When Noeh Hernández steps onto the field to face Argentina, he won’t just be representing Puerto Rico — he’ll be carrying years of growth, grit and gratitude from his time at DePaul.

The DePaul junior midfielder, who recently earned a call-up to the Puerto Rican men’s national team, is set to play in an international friendly against the reigning World Cup champions. For Hernández, it’s the latest milestone in a journey that began when he was nine years old playing with the Chicago Fire Academy.

Hernández recalled finding out the news after a match at DePaul’s Wish Field. 

“I went to go say hi to my girlfriend, my mom and they came up to me and asked if I heard the news, ‘Puerto Rico’s playing against Argentina at Soldier Field,’” he said. “I thought no way this is real. And then they showed me the Instagram post and I thought, ‘Wow, it’s real.’”

When Hernández broke the news to his coach that he had made the national team roster to face Lionel Messi and the Argentinian national team, it sparked happiness and pride on the Blue Demons’ team. 

“You could see the little kid in him coming out. Then he came up to my office and said, ‘Did you see the roster? Everybody’s coming!’” Plotkin said. 

“You’re just going out there to have fun playing against some legends,” Plotkin said to Hernández about this unique opportunity. “Take your chances, be brave, and show everybody in the stadium and around the world who Noeh Hernández is and the quality you have, because you belong there.” 

Hernández’s rise through the ranks reflects both his skill and determination. After years developing through Chicago Fire’s youth system, he joined DePaul and quickly became a reliable presence in the midfield. 

This isn’t Hernández’s first time being called up to the Puerto Rico team, earlier this year, he scored his first goal for Puerto Rico — a moment he called “one of the best of my career.”

But for Hernández, success at the international level is just another step toward his ultimate dream. 

“I want to continue and play professionally,” he said. “My dream would be to play for Barcelona one day.”

Coach Plotkin said his experience with the national team has elevated the standard for the rest of the team. 

“Noeh sets a great standard in training because of the experiences he’s had and the level he’s played at,” Plotkin said. “He’s able to come back and give the other guys perspective of what it’s really like to be at that level — the mentality it takes day to day. You can see it’s really changed him for the better.”

That mentality, paired with his adaptability, has made Hernández a key figure for the Puerto Rican national team.

“They’ve played him in center midfield, wide, even at left back, because he’s willing to do the work on both sides of the ball,” Plotkin said. “He’s talented, makes really good decisions, and always does whatever the team needs. That versatility and team-first mentality are valuable.”

Due to low ticket sales, it was announced on Oct. 10 that the match would be moved to Miami. The friendly will now be played in Chase Stadium on Tuesday, Oct. 14, instead of Monday, Oct. 13.

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