Marcel Hernández leaves Herediano in search of an opportunity abroad after winning the national title

An ordinary Wednesday training session turned into the day everything changed. Marcel Hernández asked to speak to the group, told his teammates he was leaving, and just hours later he was no longer a Herediano player. That fast, that unexpected.

The Cuban forward's departure from the national champions caught even people inside the club off guard. And it leaves a question hanging in the air: what opportunity abroad could outweigh everything Marcel had built in Costa Rica?

According to ESPN, it all started right after that Wednesday practice. Marcel explained to his teammates that he had decided to leave because a major opportunity had come up outside the country. The news hit the locker room, and the club's front office, like a bucket of cold water. Herediano tried to talk him into staying, but his mind was made up. He said goodbye to each teammate individually and closed out his time at the club right there. Hours later, the club made the departure official, saying both sides had agreed to release him as a free agent so he could pursue this new professional opportunity.

A goodbye that doesn't fit his current standing

What stands out is that Marcel wasn't leaving because he'd lost his place in the team, quite the opposite. Just three months ago he scored the goal that gave Herediano their 32nd title against Saprissa, playing that final with knee trouble, and he closed out the Clausura 2026 as top scorer with 12 goals. His time at the club produced more than 30 goals and a trophy case full of honors: just a few weeks ago he picked up five awards at the UNAFUT Gala, including top scorer, best foreign player and best player of the tournament.

On top of that, Hernández had put down roots in Costa Rica, building a business career that grew alongside his soccer career. Back in June he revealed he had six businesses and several employees, including ventures like Nine Gastro & Sports Bar, MH Sports, MH Fitness Club, Majestic Hair Studio, LOLI Studio and his partnership with Lankester AF. In fact, Nine opened its doors in San Joaquín de Flores, Heredia, right around the time the forward was negotiating his contract renewal with the club in late 2025. His father had even been staying with him in the country recently.

The name on the horizon

Inter Tecla, of El Salvador, has emerged amid the mystery. Ricardo Ortiz, the club's vice president and co-owner, confirmed to ESPN that there is interest and ongoing talks with the forward, though he was clear that he couldn't yet confirm a signing.

"Obviously there's interest in having a professional like him," Ricardo Ortiz

The connection didn't come out of nowhere: Inter Tecla's Costa Rican owners are friends with Marcel, and his personal brand even sponsored the team's kit last season. But it remains to be confirmed whether that's really the big opportunity that made him leave everything behind.

For now, the mystery remains unsolved. ESPN reached out to Marcel and got no response; at the Mundialito he only said: "I can't talk about that." He walked into a training session as a champion's player and walked out saying goodbye to everyone. Now it's a matter of waiting to see what he found out there that was worth leaving so much behind.