Fernando Gómez (footballer, born 1965)

Fernando Gómez Colomer (born 11 September 1965), known simply as Fernando, is a Spanish retired footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.

For other people named Fernando Gómez, see Fernando Gómez (disambiguation).
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Gómez and the second or maternal family name is Colomer.

Fernando
Fernando in 2016
Personal information
Full name Fernando Gómez Colomer
Date of birth (1965-09-11) 11 September 1965
Place of birth Valencia, Spain
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) 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

His professional career was closely connected to Valencia with which he made his La 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 represented Spain at the 1990 World Cup.

Club career

Born in Valencia, Fernando spent the vast majority of his career at hometown's Valencia CF, representing them for 15 seasons as a senior. He would garner a reputation as an outstanding playmaker who boasted an exceptional scoring record from midfield (he scored 14 league goals twice, ten three times), also being team captain; he played a club-record 420 La 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 against Real Valladolid,[4] after moving up from the reserves CD Mestalla. He truly came to the forefront in 1986–87 as the team won promotion back from the Segunda 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 the Copa del Rey of 1995.[6]

Fernando won the Don Balón's Best Spanish Player Award for 1988–89,[7] and broke into the Spanish national team later that year. He finally left the Mestalla Stadium in August 1998, to join English First Division side Wolverhampton Wanderers on a free transfer. In his one season at the Molineux Stadium, partnering club icon Steve Bull and young prospect Robbie Keane, he scored twice: a left-foot volley against Stockport County in a 2–2 home draw at the end of his first month, and an early winner in the 2–1 victory at Tranmere Rovers in his penultimate game in January.[8]

Fernando then signed with Segunda División B's CD Castellón also in the Valencian Community. After another sole season, he retired in 2000 at the age of nearly 35. He remained at the club as director of football, switching afterwards to sports commentator on both radio and television. In July 2008, however, he returned to Valencia again as sporting director,[9] leaving the post two years later.[10]

Fernando began managing already in his 50s, at CF Torre Levante in the Tercera División. He resigned in September 2016 with the team in eighth, calling the situation "unsustainable".[11] The following July, he joined UD 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]

International career

Fernando earned eight caps and scored two goals for Spain, making his international debut on 15 November 1989 in a 4–0 win against Hungary for the 1990 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, closing the score in Seville.[16] He was subsequently selected for the squad that competed in the finals in Italy, where he made a substitute appearance in the 3–1 group stage victory over South Korea.[17]

Fernando had earlier represented the nation at youth level in the 1985 FIFA World Youth Championship, finishing joint-top scorer with three goals en route to the final.[18]

Personal life

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.[19] For his studious background, he was nicknamed "El Catedrático" (The Professor).[20]

In April 2011, Fernando was recruited by the People's Party in Chiva, Valencia to run as number 3 on their list for the local elections.[21] After serving one term as the councillor in charge of sports, he did not run for re-election in 2015.[22]

Honours

Valencia

Spain U20

See also

References
  1. González, Lorena. "Fernando Gómez Colomer: "Fui el primer centrocampista en España en superar los cien goles"" [Fernando Gómez Colomer: "I was the first midfielder in Spain to surpass one hundred goals"] (in Spanish). Líbero. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  2. Casado, Edu (25 February 2015). "Qué fue de… Fernando Gómez Colomer: de capitán a frustrado presidente del Valencia" [What happened to… Fernando Gómez Colomer: from captain to thwarted Valencia president]. 20 minutos (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  3. Gimeno, Manu (28 April 2015). "Un capitán, a ritmo de Mendieta y Fernando" [A captain, Mendieta and Fernando-style] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  4. González, J. (16 January 1984). "2–1: A cual peor" [2–1: Worse and worst]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  5. "5–1: El Valencia se despidió con una traca... de goles" [5–1: Valencia said goodbye with fireworks... of goals]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 22 June 1987. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  6. Carbajosa, Carlos E. (28 June 1995). "Supertítulo" [Supertitle]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  7. Pla Díaz, Emilio. "Spain – Footballer of the Year". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  8. Berry, Paul (7 October 2021). "Ex-Wolves man Fernando Gomez: If I had to do the same again, I would". Express & Star. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  9. "Valencia bring in Mathieu from Toulouse". UEFA. 14 June 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  10. Lidón, Inma; Pérez, Iván (2 June 2010). "Fernando Gómez, destituido como director deportivo" [Fernando Gómez, dismissed as sporting director]. El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  11. "Fernando Gómez abandona el banquillo del Torre Levante" [Fernando Gómez abandons the Torre Levante dugout]. Levante-EMV (in Spanish). 28 September 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  12. Torres, David (5 July 2017). "Fernando Gómez firma por el Alzira" [Fernando Gómez signs for Alzira]. El Desmarque. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  13. Chordà, David (12 June 2018). "Fernando Gómez continuará un año más en el banquillo del Alzira" [Fernando Gómez will continue for one more year in the Alzira dugout]. Levante-EMV (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  14. "Fernando, despedido de la UD Alzira" [Fernando, fired from UD Alzira]. Super Deporte (in Spanish). 2 November 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  15. Orts, Pablo (10 June 2021). "Fernando Gómez Colomer deja el Benigànim por el CD Castellón" [Fernando Gómez Colomer leaves Benigànim for CD Castellón]. Levante-EMV (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  16. Astruells, Andrés (16 November 1989). "El remate de una gran faena" [Icing on tasty cake]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  17. Guasch, Tomás (18 June 1990). "Victoria para la rehabilitación" [Win for rehabilitation]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  18. Díez, Óscar (1 November 2014). "España en los mundiales sub'20: URSS 1985" [Spain in the under'20 World Cups: USSR 1985] (in Spanish). Cuadernos de Fútbol. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  19. Carchano, María José (8 March 2021). "Fernando Gómez: "Mi hijo ha seguido mi camino: reveses por todos los lados"" [Fernando Gómez: "My son has followed in my footsteps: setbacks everywhere"]. Las Provincias (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  20. Torres, David (8 June 2021). "Fernando Gómez vuelve a encabezar un proyecto como director deportivo" [Fernando Gómez leads a project as sporting director again] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  21. Badillo, A. (16 April 2011). "Fernando regresa a la política con el PP de Chiva" [Fernando returns to politics with Chiva's PP]. Las Provincias (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  22. Pérez, Iván (16 April 2015). "El ex futbolista Fernando Gómez no repetirá como concejal en Chiva" [Ex-footballer Fernando Gómez will not run as councillor again in Chiva]. El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 November 2021.
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