Is Carlos Vela better than Javier Hernandez? Check the stats and numbers

Carlos Vela's 2019 season will forever remain in history. The Los Angeles FC player scored 34 goals and provided 15 assists in 31 games to break the Major League Soccer single-season goals record set by Atlanta United's Venezuelan Josef Martinez in 2018 with 31. 

For many experts, scoring 34 goals in a single season is an almost unattainable figure, because it means scoring a goal in every regular season game, but just two years after Vela's historic campaign, there is another Mexican striker who is putting his marks at risk: Javier "Chicharito" Hernández.

How did Javier Hernández start the season?

Javier Hernández already has six goals in just four games, the product of his brace on the first day against Inter Miami, the hat trick on the second day against the New York Red Bulls and his goal last Saturday against an LAFC that was without Vela. 

When one compares Chicharito's start to the current season and Vela's in 2019, the Galaxy player would be well on his way to beating his compatriot's record.

What was Carlos Vela's best season?  

In 2019, Vela started the season without scoring on Matchday 1 against Sporting Kansas City before netting his first goal of the season on Matchday 2 against the Portland Timbers. His first brace of the season came on Matchday 3 against the New York Red Bulls, but he was unable to find the back of the net on Matchday 4 against Real Salt Lake.

It was Matchday 5 when Vela began his hot streak, scoring a hat trick against the San Jose Earthquakes, so to keep up Vela's form after five games, Chicharito would have to score this Saturday against Austin FC. The 2021 MLS season has barely begun, but Chicharito's great form is already drawing comparisons to the best seasons in the league's history.