Borja Fernández (footballer, born 1981)
![]() Borja with Valladolid in 2019 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Borja Fernández Fernández[1] | ||
Date of birth | 14 January 1981 | ||
Place of birth | Ourense, Spain | ||
Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
Position(s) | Defensive midfielder | ||
Youth career | |||
1996–2000 | Real Madrid | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2000–2001 | Real Madrid C | ||
2001–2003 | Real Madrid B | 73 | (4) |
2003–2006 | Real Madrid | 23 | (0) |
2005–2006 | → Mallorca (loan) | 16 | (0) |
2006–2010 | Valladolid | 128 | (3) |
2010–2014 | Getafe | 57 | (1) |
2011–2012 | → Deportivo La Coruña (loan) | 22 | (2) |
2014 | Atlético Kolkata | 16 | (1) |
2015 | Eibar | 16 | (1) |
2015 | Atlético Kolkata | 15 | (1) |
2016 | Valladolid | 17 | (0) |
2016 | Atlético Kolkata | 16 | (0) |
2017 | Almería | 20 | (2) |
2017–2019 | Valladolid | 60 | (3) |
Total | 479 | (18) | |
International career | |||
1997–1998 | Spain U16 | 15 | (0) |
1998–1999 | Spain U17 | 9 | (0) |
1999–2000 | Spain U18 | 4 | (0) |
2002–2003 | Spain U21 | 2 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Borja Fernández Fernández (born 14 January 1981) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.
Having started his career at Real Madrid, he amassed La Liga totals of 222 matches and three goals over 11 seasons. He also represented in the competition Mallorca, Valladolid, Getafe and Eibar.
Fernández signed for Atlético de Kolkata in 2014, winning the first Indian Super League.
Club career
Spain
Born in Ourense, Galicia, Fernández joined Real Madrid's academy in 1996 and, after impressive displays for the C and B teams, was promoted to the main squad in 2003. He appeared in 15 La Liga games that season – with his debut coming on 2 September 2003 in a 1–1 away draw against Villarreal CF[2]– and eight in his second year (mostly as a late substitute).
Unable to break into the first team, Fernández was loaned to RCD Mallorca for the 2005–06 campaign, where he also played sparingly. He subsequently joined Segunda División club Real Valladolid, being instrumental in the side's top-flight promotion after a three-year hiatus and continuing to start regularly in the subsequent seasons under manager José Luis Mendilibar.[3]
Fernández was again a defensive pillar for Valladolid in 2009–10, featuring in 31 matches as the Castile and León side was eventually relegated, as 19th. In late May 2010, he signed a four-year contract with Getafe CF.[4]
In August 2011, Fernández returned to the second division and joined Deportivo de La Coruña, with Rubén Pérez heading in the opposite direction.[5] He subsequently returned to Geta, scoring his first official goal for the team on 16 March 2013, the game's only at home against Athletic Bilbao.[6]
India and Eibar
On 4 July 2014, at the age of 33, Fernández moved abroad for the first time, becoming the first signing for Atlético de Kolkata of the Indian Super League and the very first signing in the league ever.[7] He scored the second goal in the league's opening match, a 3–0 home victory over Mumbai City FC.[8] In the next fixture he was sent off for two yellow cards in the 84th minute, but his team still won 2–0 at NorthEast United FC.[9]
Fernández played a pivotal role for Atlético as they went on to win the championship, defeating Kerala Blasters FC in the final through a last-minute goal by Mohammed Rafique.[10] On 31 December 2014 he returned to Spain, after agreeing to a six-month contract with top-tier club SD Eibar.[11] His debut came on 16 January of the following year, replacing Javi Lara in added time of a 1–1 draw at Córdoba CF.[12] He started in 14 of his appearances to help the Basques retain their status, scoring an equaliser in a 1–1 away draw against Getafe on 17 May.[13]
On 17 June 2015, Fernández returned to Atlético Kolkata,[14][15] succeeding his compatriot Luis García as the franchise's captain for their second campaign.[16] He scored once in 15 matches – in a 4–0 home rout of FC Goa on 22 November[17]– as his team were eliminated in the semi-finals by Chennaiyin FC.
Valladolid return and later years
Fernández returned to Valladolid on 25 January 2016, linking until the end of the second division season.[18] On 12 August, he rejoined Kolkata for the third ISL campaign.[19]
On 17 January 2017, Fernández returned to Spain and its second level after agreeing to a six-month deal with UD Almería.[20] On 12 July, he returned to Valladolid for a third spell after signing a one-year contract.[21]
After contributing sparingly as the latter side retained their top-flight status, the 38-year-old Borja announced his retirement in May 2019. He remained connected to his last club, in other capacities.[22]
Club statistics
Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Real Madrid | 2001–02 | La Liga | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | |
2002–03 | La Liga | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
2003–04 | La Liga | 15 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4[a] | 0 | 24 | 0 | |
2004–05 | La Liga | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
Total | 23 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 38 | 0 | ||
Mallorca | 2005–06 | La Liga | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 17 | 0 | |
Valladolid | 2006–07 | Segunda División | 37 | 2 | 5 | 0 | — | 42 | 2 | |
2007–08 | La Liga | 31 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | 35 | 1 | ||
2008–09 | La Liga | 29 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 31 | 0 | ||
2009–10 | La Liga | 31 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 32 | 0 | ||
Total | 128 | 3 | 13 | 0 | — | 140 | 3 | |||
Getafe | 2010–11 | La Liga | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6[b] | 0 | 20 | 0 |
2012–13 | La Liga | 16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 17 | 1 | ||
2013–14 | La Liga | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 29 | 0 | ||
Total | 57 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 66 | 1 | ||
Deportivo | 2011–12 | Segunda División | 22 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | 24 | 2 | |
ATK | 2014 | Indian Super League | 16 | 1 | — | 16 | 1 | |||
Eibar | 2014–15 | La Liga | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 16 | 1 | |
ATK | 2015 | Indian Super League | 12 | 1 | — | 12 | 1 | |||
Valladolid | 2015–16 | Segunda División | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 17 | 0 | |
ATK | 2016 | Indian Super League | 16 | 0 | — | 16 | 0 | |||
Almería | 2016–17 | Segunda División | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 20 | 2 | |
Valladolid | 2017–18 | Segunda División | 41[c] | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 41 | 3 | |
2018–19 | La Liga | 16 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 19 | 0 | ||
Total | 57 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 1 | ||
Career total | 402 | 12 | 32 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 442 | 14 |
- ^ Includes Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- ^ Includes appearances in UEFA Europa League
- ^ Includes four appearances in Segunda División play-offs
Honours
Valladolid
Deportivo
- Segunda División: 2011–12
Atlético Kolkata
References
- ^ Ros, Cayetano (22 December 2011). "Borja llora la lesión de Juanlu" [Borja mourns Juanlu injury]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 June 2015.
- ^ Ramírez Orsikowsky, Jorge (3 September 2003). "La cantera le da al Madrid un punto ante el Villarreal" [Youth system gives Madrid one point against Villarreal]. El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 February 2014.
- ^ "El adiós a una leyenda blanquivioleta" [Farewell to a blanquivioleta legend] (in Spanish). Real Valladolid. 17 May 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ^ Pérez, José Ignacio (21 May 2010). "Borja 'debuta' en el Getafe" [Borja makes Getafe 'debut']. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 May 2010.
- ^ "Borja anuncia que ya es del Depor y Rubén irá al Getafe" [Borja announces he belongs to Depor and Rubén will go to Getafe]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 22 August 2011. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
- ^ "El Athletic de Bielsa cae tras dos victorias seguidas" [Bielsa's Athletic fall after two consecutive wins] (in Spanish). Goal. 16 March 2013. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
- ^ "Borja Fernández se va a la Superliga india" [Borja Fernández goes to the Indian Superleague]. La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). 4 July 2014. Archived from the original on 7 July 2014. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
- ^ Iyer, Krishnan (12 October 2014). "Indian Super League: Atletico de Kolkata stun Mumbai City FC 3–0 in 1st ISL 2014 match". India.com. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
- ^ "ISL: 10-man Atletico de Kolkata outshine NorthEast United FC 2–0". India Today. 16 October 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
- ^ "Substitute Mohammed Rafique hands Atlético de Kolkata the title". Indian Super League. 20 December 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- ^ "Borja Fernández jugará en el Eibar hasta final de temporada" [Borja Fernández will play in Eibar until the end of the season] (in Spanish). SD Eibar. 31 December 2014. Archived from the original on 1 January 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ^ Melero, Delfín (16 January 2015). "El Eibar aprovecha una mala noche" [Eibar make the most of a bad night]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 January 2015.
- ^ Gómez, Clara (17 May 2015). "El Getafe es de Primera" [Getafe belong to Primera]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2015.
- ^ "Atletico de Kolkata retain midfielder Borja Fernandez". The Times of India. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ^ "Welcome Borja Fernández". Facebook. June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ^ "Rival managers hopeful of positive results". Indian Super League. 11 October 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
- ^ "ISL 2015: Atletico de Kolkata rout FC Goa 4–0 to go top of the table". Firstpost. 23 November 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
- ^ "Borja Fernández ficha por el Valladolid" [Borja Fernández signs for Valladolid]. La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). 25 January 2016. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
- ^ Sarkar, Dhiman (12 August 2016). "Helder Postiga retained as Atletico de Kolkata marquee; Borja, Lara stay". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
- ^ "El Almería cierra el fichaje de Borja Fernández, un medio centro con experiencia" [Almería complete the signing of Borja Fernández, a central midfielder with experience] (in Spanish). UD Almería. 17 January 2017. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
- ^ "Borja III" (in Spanish). Real Valladolid. 12 July 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
- ^ "Borja anuncia su retirada" [Borja announces his retirement]. El Día de Valladolid (in Spanish). 17 May 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
- ^ "Borja: Borja Fernández Fernández". BDFutbol. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
- ^ "Borja Fernández". Soccerway. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
External links
- Deportivo official profile (in Spanish)
- Borja Fernández at BDFutbol
- Borja Fernández at Futbolme (in Spanish)
- 1981 births
- Living people
- People from Ourense
- Spanish footballers
- Galician footballers
- Association football midfielders
- La Liga players
- Segunda División players
- Segunda División B players
- Real Madrid C footballers
- Real Madrid Castilla footballers
- Real Madrid CF players
- RCD Mallorca players
- Real Valladolid players
- Getafe CF footballers
- Deportivo de La Coruña players
- SD Eibar footballers
- UD Almería players
- Indian Super League players
- ATK (football club) players
- Spain youth international footballers
- Spain under-21 international footballers
- Spanish expatriate footballers
- Expatriate footballers in India
- Spanish expatriate sportspeople in India