Javier “Chicharito” Hernández is learning the hard way what happens when your platform outgrows your perspective. After facing a wave of backlash for his TikTok and Instagram videos urging women to “receive, clean, and be led,” the Mexican fútbol star is now facing a public callout from none other than President Claudia Sheinbaum herself.

Her words? “He still has a lot to learn.”

Claudia Sheinbaum says the quiet part out loud

Speaking during a press conference on July 24, Mexico’s first female president didn’t hold back. When asked about the viral videos, Claudia Sheinbaum responded: “Chicharito is a very good soccer player. But when it comes to his opinion on women … he still has a lot to learn.”

She called his ideas “very sexist” and pushed back against the notion that women’s only role is to stay at home. “The idea that a woman’s place is in the house is a very machista idea,” she said, adding: “Let’s call it what it is.”

Sheinbaum reminded the press that equality between men and women isn’t up for debate in Mexico. “It’s already in the Constitution,” she said. “It’s called substantive equality.”

Chicharito’s misogyny was too loud to ignore

Chicharito’s comments spread quickly across social media. In one video, he claimed: “Women are failing. They are eradicating masculinity, making society hypersensitive.” He then encouraged women to “embody their feminine energy” through “cleaning, nourishing, sustaining the home.”

In another, he said, “You want a man who will provide for you, but cleaning is patriarchal oppression? Interesting.”

As the Associated Press reported, Sheinbaum didn’t just clap back with words. She used the moment to lay out a larger truth: “I’m a mother, I’m a grandmother, I’m also a housewife,” she said. “But I’m also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. Women can be whatever we want.”

Claudia Sheinbaum’s message went beyond Chicharito

To be clear, Sheinbaum didn’t name him to pick a fight. “It’s not about stirring controversy with Chicharito,” she clarified. “Because he’s a great footballer and has represented Mexico in many moments.”

Instead, she made it clear this was about something bigger than one athlete’s outdated takes. “It is important that all the men of our country recognize women as people,” she said.

The consequences for Chicharito are real

Just hours after Claudia Sheinbaum’s press conference, Chicharito was officially fined by the Mexican Soccer Federation’s Gender and Diversity Commission, as reported by the Associated Press. According to the statement, his comments “promote sexist stereotypes that are considered media violence and go against gender equality in sport.”

Chivas, his current club, issued a vague statement condemning “behavior that reinforces stereotypes,” though it didn’t mention him by name. The fine amount was not disclosed, but the federation confirmed that further violations could lead to harsher penalties.

This marks a historic response in Mexican sports

The AP also confirmed that this is the first time the Mexican federation has punished a player for sexist comments. Earlier this year, Ricardo Salinas Pliego, owner of the Mazatlán and Puebla clubs, made misogynistic remarks about female journalists and went unpunished.

The difference this time? A growing call for accountability from fans, athletes, and institutions, with Claudia Sheinbaum leading the charge.

Claudia Sheinbaum is showing what real leadership looks like

In a country where machismo still permeates media, sports, and politics, Claudia Sheinbaum’s response wasn’t just presidential. It was necessary. She framed gender equality as a constitutional right and called out the deep-rooted stereotypes that continue to hurt women in all spaces, from locker rooms to households.

As more voices challenge sexism in Mexican sports, Chicharito’s comments serve as a reminder that outdated beliefs come with consequences. Because when the president tells you, “You still have a lot to learn,” it might be time to sit down and listen.

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