Borja Fernández (footballer, born 1981)

Borja Fernández Fernández (born 14 January 1981) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.

For another footballer of the same name, see Borja Fernández (footballer, born 1995).
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Fernández and the second or maternal family name is Fernández.

Borja Fernández
Borja with Valladolid in 2019
Personal information
Full name Borja Fernández Fernández[1]
Date of birth (1981-01-14) 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)
National team
1997–1998 Spain U16 15 (0)
1998–1999 Spain U17 9 (0)
1999–2000 Spain U18 4 (0)
2002–2003 Spain U21 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

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
As of match played on 8 February 2019[23][24]
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Real Madrid 2001–02 La Liga 0030—30
2002–03 La Liga 0010—10
2003–04 La Liga 150504[lower-alpha 1]0240
2004–05 La Liga 802000100
Total 23011040380
Mallorca 2005–06 La Liga 16010—170
Valladolid 2006–07 Segunda División 37250—422
2007–08 La Liga 31140—351
2008–09 La Liga 29020—310
2009–10 La Liga 31010—320
Total 1283130—1403
Getafe 2010–11 La Liga 130106[lower-alpha 2]0200
2012–13 La Liga 16110—171
2013–14 La Liga 28010—290
Total 5713060661
Deportivo 2011–12 Segunda División 22220—242
ATK 2014 Indian Super League 161—161
Eibar 2014–15 La Liga 16100—161
ATK 2015 Indian Super League 121—121
Valladolid 2015–16 Segunda División 17000—170
ATK 2016 Indian Super League 160—160
Almería 2016–17 Segunda División 20200—202
Valladolid 2017–18 Segunda División 41[lower-alpha 3]300—413
2018–19 La Liga 16030—190
Total 5733000601
Career total 4021232010044214
  1. Includes Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  2. Includes appearances in UEFA Europa League
  3. Includes four appearances in Segunda División play-offs

Honours

Valladolid

Deportivo

Atlético Kolkata

References
  1. Ros, Cayetano (22 December 2011). "Borja llora la lesión de Juanlu" [Borja mourns Juanlu injury]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  2. 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.
  3. "El adiós a una leyenda blanquivioleta" [Farewell to a blanquivioleta legend] (in Spanish). Real Valladolid. 17 May 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  4. Pérez, José Ignacio (21 May 2010). "Borja 'debuta' en el Getafe" [Borja makes Getafe 'debut']. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 May 2010.
  5. "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.
  6. "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.
  7. "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.
  8. 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.
  9. "ISL: 10-man Atletico de Kolkata outshine NorthEast United FC 2–0". India Today. 16 October 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  10. "Substitute Mohammed Rafique hands Atlético de Kolkata the title". Indian Super League. 20 December 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  11. "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.
  12. 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.
  13. Gómez, Clara (17 May 2015). "El Getafe es de Primera" [Getafe belong to Primera]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  14. "Atletico de Kolkata retain midfielder Borja Fernandez". The Times of India. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  15. "Welcome Borja Fernández". Facebook. June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  16. "Rival managers hopeful of positive results". Indian Super League. 11 October 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  17. "ISL 2015: Atletico de Kolkata rout FC Goa 4–0 to go top of the table". Firstpost. 23 November 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  18. "Borja Fernández ficha por el Valladolid" [Borja Fernández signs for Valladolid]. La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). 25 January 2016. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  19. Sarkar, Dhiman (12 August 2016). "Helder Postiga retained as Atletico de Kolkata marquee; Borja, Lara stay". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  20. "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.
  21. "Borja III" (in Spanish). Real Valladolid. 12 July 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  22. "Borja anuncia su retirada" [Borja announces his retirement]. El Día de Valladolid (in Spanish). 17 May 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  23. "Borja: Borja Fernández Fernández". BDFutbol. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  24. "Borja Fernández". Soccerway. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
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