Javier Hernandez is keen to keep up a family tradition.

His father and grandfather played in the tournament, and the 21-year-old’s talent earns him strong consideration to make the squad as Mexico will face North Korea on Wednesday night.

Playing in the World Cup was never so much an option as it was an expectation for Javier Hernandez.

After all his dad was on the Mexican team in 1986, the last time El Tri made it to the World Cup quarterfinals. And his grandfather played in the 1954 tournament, scoring Mexico's final goal.

But all that's history, says Javier Aguirre, coach of this year's Mexican team. The ghosts of World Cups past will have no effect in determining who makes Mexico's roster for this summer's tournament.

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"The World Cup is in June. We're in March. We don't know who's going to make it," Aguirre said when asked about Hernandez's status.

"He is working just like everyone else. We have to go through a selection process and pick out the best."

In that case, count Hernandez in. Because as El Tri prepares to face North Korea on Wednesday night in its first game on Mexican soil this season, no one has been near as consistent as the 21-year-old from Guadalajara.

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