Roberto Fernández (footballer, born 1954)

Roberto Eladio Fernández Roa, also known as Gato Fernández, (born 9 July 1954) is a retired football goalkeeper from Paraguay. He was capped 78 times for the Paraguay national football team in an international career that lasted from 1976 to 1989.[1] He was also a member of the Paraguayan team that won the 1979 Copa América.[2] He earned the nickname "El Gato" (The Cat) for his outstanding stretching saves.

For the Spanish footballer, see Roberto Fernández Bonillo.
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Fernández and the second or maternal family name is Roa.

Roberto Fernández
Personal information
Full name Roberto Eladio Fernández Roa
Date of birth (1954-07-09) 9 July 1954
Place of birth Asunción, Paraguay
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1973–1976 River Plate Asunción
1976 Valencia 2 (0)
1976–1978 Espanyol 31 (0)
1978–1984 Cerro Porteño 182 (0)
1984–1986 Deportivo Cali 32 (0)
1988 Libertad
1989–1991 Cerro Porteño
1991–1993 Internacional 38 (0)
1994 Palmeiras 4 (0)
1995–1997 Cerro Porteño
International career
1976–1989 Paraguay 78 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of April 2008

Club career

Fernández began his career, debuting professionally, at the age of 17 for Club River Plate of Paraguay. Some of his clubs include Cerro Porteño, Deportivo Cali, RCD Espanyol, Internacional and Palmeiras. He made his international debut for the Paraguay national football team on 10 March 1976 in a Copa del Atlántico match against Uruguay (2–2).

Fernández played his final professional game in 1997 (Cerro Porteño vs. Sportivo Luqueño) at the age of 43, making him the oldest goalkeeper to play professionally in Paraguayan football history.

International career

During the late 1970s to the mid to late 1980s, his only challenger in goal for the Paraguay national team was Ever Hugo Almeida. Finally, in the late 1980s, Fernández became the back-up to Jose Luis Chilavert.

During the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, Fernández started for Paraguay in all four games. He stopped a penalty kick from Mexican Hugo Sánchez to hold the host team to a 1–1 draw.

Retirement

After retiring, Fernández dedicated himself to working as a board of director at his original club (River Plate of Paraguay), and representing other footballers. His son, Gatito Fernández, is a professional goalkeeper, currently in the registry of Botafogo in Brazil.

Honours

Club

Cerro Porteño

Internacional

Palmeiras

International

Paraguay

References
  1. rsssf: Paraguay record international footballers
  2. rsssf: Copa América 1979
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