Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Quick Bio Chart
| Full name | Onel Lázaro Hernández Mayea |
|---|---|
| Born | 1 February 1993 (Morón, Cuba) |
| Age (2025) | 32 |
| Nationality | Cuban (Germany U18 at youth level) |
| Height | ~1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) |
| Position | Left winger / left midfielder; can play on the right |
| Current club (2025) | Charlton Athletic (free agent signing, late September 2025) |
| Former clubs (notable) | Norwich City; Middlesbrough (loan); Birmingham City (loan); Eintracht Braunschweig; VfL Wolfsburg II; Werder Bremen II; Arminia Bielefeld |
| International | Germany U18 (1 cap); Cuba senior team (2021– ) |
| Claim to fame | First Cuban to play (Aug 2019) and score (Oct 2019) in the Premier League |
For more context, browse our broader Sports coverage with daily updates and features.
Short Overview
Onel Hernández’s story spans continents and firsts. Born in Morón, Cuba, he emigrated to Germany as a child, rose through competitive academies and 2. Bundesliga clubs, then broke a historic barrier in England by becoming the first Cuban to play and score in the Premier League. After seven years connected with Norwich City — including two Championship title promotions and productive loan spells — he entered free agency in 2025 and signed for Charlton Athletic at the end of September 2025 to bring pace and experience to their wide areas.
As he settles into a new environment, Hernández could feature in domestic cup ties — for fans tracking knockout action across England, see our guide to the EFL Cup 2025–26 season.
Age, Height & Playing Style
As of 2025, Hernández is 32 and stands about 1.72 m. He is a direct, high-acceleration winger: explosive over the first five meters, comfortable taking on full-backs on either flank, and diligent in pressing schemes. His best club spells featured aggressive transitions and verticality, stretching back lines and opening cut-inside shooting angles.
“Direct, fearless and relentlessly vertical — Hernández at his best forces defenders to turn and sprint.” — Championship scouting consensus
Career Timeline (Clubs & Milestones)
- Early years (Cuba → Germany): Family emigrates; academy grounding in Germany.
- Arminia Bielefeld / Eintracht Braunschweig: Senior minutes in the 2. Bundesliga sharpen decision-making and off-ball discipline.
- Norwich City (Jan 2018 → June 2025): Key role across two promotion seasons. Aug 9, 2019: first Cuban to play in the Premier League; Oct 27, 2019: first Cuban to score in the league.
- Loans 2021–22: Middlesbrough and Birmingham City (Championship) for consistent minutes.
- Released (Apr–Jun 2025): Norwich confirm departure at contract end.
- Charlton Athletic (Sept 2025 → ): Signs as a free agent on a short-term deal, potentially impacting early rounds of domestic cups (see our EFL Cup 2025–26 explainer).
Records & Notable Moments
- Historic firsts: First Cuban to play (9 Aug 2019 vs Liverpool) and to score (27 Oct 2019 vs Manchester United) in the Premier League.
- Promotions: Part of Norwich City’s Championship-winning squads.
- International shift: Among the early wave of overseas-based Cuban internationals in the 2020s.
For wider human-interest sports stories on our site, you may also read our coverage of community responses to tragedies and recovery journeys, such as the Billy Vigar story and cross-sport health updates like the Jared McCain injury update.
Salary History & 2025 Net Worth Estimate
Editorial estimate: £3.5–£5.0 million as of 2025, mid-point ~£4.2 million.
Methodology (transparent & update-safe): We triangulate publicly reported contract bands (notably a four-year Norwich deal listed at ~$1.14m average annual in 2019–2022), typical Championship wage scales in later seasons (including loans), market-value context, and conservative retention rates (40–55% after taxes, fees and living costs). Where exact figures are private, we label them as estimates and explain our assumptions.
Indicative Salary Timeline (selected)
| Season | Club | Reported/Indicative Annual Gross |
|---|---|---|
| 2019–20 | Norwich City | ~$1.14m (reported band) |
| 2020–21 | Norwich City | ~$1.14m (reported band) |
| 2021–22 | Middlesbrough / Birmingham (loans) | Blended Championship scale |
| 2022–23 | Norwich City | Championship scale |
| 2023–24 | Norwich City | Championship scale |
| 2024–25 | Norwich City | Championship scale |
| 2025–26 | Charlton Athletic | Short-term; undisclosed |
Notes: Dollar figures reference historical reporting bands; loans usually involve wage-share arrangements.
2025 Net Worth (Range)
Independent editorial estimate based on public salary bands, market context, and conservative retention assumptions.
Illustrative visualization. Estimates do not represent disclosed wealth.
Assumptions Behind the Model
- Base contracts (2019–2022): Four-year Norwich deal publicly listed at ~$1.14m avg annual.
- Championship years (2022–2025): Veteran-winger pay bands; performance/appearance bonuses possible.
- Deductions: UK taxes, agent fees, housing/relocation, training costs.
- Financial behavior: Conservative 40–55% net retention allocated to property/cash/low-risk vehicles; limited public endorsements.
For more money-and-sport breakdowns across different disciplines, explore our rolling Sports category hub.
Net Worth Chart (Year-by-Year, Estimated)
| Year | Estimated Year-End Net Worth | Driver |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | £0.8m | PL earnings & bonuses |
| 2020 | £1.2m | Stabilized income |
| 2021 | £1.6m | Loan season; blended wage |
| 2022 | £2.2m | Championship scale |
| 2023 | £2.8m | Prudent saving |
| 2024 | £3.4m | Stability + incentives |
| 2025 | £4.2m | Short-term deal; conservative valuation |
International Career (Cuba & Youth Germany)
Hernández featured for Germany U18 in 2010 but later committed to the Cuba senior team, debuting in 2021 World Cup qualifying. Since then he has accumulated multiple caps and goals, providing progression and width on the flanks for La Tricolor. As of late 2025, he remains a senior figure in Cuba’s setup for the 2026 cycle.
Off-Pitch & Personality
Coaches and teammates describe Hernández as upbeat and team-first. His journey — Cuba to Germany’s academies to making Premier League history — resonates with themes of resilience and representation. Public engagement tends to be humble: family-centric posts, community events via club foundations, and a low-key approach to philanthropy.
For responsible coverage of difficult news and recovery arcs within sport, we handle sensitive topics carefully — see our reporting on the Billy Vigar accident and cross-sport medical updates such as the Jared McCain injury update.
FAQs
Onel Hernández was born on 1 February 1993, which makes him 32 years old in 2025. You can explore more sports profiles here.
As of September 2025, Hernández signed for Charlton Athletic after leaving Norwich City. For more tournament coverage, check our EFL Cup 2025–26 guide.
His 2025 net worth is estimated between £3.5m and £5.0m, with a mid-point of about £4.2m. For more financial breakdowns, visit our Sports category.
He became the first Cuban footballer to play (August 2019 vs Liverpool) and score (October 2019 vs Manchester United) in the Premier League. Similar inspiring sports stories can be found alongside features like the Billy Vigar story.
Yes, Hernández represented Germany U18 once, but since 2021 he plays for the Cuba national team. For cross-sport updates, you might also like our coverage of the Jared McCain injury update.
