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As a 15-year-old, Hollister native Elyssa Hernandez was competing at the international level with El Salvador’s U17 women’s soccer squad. As a 17-year-old, the Seattle University athlete is now battling for a spot at the senior level as the team looks to qualify for the FIFA’s 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
El Salvador leads its group with six points in the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf), and has a key match against second place Trinidad and Tobago on April 17. El Salvador can move to the next phase of the competition with at least a draw.
The team defeated Honduras 3-0 and Barbados 13-0 in the first phase of competition.
Ahead of the latest training camp, Hernandez told BenitoLink the call-up to the senior team felt “surreal.”
“I definitely didn’t think I was going to be on the senior national team, especially at 17,” she said.
Hernandez, a defender, said the team with professionals who play in leagues in Mexico, Ecuador and Greece greeted her with open arms.
“They’ve welcomed me very well,” she said. “For them to welcome me and treat me no different than a pro player on their team, I’m having a very good experience.”
She said her teammates have reassured her she is part of the team for a reason and to brush the nerves and doubt aside.
“Especially when I made my debut they said, ‘You played against pro players this whole time in training camp. You got this.’”
Hernandez played 45 minutes with the senior squad in a March 4 exhibition game in which El Savador defeated Peru 4-0.
“I was definitely nervous in the beginning, and then I definitely got more comfortable and was playing more relaxed,“ she said.
She said the speed and aggressiveness of play is higher at the international level than what she has experienced so far in her career, which includes club, high school and youth international level. She is also part of the Seattle University squad that is set to start its season in the fall.
“In the senior level this is their job,” she said. “They’re a lot more intentional with their plays.”
Hernandez’s mom, Charlene, also said it felt surreal to her having a daughter compete at the highest level at a very early age. She said Hernandez has earned all the opportunities that are in front of her.
“Super proud of her,” Charlene said. “A lot of people don’t realize all the work she does by herself. She’s running by herself, she’s waking up at 5 a.m. to do weightlifting, her nutrition is on point. There’s so much that people don’t see.”
Hernandez was invited by El Salvador coach Eric Acuña to participate in a week-long training camp in October with the senior team and from there she continued to be called up.
“He really liked how I played with them,” she said.
Acuña, who will coach his 100th game with the national team against Trinidad and Tobago, lauded Hernandez in an interview with a Salvadorian television sports program saying she was “spectacular.”
“Esa niña ya es mayor con 17 años,” he said. “Tenes dos mundiales más con ella.” (That girl is already at the senior level as a 17 year-old. We have two more World Cup processes with her)
He added that the young players he has on his squad earned their spot and can contribute at the senior level.
With the ultimate goal of qualifying and competing in a World Cup, Hernandez says her short career has taught her that growth is not linear and she hopes to continue growing.
“Being able to be around these players and experience this, especially at a young age, I’m just going to take it all in and learn from it.”
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