Biography
Who is Federico Fernández?
Early life and background
Federico Fernández was born on February 21, 1989, in the town of Tres Algarrobos, located in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. He has Italian heritage, as his maternal great-grandfather was from Lacedonia in the Avellino province.
This background allows him to hold an Italian passport, which was relevant for his professional transfers to European clubs. He is married to his wife, Florencia, and the couple has three children together, specifically two daughters named Valentina and Victoria, and one son named Viggo.
Club career beginnings
He started his professional path at Estudiantes de La Plata. His league debut occurred on September 14, 2008, during a match against Vélez Sársfield. He contributed to the team reaching the Copa Sudamericana final in 2008.
The following year, he was part of the squad that won the 2009 Copa Libertadores. He scored his first goal for the club against Lanús in May 2009, following an assist from teammate Juan Sebastián Verón.
European league experience
In December 2010, the Italian Serie A club Napoli signed him for approximately 2.5 million euros. Due to his passport status, he arrived in Italy in July 2011. He scored two goals against Bayern Munich in the Champions League that year. In early 2013, he went on loan to the Spanish club Getafe to bolster their defense. By 2014, he helped Napoli win the Coppa Italia Final against Fiorentina.
Later in August 2014, Federico moved to the Premier League, signing a four-year contract with Swansea City for 10 million euros. He debuted in a League Cup win over Rotherham United. He eventually joined Newcastle United in 2018 on a two-year contract, reuniting with manager Rafael Benítez. His time in England concluded after signing a contract extension in 2021. He later had a brief spell at Elche in Spain and joined the Qatari side Al-Duhail in early 2023.
International play and retirement
Federico made his international debut for the Argentina senior team in April 2011 against Ecuador. He became a defensive regular during the FIFA World Cup qualification campaign under coach Alejandro Sabella. In 2014, he was named to the Argentine squad for the World Cup in Brazil. He played the full match in the opening win against Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Maracanã Stadium. Although he was an unused substitute in the final against Germany, he accumulated over 30 international caps and scored three goals during his national career.
In August 2023, he returned to Argentina to play for Estudiantes once more. He announced his retirement from professional football on December 12, 2024. His final professional match took place on December 21, 2024, during the Trofeo de Campeones de la Liga Profesional match against Vélez Sarsfield. He finished his career on a high note by winning that final game.
Birthday and age
Federico Fernández was born on February 21, 1989, which makes Federico 37 years old today. That birthday falls under the Pisces sign. Federico shares the date with 66 other famous people.
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