.
"And they kicked him out [as a coach] for not qualifying for the Olympics when he wasn't even obligated to manage that team.
"Head up, Profe, because honestly those who want to improve this country, want to be better Mexicans, want a Mexico that is better in all respects are more [than those who don't]," he continued. "And I know that you want the same for our country, even coming from another one."
Hernandez's Mexico teammate Diego Reyes also sent out a message of support for Osorio.
"How sad to see this type of insults!" wrote Reyes. "How low we have fallen! If each one of us demanded the same from ourselves as we demand from the national team, it would be a better country."