 Fernando in 2016 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Fernando Gómez Colomer | ||
| Date of birth | (1965-09-11)11 September 1965 (age 60) | ||
| Place of birth | Valencia, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Colegio Salgui | |||
| 1980–1983 | Valencia | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1983 | Valencia B | ||
| 1983–1998 | Valencia | 458 | (117) |
| 1998–1999 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 19 | (2) |
| 1999–2000 | Castellón | 35 | (10) |
| Total | 512 | (129) | |
| International career | |||
| 1983–1984 | Spain U18 | 12 | (1) |
| 1985 | Spain U19 | 1 | (1) |
| 1985 | Spain U20 | 6 | (3) |
| 1985–1990 | Spain U21 | 9 | (0) |
| 1989–1992 | Spain | 8 | (2) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2016 | Torre Levante | ||
| 2017–2018 | Alzira | ||
| 2020–2021 | Benigànim | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Fernando Gómez Colomer (born 11 September 1965), known simply asFernando, is a Spanish former professionalfootballer who played as anattacking midfielder.
His career was closely connected toValencia with whom he made hisLa Liga debut at the age of 18, going on to make a record 556 appearances and score 142 official goals. He worked with the club in directorial capacities following his retirement.[1]
Fernando representedSpain at the1990 World Cup.
Born inValencia, Fernando spent the vast majority of his career at hometown'sValencia CF, representing them for 15 seasons as a senior. He would garner a reputation as an outstandingplaymaker who boasted an exceptional scoring record from midfield (he scored 14 league goals twice, ten three times), also beingteam captain; he played a club-record 420La Liga matches, and also ranked as the fourth-highest scorer with 142 goals in all competitions.[2][3]
Fernando made his debut with the main squad on 15 January 1984 in a 2–1 away loss againstReal Valladolid,[4] after moving up from the reservesCD Mestalla. He truly came to the forefront in1986–87 as the team won promotion back fromSegunda División at the first attempt;[5] aside from this campaign he spent all of his spell with Valencia in the top flight, where he twice finished second in the championship, also helping to a runner-up finish in theCopa del Rey of1995.[6]
Fernando won theDon Balón'sBest Spanish Player Award for1988–89,[7] and broke into theSpanish national team later that year. He finally left theMestalla Stadium in August 1998, to joinEnglish First Division sideWolverhampton Wanderers on afree transfer. In hisone season at theMolineux Stadium, partnering club iconSteve Bull and young prospectRobbie Keane, he scored twice: a left-foot volley againstStockport County in a 2–2 home draw at the end of his first month, and an early winner in the 2–1 victory atTranmere Rovers in his penultimate game in January.[8]
Fernando then signed withSegunda División B'sCD Castellón also in theValencian Community. After anothersole season, he retired in 2000 at the age of 34. He remained at the club asdirector of football, switching afterwards tosports commentator on both radio and television. In July 2008, however, he returned to Valencia again assporting director,[9] leaving the post two years later.[10]
Fernando began managing already in his 50s, atCF Torre Levante in theTercera División. He resigned in September 2016 with the team in eighth, calling the situation "unsustainable".[11] The following July, he joinedUD Alzira in the same league,[12] and received a one-year extension in June 2018.[13]
A seven-game winless run ending with four straight defeats saw Fernando dismissed in November 2018.[14] After a season at UD Benigànim, another local amateur side, he became sporting director at Castellón in June 2021.[15]
Fernando earned eightcaps and scored two goals forSpain,[16] making his international debut on 15 November 1989 in a 4–0 win againstHungary for the1990 FIFA World Cupqualifiers, closing the score inSeville.[17] He was subsequently selected for the squad that competed in the finals in Italy, where he made asubstitute appearance in the 3–1 group stage victory overSouth Korea.[18]
Fernando had earlier represented the nation atyouth level in the1985 FIFA World Youth Championship, finishing joint-top scorer with three goalsen route to the final.[19]
Fernando's father was head of a university department, while his brothers became a law professor and a doctor, respectively. His sons followed him into football, but did not turn professional.[20] For his studious background, he was nicknamed "El Catedrático" (The Professor).[21]
In April 2011, Fernando was recruited by thePeople's Party inChiva, Valencia to run as number 3 on their list for thelocal elections.[22] After serving one term as the councillor in charge of sports, he did not run for re-electionin 2015.[23]
Valencia
Spain U20
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