Matias Fernandez

Matias Fernandez is a young Chilean international footballer who currently plays his club football in Spain for Villarreal. He is an attacking midfielder and playmaker and has been touted as the next Juan Roman Riquelme at Villarreal.

Matias Fernandez was born as an Argentine but moved to Chile with his family when he was only 4 years of age and that is why he considers himself Chilean and states that he remembers nothing from those four years spend in Argentina.

Matias is a product of the most famous Chilean club Colo-Colo and made his debut for the senior side against archrivals Universidad de Chile in August 2004. He soon established himself as the key player in Colo-Colo[s midfield and impressed everyone with his passes, dribbled and incricate construction work in the centre of the midfield.

In December 2006 Mati guided Colo-Colo to the final of the Copa Sudamericana 2006. The Chilean protigee was signed by Villarreal for 8.7 million euros in October of that year, before he was honoured with the South American Player of the Year award.

Matias Fernandez has developed quite well under Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini who is also a Chilean although Mati has failed to establish himself as a regular first teamer at El Madrigal.

Mati made his international debut for Chile in 2005 and has featured for his nation in 19 international matches.