1. Overview
Fabricio Martín Agosto Ramírez (Fabricio Martín Agosto Ramírezfaˈβɾiθjo aˈɣosto raˈmiɾeθSpanish; born December 31, 1987), commonly known as Fabri (FabriˈfaβɾiSpanish), is a Spanish footballer who plays as a goalkeeper. He has had a notable professional career spanning over a decade, primarily in Spain, but also with significant spells in Turkey and England. Fabri is recognized for his contributions to several Spanish clubs, including two stints with Deportivo La Coruña, as well as Real Valladolid, Recreativo de Huelva, Real Betis, and RCD Mallorca. His career highlight includes winning the Süper Lig championship with Turkish club Beşiktaş in the 2016-17 season, where he also made appearances in the UEFA Champions League. A former Spain youth international, Fabri has also expressed an interest in representing the Uruguay national football team due to his heritage. Throughout his career, he has faced challenges including significant injuries and notable on-field incidents that have drawn public attention.
2. Early Life and Youth Career
Fabri was born on December 31, 1987, in Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain. His foundational years in football began at a young age within local youth academies. From 2003 to 2005, he was part of the setup at Vecindario, a team from his native Canary Islands. He then moved to Deportivo de La Coruña in 2005, where he completed his football development within their youth academy until 2006. Fabri made his professional debut with Deportivo's B team, Deportivo Fabril, during the 2006-07 season, appearing in 54 matches for the reserves.
3. Club Career
Fabri's professional journey saw him play for numerous clubs across Spain, Turkey, and England, experiencing periods of significant success, injury setbacks, and transfers that shaped his career trajectory.
3.1. Early Career in Spain
Fabri's initial professional breakthrough came with his boyhood club, Deportivo de La Coruña. He was promoted to the first team during the 2007-08 season under unusual circumstances; after a physical altercation between goalkeeping teammates Dudu Aouate and Gustavo Munúa following a training session resulted in their suspensions, Fabri was temporarily made the first-choice goalkeeper. He made his La Liga debut on January 13, 2008, in an away match against Villarreal CF, which Deportivo lost 4-3. However, Aouate and Munúa were reinstated in the first team later that month, and Fabri returned to the B squad. In January 2008, reports emerged that Arsenal showed interest in signing Fabri, considering him one of Spain's promising talents. During the 2008-09 season, he was permanently promoted to backup duties as Munúa and Aouate were deemed surplus, and he also made appearances in the Copa del Rey and UEFA Intertoto Cup. Despite this, following Aouate's transfer to RCD Mallorca, Munúa was again reinstated as second choice, and Fabri once more returned to the reserves.
On July 13, 2009, Fabri was released by Deportivo and subsequently joined Real Valladolid on a 2+2 year contract. During his tenure at Valladolid, he made only one appearance in La Liga and two in the Copa del Rey. The following year, on August 19, 2010, he signed for Recreativo de Huelva in the Segunda División on a one-year loan deal. He played a significant role for Recreativo, making 40 league appearances and one cup appearance during the 2010-11 season.
Fabri returned to the top flight for the 2011-12 campaign, moving to Real Betis. In his first year with Betis, he played 17 competitive games, notably achieving clean sheets against Real Zaragoza (2-0 away), Málaga (2-0 away), and Osasuna (1-0 at Estadio Benito Villamarín). However, a disagreement with manager Pepe Mel led to his demotion to third-choice goalkeeper. He ultimately left the club in the summer of 2013.
3.2. Return to Deportivo and Injuries
In the summer of 2013, Fabri returned to Deportivo de La Coruña for his second spell with the club. In his first year back in Galicia, during the 2013-14 season, he served as second-choice goalkeeper behind Germán Lux. He later became the primary starter for the team. However, his second stint was significantly hampered by injuries. He missed the majority of the 2015-16 season due to a tibia injury. This injury was particularly problematic as he had suffered a similar issue ten years prior, and in 2011, while at Betis, he had also sustained a potentially career-threatening shoulder ailment.
3.3. Beşiktaş
In July 2016, Fabri ventured abroad for the first time in his career, signing with Turkish Süper Lig champions Beşiktaş. He quickly established himself as a key player for the Istanbul club. In the 2016-17 season, he was instrumental in Beşiktaş winning their second consecutive and 15th overall Süper Lig title, missing only two out of 34 league matches.
Fabri also made appearances in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League with Beşiktaş. A notable and emotionally charged incident occurred on December 6, 2016, during a group stage match against FC Dynamo Kyiv. In a 6-0 loss, Fabri was visibly distressed and began to cry on the field after conceding the fourth goal in the first half. This moment drew significant media attention and highlighted the intense pressure and emotional toll of professional football. He made 11 appearances in European competitions during the 2016-17 season (UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League) and 6 appearances in the UEFA Champions League during the 2017-18 season.
3.4. Fulham and Later Career
On July 24, 2018, Fabri joined Premier League club Fulham, signing a three-year deal that included an option for a fourth year. His move to Fulham reunited him with goalkeeping coach José Sambade Carreira, with whom he had previously worked at Deportivo. Fabri made his Premier League debut on August 11, 2018, in a 0-2 home defeat against Crystal Palace. He made only two appearances in the Premier League during his time at Fulham.
On September 2, 2019, Fabri was loaned to RCD Mallorca for a year. During his spell at the Visit Mallorca Stadium, he made four competitive appearances, though his contribution in the league was limited to a single game where his performance was noted as underwhelming. After his loan spell, he departed Fulham in 2022.
In 2023, Fabri joined Spanish club CD Numancia.
4. International Career
Fabri is a former youth international for Spain. He represented the Spain U-20 team, making at least one appearance in 2007.
In February 2018, Fabri publicly announced that he had Uruguayan descent and expressed his desire to represent the Uruguay national football team at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. This declaration indicated his openness to playing for the South American nation's senior team.
5. Career Statistics
Fabri's professional career statistics across various clubs and competitions are detailed below.
The 'Other' column in the statistics below includes appearances in the UEFA Intertoto Cup, UEFA Champions League, and UEFA Europa League.
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Deportivo La Coruña | 2006-07 | La Liga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | |
| 2007-08 | La Liga | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 6 | 0 | ||
| 2008-09 | La Liga | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||
| Total | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 0 | ||
| Valladolid | 2009-10 | La Liga | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 3 | 0 | |
| Recreativo (loan) | 2010-11 | Segunda División | 40 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 41 | 0 | |
| Betis | 2011-12 | La Liga | 15 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 17 | 0 | |
| 2012-13 | La Liga | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | ||
| Total | 17 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 19 | 0 | |||
| Deportivo La Coruña | 2013-14 | Segunda División | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 8 | 0 | |
| 2014-15 | La Liga | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 31 | 0 | ||
| 2015-16 | La Liga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 37 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 39 | 0 | |||
| Beşiktaş | 2016-17 | Süper Lig | 32 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 | ||
| 2017-18 | Süper Lig | 34 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |||
| Total | 66 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 86 | 0 | ||
| Fulham | 2018-19 | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | |
| Mallorca (loan) | 2019-20 | La Liga | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | - | 4 | 0 | |
| Career total | 170 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 206 | 0 | ||
6. Honours
Fabri has achieved the following major honours in his club career:
- Süper Lig: 2016-17 with Beşiktaş
7. Assessment and Notable Incidents
Throughout his career, Fabri has been involved in several notable incidents and faced challenges that have influenced his trajectory and public perception.
One of the most widely publicized incidents occurred on December 6, 2016, during a UEFA Champions League group stage match between his club Beşiktaş and FC Dynamo Kyiv. Following the concession of the fourth goal in a 6-0 defeat, Fabri was captured on camera visibly emotional, openly crying on the field. This moment drew significant media attention and highlighted the intense pressure and emotional toll of professional football.
Fabri also experienced a challenging relationship with manager Pepe Mel during his time at Real Betis. A public run-in with Mel led to Fabri being demoted to third-choice goalkeeper, eventually contributing to his departure from the club in 2013. This incident demonstrates the complexities of player-manager dynamics and their impact on a player's career.
Injuries have also been a significant factor in Fabri's career. He suffered a potentially career-threatening shoulder ailment in 2011 while playing for Betis. Later, during the 2015-16 season, a tibia injury, which was a recurrence of an issue he had experienced a decade earlier, caused him to miss the majority of the season. These recurring injury issues highlight the physical demands of his position and the resilience required to return to play at a high level.