Atlanta United exercised the transfer option on defender Ronald Hernández from Aberdeen FC on Jan. 7, 2022. The Venezuelan spent the 2021 season with Atlanta United on loan from the Scottish Premiership side before signing a contract through the 2024 season.
The Barinas, Venezuela native joined Atlanta United on loan before the 2021 season and finished the campaign with 13 matches played including eight starts. He scored his first career MLS goal on July 21, 2021 at Cincinnati to secure a 1-1 draw. Hernández made 13 appearances in 2022 and set career MLS-highs with 11 starts and 766 minutes played. The right back also started both of Atlanta’s U.S. Open Cup matches and scored the opening goal in a 6-0 victory against Chattanooga in the Third Round on April 20, 2022. Hernández started 11 of his 14 appearances across all competitions in 2023 and tallied his first MLS assist on May 20 against Chicago.
Hernández, 25, began his professional career with Zamora FC of the Venezuelan Primera División where he played from 2015-17. He signed with Norwegian club Stabæk in August of 2017 where he spent three seasons and made 61 appearances across all competitions. Hernández became a regular starter in 2019 when he made 27 appearances in Eliteserien play and totaled four assists.
Hernández moved to Aberdeen in January 2020 and made two appearances at the end of the 2019-2020 season. He made four appearances during the 2020-21 Premiership season prior to joining Atlanta United.
2023 (Atlanta United): Started 11 of his 14 appearances across all competitions. MLS: Made 10 appearances and eight starts. Recorded his first MLS assist in 3-3 draw with Chicago on May 20. MLS Cup Playoffs: Made one appearance, starting Game 1 of Atlanta’s first round series against Columbus. U.S. Open Cup: Started and played 120 minutes in Atlanta’s loss against Memphis. Leagues Cup: Made two appearances. Came on as a substitute against Inter Miami CF and started against Cruz Azul.
2022 (Atlanta United): Started 13 of his 15 appearances across all competitions. MLS: Made 13 appearances and set career MLS-highs with 11 starts and 766 minutes played. U.S. Open Cup: Started both of Atlanta’s matches and scored the opening goal in a 6-0 win over Chattanooga in the Third Round on April 20.
2021 (Atlanta United): MLS: Started eight of his 13 appearances and scored his first MLS goal in a 1-1 draw at FC Cincinnati on July 21. Played 634 minutes.
International*:\* Hernández has made 32 appearances for Venezuela and recorded one goal and three assists. He made his debut with the senior team as a starter in a World Cup Qualifying match against Paraguay on Oct. 11, 2017. Hernández played in every match for Venezuela during the 2019 and 2021 Copa América tournaments. In 2021, he made 10 appearances for Venezuela, including four games with one start at the 2021 Copa América where he scored his first international goal against Ecuador on June 20, 2021. He appeared in 11 of Venezuela’s 16 World Cup Qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup and recorded an assist in two of his last four appearances. Hernández also made 17 appearances for Venezuela’s U-20 squad and played every minute of the 2017 U-20 World Cup in South Korea where Venezuela reached the final.
