Santiago Fernández

Football player infobox| playername= Santiago Fernández


fullname = Santiago Fernández Fernández

dateofbirth = birth date and age|1985|3|7
cityofbirth = Mexico City
countryofbirth = Mexico
height = height|m=1.85
currentclub = CD Toluca
position = Striker
clubnumber = 7
years = 2003
2004–2005
2006–2007
2008–

clubs = Club América
FC Barcelona
Club América
CD Toluca
caps(goals) = 009 0(1)
000 0(0)
035 0(3)
015 0(4)
nationalyears = 2005
2007–
nationalteam =Mexico U-20
Mexico
nationalcaps(goals) = 003 0(0)
001 0(0)
pcupdate = June 1, 2008
ntupdate = 22 August, 2007

Santiago Fernández Fernández (born March 7, 1985, in Mexico City, Mexico) is a football striker who currently plays for CD Toluca in the Mexican First Division. Once hailed as one of Club América's (and Mexico's) top footballing prospects, Fernández disappeared from the sport after a brief spell in FC Barcelona's youth squad only to resurface a couple of years later for América.

Career

Santiago spent a brief period of his football development playing in Vancouver, British Columbia, for the North Shore Selects. There, he honed his leadership skills as he helped defender Peter Murray, and goalkeeper Greg Walker take the team to first place in the league. They also went on to win the Provincial Championship.

A tall, lanky striker measuring in at 1.80 meters (6'1"), Santiago's skills were honed in Club América's divisions. His talent was soon recognized by legendary coach Manuel Lapuente, who promoted him to the senior squad in late 2002. His professional debut came during the Clausura 2003 season, on January 25, 2003 - in a game against Club San Luis. After a few more appearances as a late sub, Lapuente inserted Fernández in the starting lineup of a game against CF Atlas. Santiago did not disappoint, notching a goal and serving an assist in a wild 4-4 draw.

Soon after, Dutch coach Leo Beenhakker took over the reins of the club and relegated Fernández to the bench, and following a disappointing Apertura 2003 season in which he did not play, Santiago decided to try his luck abroad, signing on for FC Barcelona B to play the 2004-05 season. His performance in Mexico and subsequent emigration to Spanish football also caught the eye of Mexican national team officials, and Fernández was selected to represent his country at the 2005 Under-20 World Cup qualifying tournament, in which Mexico failed to advance to the main event, suffering two defeats and drawing once.

At Barcelona B, Fernández had limited participation, and was released at the end of the 2004-05 campaign. Disappointed, Santiago returned to Mexico with the intention of abandoning his football career and focusing full time on his education at Universidad Anáhuac del Norte and playing for the campus team, Halcones Anahuac. In 2006, after a heartbreaking postseason loss to UANL Tigres in the Apertura 2006 tournament and a disappointing start to the Clausura 2006 season, Manuel Lapuente made his way back into the head coaching position at Club América. Immediately, Lapuente sought out Fernández and convinced the young striker to play once more for América. Santiago showed no signs of rust, scoring in a CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal match against Jamaica's Portmore United which América won 5-2. Fernández also participated in the Mexican league's Clausura 2006 season for the "Águilas".

After the off-season shakeup that saw strikers Kléber Boas and Aarón Padilla shipped out to other clubs, and signees Vicente Matías Vuoso and Salvador Cabañas join the team, Fernández is was primed to secure a regular spot in the team's lineup, under new coach Luis Fernando Tena. America under the leadership of Tena suffered and he was soon fired. Fernández saw little playing time, coming off the bench most games. With new coach, Daniel Brailovsky, Fernández played even less. The media even said that there was a feud between the two and before the 2007 Clasura started Fernández left to Club Toluca.

External links

*Medio Tiempo|idj=9961
* [http://www.footballdatabase.com/index.php?page=player&Id=1546&pn=Santiago_Fernández_Fernández Football Database Provides Statistics for Santiago Fernandez]