Chicharito breaks down in tears over Punch Monkey — the viral baby macaque taking the internet by storm
Former Real Madrid and Sevilla striker Javier 'Chicharito' Hernández got emotional on Instagram over Punch Monkey, the abandoned Japanese macaque going viral worldwide.
The internet’s latest obsession has moved people across the globe — and that includes a certain Mexican striker who once pulled on the white of Real Madrid.
Chicharito gets emotional over a tiny monkey
Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernández, the 37-year-old forward who had stints at Real Madrid (2014–2015) and Sevilla (2019–2020) among others, shared a heartfelt post on his Instagram — where he’s got over 6.3 million followers — opening up about the story of Punch Monkey, a baby macaque that’s gone properly viral in early 2026.
And yeah, he cried. Genuinely welled up.
His message wasn’t just about the monkey, mind. It turned into something a bit more philosophical — the kind of post that makes you put your phone down for a second. He wrote about feeling things deeply without wallowing in self-pity, about recognising rejection without becoming a victim, and about protecting your heart without shutting it off completely. Heavy stuff from a bloke who’s had a pretty turbulent few years in football.
So who — or what — is Punch Monkey?
Right, let’s get you up to speed if you’ve somehow missed this one:
- Punch is a small Japanese macaque born in July 2025 at Ichikawa Zoo in Japan
- Shortly after birth, he was rejected by his mother — which, as you can imagine, is as heartbreaking as it sounds
- His keepers gave him a stuffed toy orangutan to cuddle, and Punch latched onto it like it was his actual mum
- The cuddly companion? An IKEA soft toy — which is somehow both tragic and very relatable
- By February 2026, footage of the little fella had spread across social media and become a worldwide trend
- Punch is currently going through a gradual process of social integration with the other monkeys at the zoo — not easy when your best mate is a stuffed animal from a flat-pack furniture shop
It’s the sort of story that cuts right through the noise of the internet. A tiny creature, abandoned, clinging to something soft for comfort while trying to figure out where he fits in. You can see why it hit people in the feels.
Where’s Chicharito at these days?
It’s worth noting that Hernández is currently without a club after leaving Guadalajara — his boyhood side, where he returned late in his career. The man has had quite the journey: Chivas, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, West Ham, Sevilla, LA Galaxy, and back to Guadalajara. At 37, the clock is ticking on whether we’ll see him lace up professionally again.
Perhaps there’s something in the way Punch’s story resonated with him — that idea of facing rejection and still pushing forward. Or maybe he just really loves monkeys. Either way, it’s a proper lovely moment from a footballer who’s always worn his heart on his sleeve.
Punch Monkey for Ballon d’Or? We’re half joking. Half.
Source: MARCA