Enzo Fernández

1.1. Childhood and Youth Career

Enzo Jeremías Fernández was born on 17 January 2001, in San Martín, Buenos Aires, to Raúl and Marta. He has four brothers: Seba, Rodri, Maxi, and Gonza. Fernández was introduced to football at a young age, playing for a local side called Club La Recova before joining River Plate. The exact year he joined River Plate's academy is unclear, with varying reports from 2005 to 2007, but he progressed through their youth ranks over thirteen years.

On 27 January 2019, at the age of 18, he was promoted to the club's first-team by manager Marcelo Gallardo, though he remained on the bench during a match against Patronato. He made his first-team debut on 4 March 2020, replacing Santiago Sosa in the 75th minute of a 3-0 loss to L.D.U. Quito in the Copa Libertadores. In the weeks leading up to his debut, he scored once in a 6-1 victory over Libertad during his four appearances at the 2020 U-20 Copa Libertadores in Paraguay.

1.2. River Plate Debut and Loan to Defensa y Justicia

Despite being used sporadically at River Plate, Fernández was advised by his manager to seek a loan spell to further his development. In August 2020, he was loaned to fellow top-flight club Defensa y Justicia. He made his debut for Defensa y Justicia on 18 September, under manager Hernán Crespo, in a 3-0 win over Delfín in the Copa Libertadores.

Initially not a starter, Fernández's impressive performances quickly earned him a regular spot in the team. He played a pivotal role in the club's success, helping them win the 2020 Copa Sudamericana, starting in the 3-0 victory over fellow Argentinian side Lanús in the final, securing his first career title. He also featured in both legs of the 2021 Recopa Sudamericana against SE Palmeiras, where Defensa y Justicia overcame a 1-3 deficit to win in a penalty shootout, with Fernández successfully converting his penalty.

2.1. Return to River Plate

After a successful loan spell, Fernández returned to River Plate in July 2021 at the request of manager Marcelo Gallardo, making his return on 15 July 2021, in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores round-of-16 against Argentinos Juniors, which ended in a 1-1 draw. He quickly established himself as a starter, and on 14 August, he scored his first goal for the club and provided an assist in a 2-0 win over Vélez Sarsfield in the Argentine Primera División. On 20 December, he signed a contract extension with River Plate until 2025.

In the 2022 season, Fernández had a promising start, scoring eight goals and providing six assists in 19 games. His exceptional performances led to him being named the best active footballer in Argentina, attracting the attention of numerous established European clubs.

2.2. Benfica

On 23 June 2022, River Plate reached an agreement with Primeira Liga team Benfica for Fernández's transfer. The deal was for a fee of 10.00 M EUR for 75% of his economic rights, plus 8.00 M EUR in add-ons, with the player remaining at River Plate until the conclusion of the club's 2022 Copa Libertadores campaign. Following River Plate's elimination from the Copa Libertadores in the round of 16, Benfica officially confirmed the deal on 14 July. Fernández was given the number 13 shirt, a number previously worn by club legend Eusébio.

He made his debut for Benfica on 2 August, scoring his first goal for the club with a half-volley from outside the penalty area in a 4-1 home victory over Midtjylland in the first leg of the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League third qualifying round. He continued his goal-scoring form in Benfica's subsequent matches, netting against Arouca in the Primeira Liga (a 4-0 home win) and again against Midtjylland in the second leg of the Champions League third qualifying round (a 3-1 away win). His impressive performances throughout August earned him the Primeira Liga's Midfielder of the Month award, a recognition he received again for October and November. By the time of the 2022 FIFA World Cup break, he had recorded three goals and five assists in 24 official matches for Benfica.

2.3. Chelsea

Following Fernández's standout performances at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, he became a target for Premier League teams Chelsea and Liverpool during the January 2023 transfer window. However, Benfica maintained that he would not be sold for less than his 121.00 M EUR release clause. Despite initial difficulties in negotiations, Chelsea eventually reached a final agreement with Benfica on 31 January 2023, purchasing Fernández for a package worth 121.00 M EUR. This fee set a new British-record transfer deal at the time. Fernández signed an eight-and-a-half-year contract, committing him to Chelsea until 2031. Negotiations, which lasted over ten hours, were led by Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali. Benfica received an initial £30 million installment, with five further payments planned. The president of Benfica, Rui Costa, publicly expressed his anger over the transfer, stating he never wanted Fernández to wear the Benfica shirt again due to the circumstances of his departure.

Fernández made his Premier League debut on 3 February 2023, playing the full 90 minutes in a 0-0 home draw against Fulham. On 11 February, in his second Chelsea appearance, he registered an assist for the team's only goal in a 1-1 league draw against West Ham United. He scored his first goal for Chelsea in a 2-1 victory over AFC Wimbledon in the second round of the EFL Cup on 30 August 2023. His first Premier League goals came on 3 December, when he scored a brace in a 3-2 home victory over Brighton & Hove Albion. Towards the end of the 2022-23 season, interim manager Frank Lampard recognized Fernández's potential for a more attacking role, though he was primarily deployed in a deeper midfield position for team balance. For the 2023-24 season, he changed his shirt number from 5 to 8, the same number worn by Lampard.

3.1. Youth and Senior Debut

On 24 July 2019, Fernández was selected by Argentina U18s manager Esteban Solari to represent his nation at the 2019 COTIF Tournament in Spain. His impressive club form led to his first call-up to the Argentina national team by manager Lionel Scaloni on 3 November 2021, for two 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Brazil and Uruguay. He made his senior team debut on 24 September 2022, coming on as a 64th-minute substitute for Leandro Paredes in a 3-0 win against Honduras.

3.2. 2022 FIFA World Cup

On 11 November 2022, Fernández was named in Argentina's 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Despite being one of the youngest players and initially a substitute (alongside Julián Álvarez and Alexis Mac Allister for the opening match against Saudi Arabia), his role drastically changed after Argentina's unexpected loss to Saudi Arabia. Coach Lionel Scaloni restructured the team, promoting Fernández to a starting position. His presence immediately unified Argentina's offense and defense.

On 26 November, after coming on for Guido Rodríguez in the 57th minute against Mexico, Fernández scored his first international goal, a spectacular strike that sealed Argentina's 2-0 group stage victory. This goal made him the second-youngest player (only behind Lionel Messi) to score a World Cup goal for Argentina, at 21 years, ten months, and thirteen days old. He continued to impress, assisting Julián Álvarez's winning goal against Poland in the final group stage match, securing Argentina's progression to the knockout rounds.

In the round of 16 match against Australia on 3 December, Fernández scored an unfortunate own goal while attempting to block a shot, becoming the youngest own goal scorer in Argentina's FIFA World Cup history. However, Argentina still won 2-1, thanks in part to vital saves from goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez. In the quarter-final against the Netherlands, although he performed exceptionally well during open play, he missed his penalty in the shootout. Yet again, Emiliano Martínez's saves secured Argentina's victory. In the semi-final against Croatia, Scaloni deployed a strong midfield quartet, including Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, Rodrigo De Paul, and Leandro Paredes, which dismantled Croatia's midfield dominance. Fernández played in the final against France, where Argentina won the World Cup by a score of 4-2 on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw. For his outstanding contributions, he was named the best young player of the tournament.

His influence was perhaps best summarized by a letter he wrote to Lionel Messi when he was 15, after Messi had considered retiring from the national team following several major tournament losses. In the letter, Fernández expressed admiration and urged Messi to continue, emphasizing the joy he brought to millions despite immense pressure. This deeply personal sentiment became a full-circle moment when Fernández later played alongside his idol and helped him achieve World Cup glory.

3.3. 2024 Copa América

In June 2024, Fernández was called up to represent Argentina at the 2024 Copa América. He played in all but one of Argentina's matches and provided two assists throughout the tournament. His contributions were vital as Argentina went on to win the competition, defeating Colombia 1-0 in the final. This victory marked his second major senior international trophy with the national team.

3.4. July 2024 Video Controversy

In July 2024, following Argentina's victory in the Copa América, a video surfaced showing Fernández and other Argentine players chanting alleged racist chants about the origin of France national team players while on the team bus. This incident sparked significant outrage and criticism from the French Football Federation (FFF) and French Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra.

Several of Fernández's French teammates at Chelsea responded by unfollowing him on Instagram and posting on Twitter to express their anger. In response, Fernández issued an apology via Instagram. The FFF subsequently lodged a formal complaint with FIFA regarding the remarks, while Chelsea F.C. announced that it had "instigated an internal disciplinary procedure" to address the matter. After offering a private apology to his Chelsea teammates and making a donation to an anti-discrimination charity, Chelsea announced on 30 July that they would not be taking any further disciplinary actions against Fernández.

5.1. Family and Background

Enzo Fernández was named after three-time Copa América winner and former River Plate player Enzo Francescoli, reflecting his father Raúl's admiration for the Uruguayan footballer. Fernández has publicly stated that his favorite player is Lionel Messi.

He married Valentina Cervantes, an Argentine national. They have a daughter, Olivia, born on 4 March 2020, and a son, Benjamin, born in October 2023. On 31 October 2024, Cervantes announced on her Instagram story that she and Fernández had decided to separate, stating, "Enzo and I have decided to take some distance from each other today. But we will always be family, and we will support each other in everything, because there are two children involved who need a lot of love from us. I know the person Enzo is and what an excellent father he is, as well as the heart he has. And that is enough for me. Please don't try to create conflicts where there are none." Argentine journalist Julieta Argenta further elaborated, claiming Fernández desired "to live life on his own" and "experience the stage he skipped by choosing family early on." Despite the separation, they aim to maintain a good relationship for their children.

5.2. Legal Issues

On 11 September 2024, Fernández faced legal repercussions for driving offences. He was disqualified from driving for six months, received a 12-point penalty on his license, and was fined £3,020. These penalties stemmed from two driving offences committed in Wales in November and December 2023. The vehicle involved was a Porsche Cayenne registered in Fernández's name.

The offences included allegedly speeding on Carmarthen Road, Swansea, on 20 December 2023, as recorded by South Wales Police, and running a red light on Church Street, Llanelli, on 28 November 2023, reported by Dyfed-Powys Police. Both police forces sent court papers to Fernández's home address in Kingston-Upon-Thames and Chelsea's training ground in Stoke D'Abernon, Surrey, requesting identification of the driver. Fernández failed to appear for the hearings at Llanelli Magistrates' Court. Consequently, he was charged £1,000 and £110 in police costs for the Llanelli offence, and an additional £1,000 charge, £800 victim surcharge, and £110 in police costs for the Swansea offence. The 12 penalty points from these two incidents, added to nine existing penalty points for speeding, resulted in his six-month driving ban.

6.1. Team Honours

• Defensa y Justicia
  • Copa Sudamericana: 2020
  • Recopa Sudamericana: 2021
• River Plate
  • Argentine Primera División: 2021
  • Trofeo de Campeones: 2021
• Benfica
  • Primeira Liga: 2022-23
• Argentina
  • FIFA World Cup: 2022
  • Copa América: 2024

6.2. Individual Honours

• CONMEBOL Copa Sudamericana Squad of the Season: 2020
• Primeira Liga Midfielder of the Month: August 2022, October/November 2022
• FIFA World Cup Young Player Award: 2022

7.1. Club Statistics

7.2. International Statistics