Fernando Gómez

Fernando

Personal information
Full name	Fernando Gómez Colomer
Date of birth	September 11, 1965 (1965-09-11)
Place of birth	Valencia, Spain
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Playing position	Attacking midfielder
Youth career
	Colegio Salgui
	Valencia
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1983	Valencia B
1983–1998	Valencia	421	(109)
1998–1999	Wolves	19	(2)
1999–2000	Castellón	35	(10)
National team
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)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Gómez and the second or maternal family name is Colomer.

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

His professional career was closely connected to Valencia, with which he made his senior debuts at the age of 18, going on to score more than 100 official goals, and working with the team in directorial capacities following his retirement.

Club career

Fernando spent the vast majority of his career at hometown club Valencia CF, representing it from 1983 to 1998. He would garner a reputation as an outstanding playmaker who boasted an exceptional scoring record from midfield (two 14-goal seasons, three with 10), and would also captain the side. He played a club record 421 La Liga games for them, and also ranked as the club's fourth highest scorer, with 142 goals in all competitions.

Fernando made his first team debut on January 15, 1984 against Real Valladolid, after moving up from the club's 'B' team, CD Mestalla. He truly came to the forefront in the 1986–87 season, as the team won promotion back to the top level at the first attempt. Aside from this season, he spent all his time with Valencia in the top flight, where he twice finished runner-up in the championship, also settling for a runners-up spot in the Spanish Cup of 1995.

Fernando won the Don Balón Best Spanish Player Award in 1988–89, and broke into the national team later that year. He finally left the club in August 1998 to join English First Division side Wolverhampton Wanderers on a free transfer. However, he spent only one year with the Wolves before returning to Spain, with third level's CD Castellón, also in the Valencian Community.

After a sole Castellón season, Fernando retired in 2000. He remained at the club as sporting director, switching afterwards to sports commentator, on both radio and television. However, in July 2008, he returned to Valencia, again as sporting director, leaving the post two years later.

International career

Fernando earned eight caps and scored two goals for the Spanish national team, 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. 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 win over South Korea.

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

Honours

Valencia

• Second Division: 1986–87
• Spanish Cup: Runner-up 1994–95

Spain U20

• FIFA U-20 World Cup: Runner-up 1985

External links

• BDFutbol profile
• National team data (Spanish)
• Fernando Gómez at National-Football-Teams.com
• Fernando Gómez career stats at Soccerbase